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Yoshito Okubo
	Okubo in 2016
Personal information
Date of birth	9 June 1982 (age 42)
Place of birth	Kanda, Fukuoka, Japan
Height	1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Position(s)	Forward
Youth career
1998–2000	Kunimi High School
Senior career*
Years	Team
2001–2006	Cerezo Osaka
2005–2006	→ Mallorca (loan)
2007–2008	Vissel Kobe
2009	VfL Wolfsburg
2009–2012	Vissel Kobe
2013–2016	Kawasaki Frontale
2017	FC Tokyo
2018	Kawasaki Frontale
2018–2019	Júbilo Iwata
2020	Tokyo Verdy
2021	Cerezo Osaka
Total
International career
2004	Japan U23
2003–2014	Japan
Medal record
Cerezo Osaka
Kawasaki Frontale
Representing Japan
Asian Games
AFC U-19 Championship
	*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Yoshito Okubo (大久保嘉人, Ōkubo Yoshito, born 9 June 1982) is a Japanese former professional footballer who played as a forward.^[1] He played for the Japan national team scoring 6 goals in 60 appearances

Club career

Okubo was born in Kanda, Fukuoka on 9 June 1982. After graduating from high school, he joined J1 League club Cerezo Osaka in 2001. He played many matches as forward and offensive midfielder from first season. However Cerezo finished at the bottom place in 2001 season and was relegated to J2 League. In 2002 season, he scored 18 goals which was the second top scorer and Cerezo reached the second place and was returned to J1 in a year. From 2003, he scored more than 15 goals in J1. He was also selected Asian Young Footballer of the Year award in 2003.

In 2005, Okubo moved to La Liga club Mallorca on loan. Although the club results were bad, Mallorca finished at 17th place and remained La Liga in 2004–05 season. Although he played many matches as substitute forward in 2005–06 season, his opportunity to play decreased from April 2006.^[2]

In June 2006, Okubo returned to Cerezo Osaka. At then Cerezo won only one of 13 matches and at the bottom place of 18 clubs in 2006 season.^[3] Although he played as forward all matches excluding suspension, Cerezo finished at the 17th place and was relegated to J2 again.^[4]

In 2007, Okubo moved to J1 club Vissel Kobe. He played many matches as left midfielder in two seasons under manager Hiroshi Matsuda and scored more than ten goals both seasons.

On 3 January 2009, Vissel Kobe announced Okubo's transfer to VfL Wolfsburg of the Bundesliga.^[5] After just six months with Wolfsburg, he returned to Vissel Kobe. Upon his return, he became the first Japanese striker to have won the Bundesliga title.

In June 2009, Okubo returned to Japan and re-joined Vissel Kobe. He played as forward all 19 matches and scored 8 goals in 2009 season.^[6] Although his opportunity to play decreased for injuries in 2010, he played as regular player until 2012. However Vissel finished at the 16th place in 2012 season and was relegated to J2 League.

After Vissel Kobe was relegated to the J2 League in 2013 season, Okubo transferred to Kawasaki Frontale. An ever-present figure and a regular starting eleven in Kawasaki, he scored 26 goals in his debut season in the Kanagawa Prefecture football club and clinched top scorer of 2013 season. He played more than 30 matches every season and he became a top scorer for 3 years in a row until 2015 season.

At the end of 2016 season and before J.League Championship, Okubo announced he would leave Kawasaki Frontale to sign for FC Tokyo in 2017.^[7] He played in one season and scored eight goals.

In 2018, Okubo re-joined Kawasaki Frontale. However he could not as regular player and he mainly played as substitute forward.^[8]

In June 2018, Okubo moved to Júbilo Iwata.^[9]

International career

In 2003, Okubo was selected Japan national team by manager Zico. He made his international debut on 31 May 2003 in a friendly against South Korea at Tokyo National Stadium when he was sent on to the pitch to replace Takayuki Suzuki.^[10] Although he played many matches as forward in 2003, his opportunity to play decreased from 2004 as he struggled to score goals under Zico.^[10]

Okubo was also part of the Japan U-23 national team for 2004 Summer Olympics, who exited in the first round, having finished fourth in group B, below group winners Paraguay, Italy and Ghana.

In August 2007, Okubo was selected Japan for the first time in 2 years by manager Ivica Osim.^[10] Okubo scored his first international goal on 17 October 2007 in a friendly against Egypt at Osaka Nagai Stadium.^[10]

In 2010, Okubo was selected Japan for 2010 World Cup. He played as left midfielder in all 4 matches^[10] and Japan qualified to the knockout stage.

Okubo's selection for the 2014 World Cup in Brazil was the big surprise of coach Alberto Zaccheroni's squad announcement. The forward had previously played just once for the coach in four years.^[11]

Career statistics

Club

As of end of 2023 season^[12]^[13]^[14]

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club	Season	League			National cup		League cup		Continental		Other^[a]		Total
Club	Season	Division	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals	Apps	Goals
Cerezo Osaka	2001	J1 League	20	2	3	0	1	1	—		—		24	3
	2002	J2 League	29	18	2	1	—		—		—		31	19
	2003	J1 League	24	16	5	4	3	0	—		—		32	20
	2004	J1 League	22	15	1	0	2	0	—		—		25	15
	Total		95	51	11	5	6	1	—		—		112	57
Mallorca (loan)	2004–05	La Liga	13	3	—		—		—		—		13	3
	2005–06	La Liga	26	2	1	1	—		—		—		27	3
	Total		39	5	1	1	—		—		—		40	6
Cerezo Osaka	2006	J1 League	21	6	0	0	0	0	—		—		21	6
Vissel Kobe	2007	J1 League	31	14	2	1	5	0	—		—		38	15
	2008	J1 League	31	11	1	1	—		—		—		32	12
	Total		62	25	3	2	5	0	—		—		70	27
VfL Wolfsburg	2008–09	Bundesliga	9	0	2	0	—		2	0	—		13	0
Vissel Kobe	2009	J1 League	19	8	1	1	—		—		—		20	9
	2010		17	4	1	1	0	0	—		—		18	5
	2011		30	9	1	0	1	0	—		—		32	9
	2012		26	4	1	0	3	2	—		—		30	6
	Total		92	25	4	2	4	2	—		—		100	29
Kawasaki Frontale	2013	J1 League	33	26	4	3	8	4	—		—		45	33
	2014		32	18	1	0	4	2	8	1	—		45	21
	2015		32	23	3	2	4	2	—		—		39	27
	2016		33	15	6	5	0	0	—		1	0	40	20
	Total		130	82	14	10	16	8	8	1	1	0	169	101
FC Tokyo	2017	J1 League	28	8	0	0	2	1	—		—		30	9
Kawasaki Frontale	2018		12	2	0	0	0	0	4	0	1	1	17	3
Júbilo Iwata	2018		17	3	1	0	0	0	—		1	0	19	3
	2019		20	1	2	0	0	0	—		—		22	1
	Total		37	4	3	0	0	0	—		1	0	41	4
Tokyo Verdy	2020	J2 League	19	0	—		—		—		—		19	0
Cerezo Osaka	2021	J1 League	29	6	2	1	5	0	6	1	—		42	8
Career total			573	214	40	21	38	12	20	2	3	1	674	250

^ Includes J.League Championship and Japanese Super Cup.

International

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National team	Year	Apps	Goals
Japan	2003	14	0
	2004	3	0
	2005	2	0
	2006	0	0
	2007	2	2
	2008	12	3
	2009	9	0
	2010	11	0
	2011	0	0
	2012	1	0
	2013	0	0
	2014	6	1
Total		60	6

Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Ōkubo goal.

List of international goals scored by Yoshito Ōkubo^[10]
No.	Date	Venue	Opponent	Result	Competition
1	17 October 2007	Osaka, Japan	Egypt	4–1	2007 Afro-Asian Cup of Nations
2	17 October 2007	Osaka, Japan	Egypt	4–1	2007 Afro-Asian Cup of Nations
3	6 February 2008	Saitama, Japan	Thailand	4–1	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
4	2 June 2008	Yokohama, Japan	Oman	3–0	2010 FIFA World Cup qualification
5	13 November 2008	Kobe, Japan	Syria	3–1	Friendly
6	6 June 2014	Florida, United States	Zambia	4–3	Friendly