Naoko Kawakami

Naoko Kawakami
川上 直子

Personal information
Full name	Naoko Kawakami
Date of birth	(1977-11-16) November 16, 1977 (age 47)
Place of birth	Akashi, Hyogo, Japan
Height	1.56 m (5 ft 1+1⁄2 in)
Position(s)	Midfielder
Senior career*
Years	Team	Apps	(Gls)
1990–2004	Tasaki Perule FC	176+	(22+)
2005–2006	Nippon TV Beleza	38	(2)
Total		214+	(24+)
International career
2001–2005	Japan	48	(0)
Medal record Tasaki Perule FC Winner Nadeshiko League 2003 Runner-up Nadeshiko League 2001 Runner-up Nadeshiko League 2002 Winner Empress's Cup 1999 Winner Empress's Cup 2002 Winner Empress's Cup 2003 Runner-up Empress's Cup 2000 Runner-up Empress's Cup 2001 Nippon TV Beleza Winner Nadeshiko League 2005 Winner Nadeshiko League 2006 Winner Empress's Cup 2005 Representing  Japan AFC Women's Asian Cup 2001 Chinese Taipei Asian Games 2002 Busan Team
*Club domestic league appearances and goals

Naoko Kawakami (川上 直子, Kawakami Naoko, born November 16, 1977) is a former Japanese football player. She played for Japan national team.

Kawakami was born in Akashi on November 16, 1977. In 1990, she was 13 years old, she joined for Tasaki-Shinju Kobe (later Tasaki Perule FC). She previously played midfielder. However, when she entered Japan national team, she became a right back. After success at this position, she remained a defender when she transferred to Nippon TV Beleza. She had a lot of success with her two clubs, winning one L.League title with her first club in 2003 and three Empress's Cups, and two other titles with her second one. She was also selected Best Eleven 5 times (2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2005).

On March 16, 2001, Kawakami debuted for Japan national team against Chinese Taipei. She played at 2001, 2003 AFC Championship and 2002 Asian Games. She was also a member of Japan for 2003 World Cup and the 2004 Olympic Games.^[1] She played 48 games for Japan until 2005.^[2]

After retiring from international football in 2005 and from football the following year, Kawakami became a commentator for NBS at the 2007 World Cup qualification round. She then commented the final tournament for Fuji TV. In 2011, she was commentator for NHK during the Women's World Cup tournament, including when the Japan national team won the world title.

^[2]

5 times in the best eleven: 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005

Tasaki Perule FC

• 1 L.League championship title: 2003 (runners-up in 2001 and 2002)
• 3 Empress's Cup: 2000, 2003, 2004

Nippon TV Bereza

• 2 L.League championship title : 2005, 2006
• 1 Empress's Cup: 2006

• Naoko Kawakami – FIFA competition record (archived)
• Naoko Kawakami at Soccerway
• Naoko Kawakami at WorldFootball.net
• Naoko Kawakami at Olympics at Sports-Reference.com (archived)
• Official website

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