29 Naoya Kikuchi Position: MF Born:24-Nov-1984 Height/Weight:181/73 Birthplace:Shizuoka Previous Teams:Shimizu Commercial HS, Jubilo Iwata, Albirex Niigata, Jubilo Iwata Matches (J1/J2):81/0 Goals (J1/J2):5/0 First Appearance: 16-Aug-2003 Jubilo Iwata - vs - Urawa Reds (at Saitama Stadium) First Goal: 26-Sep-2004 Jubilo Iwata - vs - Vissel Kobe (at Kobe Wing Stadium)

J.League Statistics Year Team Matches Goals Year Team Appearances Goals 2003 Jubilo Iwata 7 0 2004 Jubilo Iwata 18 1 2005 Albirex Niigata 24 1 2006 Jubilo Iwata 32 3 2007 Jubilo Iwata 5 1 TOTAL 86 6

Naoya Kikuchi has seen some spectacular ups and downs in his breif career, and based on his age and talent, that career ought to be just moiving into full gear. However, in one of the biggest scandals of recent J.League history, Kikuchi's career took a sudden and precipitous downturn that left him without a club and unable to even find places to practice. But we really should begin the story at the beginning. Kikuchi first captured attention while still a first-year student at the famed Shimizu Shogyo High School -- a place that has turned out dozens of J.League stars including Shinji Ono. Kikuchi was quickly tapped by the youth National Teams, and took part in Asian Championships at both the U-18 and U-20 levels. He also was a member of the U-20 team at the 2003 World Youth Championships, and while still just 21, was named to the U23 squad that went to Athens for the 2006 Olympic Games.. So bright were his early prospects that Feyenoord -- at the suggestion of his "sempai" Shinji Ono -- invited him to Holland for a tryout when he was just 18. Though Feyenoord decided not to bring him over to Europe right away, the coaches seemed impressed and asked him to come back for another training session the following summer. Kikuchi decided to get his professional career started right away rather than continuing to search for an overseas offer, and after graduating high school he entered Jubilo Iwata. Although Jubilo were going thrugh a bit of a "generational struggle" at the time, and it was difficult for youngsters to get much playing time, Kikuchi fared better than some of his generational peers, making 25 appearances in his first two seasons. In 2005, Jubilo sent him off to Albirex Niigata on loan, mainly to ensure that he would be able to start regularly, and when they brought him back in 2006, Kikuchi stepped into the first team. He was a powerful, highly skillful player who could fill in at either defensive midfield or in the back line. Though still somewhat slender, his 181cm stature allowed him to play even the central defence role well, yet he had the ball skills of a playmaking midfielder. After 32 starts and 3 goals in 2006, it was apparent to just about everyone in the J.League that Kikuchi was on the verge of breaking out into a starring role, and perhaps a full national team spot.

But shortly after the start of the 2007 season, a dramatic scandal unfolded which remains shrouded in mystery even today, and which dealt Kikuchi's career a serious setback. As fas as the facts go, the following points are a matter of public record. Kikuchi was out on the town in Iwata, one weekday evening, and in the wee hours of the morning he met a girl, got into his car, took her to a dark parking lot and had sex with her. The following day, he took her to her house, handed her 10,000 yen, and said goodbye.

Everything else (except the girl's age, which was 15 at the time of the incident) is a matter of conjecture. There are various stories, many of which appear to be "official", but they do not do a very good job of clarifying the "how" and "why" issues that lie at the heart of the story. According to both Kikuchi and the girl, the sex was consensual. However, while the girl claimed that she was lured into the car by Kikuchi, his lawyers stated that the girl propositioned him. Both Kikuchi and the girl state that he knew she was under the age of consent, but Kikuchi seemed to suggest in one statement that he thought she was "around 17."

A much greater mystery surrounds the reasons why Kikuchi was identified and arrested by the police. Somehow, as the two were going their separate ways, Kikuchi's wallet ended up with the girl. She thought about the incident for a while, decided that she had done something bad, and the next day went to the police to claim that Kikuchi had molested her. At first, the girl claimed that he gave her his wallet as he was leaving, but even the most sympathetic of police officers found that difficult to believe. The "official" story is that Kikuchi was giving the girl 10,000 yen as a "thank you" present, but ended up leaving his wallet in the girl's bicycle basket when he got back into his car. This story also stretches the limits of believability.

Naturally, nobody can do anything but speculate, since the records of the case were sealed as part of a plea bargain arrangement (Kikuchi plead guilty to a charge of simple harassment, and was sentenced to one year of probation and community service). However, speculation about the true story ranges from the highly unsympathetic (Kikuchi forced himself on the girl, tried to pay her to keep her quiet, and accidentally dropped the wallet) to many who beileve that Kikuchi was stupid and reckless, but essentially innocent. The latter explanation -- that the girl was a sports "groupie" who seduced Kikuchi, sold her services for 10,000 yen, and then stole Kikuchi's wallet as she was getting out of the car -- makes as much sense as any other story. However, it was not enough to spare him from severe puunishment..

Although consensual sex with a 15-year-old is only a misdemeanour in Japan, the scandal was severe enough that the J.League had to take serious action. They suspended Kikuchi's license as a J.League player for a period of one year, which essentially meant that he will not be able to play in Japan again until the 2009 season.

After nine months of enforced inactivity (Kikuchi continued to train on his own, and according to some sources he played regularly with some local amateur teams), Kikuchi got a break when Carl Zeiss Jena, of Germany's second division, offered him a trial. Kikuchi quickly impressed the coaches, and was offered an immediate spot in the squad. Hopefully this will bring an end to his enforced absence from football, and allow this highly promising young player to get his career back on track. And hopefully he has learned his lesson about discretion, particularly for a person who is so much in the public eye.