Kawasaki Frontale: The talent pipeline and who's the next European export?

Kawasaki Frontale have produced an unusually high number of players who have progressed to European clubs in the past decade. Mitoma, Hatate, Tanaka and Takai to name but a few current Japanese talents that are carving it up in elite European competitions.

So why do Kawasaki continually produce this calibre of player? What's the secret? And who's next off the conveyor belt of talent?

Kawasaki Frontale's talent pipeline

• Kaoru Mitoma: At Kawasaki Frontale since the age of 8 (with a 3-year gap for university from 18-21)

  • Currently at Brighton & Hove Albion

• Reo Hatate: At Kawasaki Frontale since the age of 21

  • who moved directly to Celtic.

• Ao Tanaka: At Kawasaki since age of 9 from U-12 level

  • Transferred to Fortuna Dusseldorf

• Koji Miyoshi: At Kawasaki since age of 10 from U-12 level

  • Transferred to Royal Antwerp

• Ko Itakura: At Kawasaki since the age of 9 from U-12 level

  • Transferred to Manchester City

• Kota Takai: At Kawasaki since age of 6 from U-12 level

  • Transferred to Tottenham Hotspur

Even Takefusa Kubo spent a year at Kawasaki for the U-11 grade before heading to Spain - although it would be a stretch to hand Frontale 100% of the credit in this instance.

Kawasaki in a football hotspot in Japan

For those unfamiliar with Japanese geography, Kawasaki lies tihin Kanagawa prefecture - a hot-bed for football clubs.

In the 90s, Yokohama Marinos, Yokohama Flugels (now defunct), Shonan Bellmare and Verdy Kawasaki and Kawasaki Frontale all plied their trade in the Japanese top-flight, before Frontale were promoted from the newly-created J2 League in 1999.

This in turn created inter-prefectural rivalries and local derbies between the Kanagawa teams ahead of the 2002 World Cup on home soil. The sheer volume of clubs, coupled with the home World Cup meant football was replacing baseball for many as the go-to sport for their children in the region - especially with the presence of one (albeit large) professional baseball team in the region in the form of the DeNA Baystars.

More kids were playing the sport in Kanagawa and the level of coaching & the league was increasing at the same time.

Facilitating pathways for young players

Frontale have a well-documented habit of integrating young players into senior football and using the domestic loan system to facilitate early professional exposure.

The rapid elevation of academy products such as Mitoma and Tanaka into senior roles reflects the club’s willingness to reward readiness rather than relying solely on experienced players. Development loans to J2 and J3 sides provide competitive minutes at an early stage and are regularly recorded in club communications.

Frontale have historically been more assertive than many J-League clubs in providing pathways for young talent. Indeed, their success - and dynasty-like spell - in the past decade of Japanese football has seen them qualify for the Asia Champions League in six of the last eight seasons in addition to going deep into the Emperor's Cup and Levain Cup.

The increased volume of fixtures naturally causes for an extended squad to compete on multiple fronts - or see experienced players sustain load-bearing injuries. These open up spots to academy players or those on the fringes who have impressed at U-18 level for Frontale.

That dynasty-like spell saw Toru Oniki at the helm of the club, who had a rich history within Frontale before becoming head coach in 2017 - involved in the academy set-up at the club and would have coached many of the players whom he would go on to hand senior debuts to.

Frontale’s focus on technical control, positional understanding and decision-making under pressure is evident when looking at the playing style of their academy graduates

Youth coaches and academy directors share the same tactical principles, which creates a predictable environment for young players as they progress upward. Published interviews with U-18 staff underline the emphasis on individual technique and match intelligence, although detailed training curricula remain internal to the club.

The club’s academy performs strongly because of the clarity of its development structure and the quality of competition it engages with. Like many other J1 League teams, Frontale operate a coherent U-12 to U-18 progression model that culminates in the U-18 team’s participation in the Prince Takamado Trophy JFA U-18 Premier League, the highest level of youth competition in Japan. Regular exposure to elite opposition enables the academy staff to assess players against the strongest age-group cohort nationally, including top high school opposition such as Maebashi.

This aligns the youth curriculum with the expectations of the senior coaching group and reduces the tactical gap between academy and first team. The U-15 and U-18 squads also participate in national tournaments such as the Japan Club Youth Championships, providing varied match environments that aid long-term adaptability.

While these are all important contributing factors, there are other 'freak' factors to consider.

It can be traced back to primary school and a soccer club called Saginuma SC, where Kaoru Mitoma, Koji Miyoshi and Ao Tanaka all passed through before joining the Kawasaki Frontale youth set-up from U-12 level. There may have been something in the water at Saginuma for all three to have attended the club and gone on to represent Japan and international level.

Who from Frontale has gone to Europe (representative list)

Representative transfers include Mitoma’s move to Brighton via a developmental loan at Union Saint-Gilloise, Hatate’s successful transition to Scottish football, Tanaka’s progression from the Bundesliga 2 to the English Championship and Morita’s move to Portugal. Takai’s signing by Tottenham exemplifies the growing level of international scrutiny directed at Frontale’s youth system. Collectively, these cases illustrate the club’s ability to produce players who match the technical and tactical expectations of European recruiters.

Kawasaki Frontale’s success is the product of a coherent development model rather than isolated breakthroughs. The combination of a technically oriented academy, competitive youth environments, structural alignment between age groups and a willingness to integrate young players has created a reliable pipeline of talent.

🎯 Young Frontale players (≤ 24 y/o) to watch for possible European move

Below are a few players currently with Frontale who might make the move overseas soon:

Soma Kanda - same agent as Kota Takai, Isa Sakamoto, Sota Kitano

Kyosuke Mochiyama

Toya Myogan

These players are all relatively young (early–mid-20s), giving time for adaptation and are either products of Frontale’s youth system or are part of the club’s recent youth-to-senior integrations — matching the profile of previous successful exports. Their positions (defence, midfield, wide/wing) tend to align with roles that European clubs often recruit from Asia: ball-playing defenders, technically capable midfielders, agile wide attackers.

🎯 Academy Frontale players (≤ 18 y/o) to watch for possible Europe move

• 松澤 成音 — Matsuzawa Seion (GK)Why watch: Starting goalkeeper in U-18 Premier League matches (shirt #1), trusted in key matches against top youth sides.Scouting note: Shows positional composure and appears to be the first-choice keeper for Frontale U-18; goalkeepers who hold the No.1 spot in the U-18 Premier League are frequently monitored for professional promotion or loan opportunities.

• 平塚 隼人 — Hiratsuka Hayato (FW / captain)Why watch: Listed as captain (背番号10) in U-18 Premier League starts; central attacking role and leadership marker.Scouting note: A leading attacking figure for Frontale U-18, wearing the captain’s armband in key fixtures — captains at U-18 level who also play advanced roles are often candidates for early senior exposure.

• 恩田 裕太郎 — Onda Yutaro (FW / striker)Why watch: Regular starting forward (shirt #9) in U-18 Premier League fixtures; involved in goal-threat actions.Scouting note: Plays as a central forward with consistent selection in top youth matches; forwards who combine goals/hold-up play at U-18 level are prime prospects for J-League U-23 / J3 loan moves.

• 楠田 遥希 — Kusuda Haruki (MF)Why watch: Regular central midfielder in U-18 lineups (shirt #5) — a position Frontale values for technical intelligence.Scouting note: Often deployed in the engine room; Frontale’s youth system prioritises “game sense” from midfielders, which makes a consistent #5 starter a player to follow for creative/holding midfield roles at senior level.

• 柏村 涼太 — Kashimura Ryota (DF)Why watch: Starting centre/side defender (shirt #13) in U-18 Premier League matches; trusted part of a backline that faces top youth attacks.Scouting note: Defenders who are regular starters in the U-18 Premier League gain early exposure to high-tempo tactical systems; ball-playing defenders from Frontale often attract interest as Europe values centre-backs comfortable on the ball.

• ペイシェンス 海翔 — Peishensu Kaito (DF) (listed as ペイシェンス海翔 in match sheet)Why watch: Regular defensive starter (shirt #15), appears in multiple official U-18 match records.Scouting note: A defender with a distinctive name who features consistently — consistency + Frontale’s tactical education makes him a prospect to follow for possible senior integration or loan to J-League lower tiers.