Class of 2001 Class of 2002 Class of 2003 Class of 2004 Class of 2005 Class of 2006 Class of 2007 Team Index Albirex Niigata Kashima Antlers Omiya Ardija Avispa Fukuoka Shonan Bellmare Cerezo Osaka Consadole Sapporo Ehime FC Kawasaki Frontale Gamba Osaka Nagoya Grampus Gifu FC Mito Hollyhock JEF United Jubilo Iwata Yokohama Marinos Montedio Yamagata Urawa Reds Kashiwa Reysol Roasso Kumamoto Sagan Tosu Sanfrecce Hiroshima Kyoto Sanga Shimizu S-Pulse Thespa Kusatsu FC Tokyo Oita Trinita Vegalta Sendai Ventforet Kofu Tokyo Verdy Vissel Kobe Tokushima Vortis Yokohama FC

Yutaka Akita Position:DF Born:06-Aug-1970 Height/Weight:180/78 Birthplace:Aichi Previous Teams:Aichi HS, Aichi Gakuin U., Kashima Antlers, Nagoya Grampus, Kyoto Sanga Matches (J1/J2):391/14 Goals: 23/0 First Appearance: 16-May-1993 Kashima Antlers -vs- Nagoya Grampus (at Kashima Stadium) First Goal : 6-Apr-1994 Kashima Antlers -vs- Nagoya Grampus (at Mizuho Stadium) Year Team Appearances Goals 1993 Kashima Antlers 35 0 1994 Kashima Antlers 38 4 1995 Kashima Antlers 50 0 1996 Kashima Antlers 16 0 1997 Kashima Antlers 21 3 1998 Kashima Antlers 32 3 1999 Kashima Antlers 28 2 2000 Kashima Antlers 28 1 2001 Kashima Antlers 29 2 2002 Kashima Antlers 29 4 2003 Kashima Antlers 28 1 2004 Nagoya Grampus 26 0 2005 Nagoya Grampus 19 1 2006 Nagoya Grampus 12 2 2007 Kyoto Sanga 14 0 TOTAL 405 23 For over a decade, Yutaka Akita reigned as one of the toughest, as well as one of the classiest defenders in the J.League. Although his age, and the fact that he is best suited to playing stopper in a flat-four back line, kept him out of Phillippe Troussier's national team, even the forceful Frenchman gave him his due as perhaps the strongest defender in the air of anyone in Japan. Akita was a pillar of the Antlers defence from the day that the J.League was founded, and he will always be remembered in relationship to Kashima. However, Akita somehow always was deeply fond of his home town of Nagoya. It is interesting to note that his first J.League start, as well as his first J.League goal, both came against Nagoya Grampus. Akita not only impressed in the J.League, he also established himself as a rock in the back line of the Japan national team from 1996 through the World Cup in 1998. Thugh he was eased out of the lineup after Troussier took over and adopted his "flat three" concept,. Akita's skills were still solid enough for him to make a brief NT comeback in 2003. He endeed his international playing career with 44 caps and four goals. In late 2003, the Kashima Antlers finally decided to release the aging veteran, to allow some ofthe team's talented youngsters to emerge from the veteran's very large shadow. Akita opted to join Nagoya Grampus, returning to his old home where he expected to end his career. Grampus needed a solid center back, as well as the "presence" that Akita could offer in the locker room. After three seasons in Nagoya, as Akita began to consider retirement, he was prevailed upon by a very eager Kyoto Purple Sanga team to help the Purple Phoenix fight for promotion. The team recognised Akita's desire to start his coaching career at the first opportunity, and sweetened the pot by offering Akita a spot as a player until the team returned to the J1, and an assistant coaching position once they were back in the top-flight. Akita duly accepted moved to Kyoto for the 2007 season, which would be his last as a player. National Team Data & History NT Caps: 44 NT Goals: 4 Tournaments: World Cup Qualifiers (1993) World Cup Qualifiers (1997) France World Cup (1998) Copa America (1999) Confederations Cup (2003) Date Vs. Score Location Status Min. G 10-28-1998 Egypt 1-0 Nagai Stadium Start 90 0 3-31-1999 Brazil 0-2 Nagai Stadium Start 90 0 6-3-1999 Belgium 0-0 Nat'l Stadium Start 90 0 6-6-1999 Peru 0-0 Nat'l Stadium Start 90 0 6-29-1999 Peru 2-3 Asuncion, Paraguay Start 90 0 7-2-1999 Paraguay 0-4 Asuncion, Paraguay Start 90 0 7-5-1999 Bolivia 1-1 Parapti, Paraguay Start 90 0 9-8-1999 Iran 1-1 Yokohama Int'l Start 45 0 5-25-2002 Sweden 1-1 Nat'l Stadium U.R. -- -- 6-4-2002 Belgium 2-2 Saitama Stadium U.R. -- -- 6-9-2002 Russia 1-0 Yokohama Int'l U.R. -- -- 6-14-2002 Tunisia 2-0 Nagai Stadium U.R. -- -- 6-18-2002 Turkey 0-1 Miyagi Stadium U.R. -- -- 10-16-2002 Jamaica 1-1 Nat'l Stadium Start 90 0 11-20-2002 Argentina 0-2 Saitama Stadium Start 90 0 3-28-2003 Uruguay 2-2 Nat'l Stadium Start 90 0 4-16-2003 Korea 1-0 Seoul, Korea Start 90 0 5-31-2003 Korea 0-1 Nat'l Stadium Start 90 0 6-8-2003 Argentina 1-4 Nagai Stadium Start 90 1 6-11-2003 Paraguay 0-0 Saitama Stadium U.R. -- -- 6-18-2003 New Zealand 3-0 St.Denis,France U.R. -- -- 6-20-2003 France 1-2 St.Etienne,France U.R. -- -- 6-22-2003 Colombia 0-1 St.Etienne,France U.R. -- -- 8-20-2003 Nigeria 3-0 Nat'l Stadium U.R. -- --

J1 (Division 1) Information Match Results Standings Schedule History J1 Teams Venues Hall of Fame J2 (Division 2) Information Match Results Standings Schedule History J2 Teams Venues National Team Recent News History Schedule Overseas Players Information Shunsuke Nakamura Daisuke Matsui Junichi Inamoto Koji Nakata Shinji Ono Others Information Match Results Standings Schedule JFL Teams Regional Leagues Information Hokkaido League Tohoku League Hokushinetsu Lg. Shikoku League Tokai League Kansai League Chugoku League Shikoku League Kyushu League