Interview | I hope more Japanese players participate in the HIL, says Koji Yamasaki Today Sports News

Forward Koji Yamasaki is the lone Japanese player in the 2024-25 Hockey India League (HIL).

In fact, Yamasaki, a member of the Delhi SG Pipers, is the only foreign player from an Asian nation to feature in the HIL’s latest edition.

Yamasaki was a member of the 2018 Asian Games gold-medal-winning Japanese team in Jakarta. India, one of the favourites to win the title, lost to Malaysia in the semifinals to finish with a bronze medal and miss out on a chance to qualify directly for the Tokyo Olympics.

While the 28-year-old visited India earlier to play for his national side, he did not have the opportunity to know the country well. As he gets used to his multi-national HIL side and spends quality time with the Indian players in a comparatively relaxed atmosphere, he has developed a liking for the country and the league.

Yamasaki sat down with The Hindu to speak about his career, his experience in the HIL, and more. Excerpts:

This is your first exposure to the HIL. How has your experience been so far?

The HIL is big and fantastic, it is fun with a lot of people. It has been a good experience for me. I really like it. I want to play here again.

How are you getting along with the Indian players in the Delhi team?

Yeah, I have [made] friends, such as Sumit (Kumar), Rajkumar (Pal) and Iktidar (Ishrat). They are very kind.

In 2018, you won the Asian Games gold medal with the Japanese team. Later, in 2021, you took part in your home Olympics in Tokyo. How do you look back on those two events?

At that time, hockey was doing well in Japan. We improved our attack and defence to reach a good level. We won the 2018 Asian Games. We played in the Tokyo Olympics. India’s Varun (Kumar) and Harman(preet) also played in the Tokyo Olympics. I am really happy playing with them here.

I really enjoyed competing in the Olympics at home and I had a good experience. There was nobody to watch (the matches from the stands due to COVID-19). My family members watched the matches on TV.

What are your favourite moments in your career so far?

The 2020 Olympic Games and the 2018 Asian Games are my favourite moments [so far]. I also liked playing Bundesliga hockey.

Why is it that you are the only player from Japan to be playing in the HIL this season? Is there any other Japanese player who wants to play in the league?

I am here because I was selected, and I am lucky. I think eight players from our country were in the auction. The others (from Japan) also want to play in the HIL. I hope more Japanese players participate in the HIL in the future.

How many players from your country play in leagues abroad?

At present two other players from Japan take part in foreign leagues. One is (Kentaro) Fukuda, who is playing in Spain. And (Kaito) Tanaka is playing in Australia. I played for UHC Hamburg in Germany last season. I was there for two years, from 2022 to 2024. I played for six months in Japan and six months in Europe. Now I am here. I want to play in Europe again.

Can you tell us about the hockey league back in Japan?

I am currently playing [in the] Hockey Japan League, but it got over (in November 2024). Only Japanese players play there because they don’t have enough money (to offer to the foreigners). Hockey is not a very popular sport in Japan like football or baseball. Swimming, judo, and wrestling are also popular in our country.

Why has the level of Japanese hockey gone down of late?

The hockey team lost the sponsor. It doesn’t have enough money. So we can’t do a camp. That’s why we are down.

How is the standard of women’s hockey in Japan?

They are also down and I think the reason is the same.

What do you do for a living?

I am a professional player, so I just play hockey. I am 28 years old now and I want to play, hopefully, for another 10 years.

How did you come into hockey?

I also did swimming, baseball, and track and field (during my childhood). But I liked hockey the most. My elder brother played hockey at the university level, but he is retired 1736826224. He is just one year older than me and we began playing hockey together.

How many times have you been to India before?

This is my fourth visit. I played in the World Cup here in Rourkela (in 2023) and the FIH Series Finals in Bhubaneswar (in 2019). I also played in the Junior World Cup in Lucknow (in 2016). Harmanpreet (Singh) was there, both of us are of the same age.

Do you face any language issues here?

Yeah, it is difficult for me, but I can speak some basic English. I have started learning English and some Hindi after coming here.

What have you learned in Hindi in the short time you have spent here?

Mera naam Koji (My name is Koji), mera desh Japan (my country is Japan), thik hai (alright), jaldi jaldi (quickly).