Nine Japanese players that have scored Premier League goal

Three scorers in the list have won the Premier League

Since Park-ji Sung made a name for himself at Manchester United, several Asian players have made an impact in the Premier League in the past one and a half decades. Specially players from Japan have featured in the league with some players making it big in the country. In recent times Japan has been producing some of the best-talented players in football and few of them in past have played in the Premier League, many more players in future are going to follow in their footsteps. Here we look at the top nine Japanese players who have scored in the Premier League.

9. Takehiro Tomiyasu

Tomiyasu is known for being physical, as well as his strong defending structure. Tomiyasu joined Premier League side Arsenal on a four-year deal, with an option for a fifth. On 11 September, he made his first appearance for Arsenal against Norwich City in a 1–0 win. On 28 October, he scored his first goal for Arsenal in the 96th minute of stoppage time in a 5–0 victory over Sheffield United.

8. Kaoru Mitoma

Mitoma joined Premier League side Brighton & Hove Albion on a four-year deal, joining Union SG on loan for the first year. He scored his first goal for the Seagulls, heading them level from Adam Lallana's cross in the eventual 3–2 away win over Wolverhampton Wanderers. Now one of the Premier League's brightest talents, he is a fan favourite and very soon many big clubs will look to sign him.

7. Takumi Minamino

Minamino became the first Japanese player in history to represent Liverpool when he arrived at Anfield in a £7.25m switch from RB Salzburg in January 2020. However, it would take the midfielder almost a full year to score his first league goal for the Reds. Minamino finally opened his Premier League account when he netted against Crystal Palace in December 2020. Currently, he is playing his trade in Monaco.

6. Yoshinori Muto

Newcastle would have been hoping for a far better return in terms of goals when they signed winger Muto from Mainz for £9.5m in October 2018. After all, he had hit 20 Bundesliga goals across his three seasons in Germany. Muto's only league goal came against Manchester United in October 2018 during his first start. He scored in the 10th minute to put the Magpies 2-0 up at Old Trafford, only for the Red Devils to complete a late comeback and win 3-2. Currently, he is plying his trade in J1 with Vissel Kobe.

5. Hidetoshi Nakata

The Japan legend was loaned from Fiorentina to Bolton Wanderers for the 2005-06 season. Nakata scored his only Premier League goal during a 2-0 win over West Brom, opening the scoring with a strike from just outside the area which nestled in the bottom corner. His time with the Trotters marked Nakata's final stint as a professional player at club level, as he would hang up his boots after Japan were knocked out of the 2006 World Cup that summer.

4. Junichi Inamoto

Arsenal signed Inamoto on loan for the 2001-02 season from Japanese club Gamba Osaka, but he only made 4 appearances for the Gunners. The midfielder is best remembered for his time at Fulham between 2002 and 2004, where he made 41 league appearances, scored four goals and was vital to Fulham's victory in the 2002 Intertoto Cup.  He would depart the club for West Brom during the 2004-05 season - where he could not add to his tally of top-flight goals.

3. Maya Yoshida

The £3m fee that Southampton paid VVV-Venlo for Yoshida's services in the summer of 2012 proved to be an absolute steal. The towering centre-back went on to make 154 Premier League appearances. With Yoshida at the back, Southampton made it to the 2017 League Cup final and competed in the Europa League. He also scored half a dozen Premier League goals for the club. In 2020 he left for Sampdoria, at 35 years of age plying his trade with MLS side LA Galaxy he is still part of the Japanese national team.

2. Shinji Kagawa

The creative midfielder signed for Manchester United from German champions Borussia Dortmund in 2012 for an initial £12m, Kagawa failed to live up to Man United's expectations. The talented playmaker was among the last signings made by Sir Alex Ferguson before he left the 'Theatre of Dreams' and he struggled for regular first-team football under his replacement, David Moyes.

Kagawa became the first Asian player to score a Premier League hat-trick in United's 4-0 victory over Norwich City in March 2013 and he went on to win the league that season. He ended a three-year-stint at Old Trafford by returning to Dortmund in 2015.

1. Shinji Okazaki

The forward joined Leicester City from Mainz for a fee of £7m in 2015 and went on to play a role in one of the greatest sporting upsets in history as the Foxes defied their underdog status to win the title in his first season at the King Power Stadium. However, Okazaki struggled for goals in the following seasons despite a flurry of four goals in six games in 2017 and he was released from Leicester at the end of the 2018-19 campaign.