How founding a Japanese football club in Germany helps Okazaki pursue his dreams of winning Japan the World Cup

Before Okazaki moved to Leicester, he had his first taste of European football in Germany with VfB Stuttgart and Mainz 05. He was part of a generation of Japanese players who have paved the way for the next generation of Japanese talents wanting to make it in Europe. When moving from Stuttgart to Mainz, the forward came in contact with Takashi Yamashita, who is currently the president of Basara Mainz. ‘’Takashi Yamashita was already in the city. Through his company, he was connecting with young Japanese players eager to gain footballing experience in Germany,’’ Okazaki told Transfermarkt. ‘’However, he noticed that many players didn’t develop as much as expected. Some found opportunities to play, but when faced with tough conditions, they often blamed their environment or coach inste of taking responsibility for their growth. The cultural and practical differences between Japan and Germany were immense – not just in everyday life but on the pitch as well.’’

Basara Mainz

This is when Okazaki got the idea of founding a Japanese football club in Germany. ‘’I suggested to Yamashita, ‘Why don’t we create our own team and develop Japanese players ourselves?’ He immediately agreed, saying, ‘Let’s do it!’ That’s how Basara was born.’’

Basara Mainz started in the 11th division, the lowest tier of German football, and achieved five consecutive promotions. Since then, the club has been playing in the sixth division but needs to meet several requirements, such as having at least three youth teams, to be within a chance of earning a spot in the fifth division.

 

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‘’The early days were tough,’’ said Okazaki. ‘’It was constant trial and error. One of our founding members, Takuya Hidaka, scored 30 or 40 goals in a season single-handedly. Even so, winning the league in the 11th tier wasn’t easy. But we kept finishing first year after year. We’ve come this far thanks to so many people.’’ 

There are many hurdles beyond performance that Basara Mainz needs to overcome to continue its progress. ‘’That’s why we need to involve more people and clearly define what Basara stands for and what we aim to achieve,’’ said Okazaki. ‘’The core idea is to be a place for young Japanese players. But I also think we could send ambitious German players to Japanese teams or even to Belgium. I want Basara to be a stepping stone for players to try again elsewhere. It’s a concept that’s normal in Japan, but I’d like German players to make use of it too.’’

Basara Mainz currently has eleven Japanese players on its roster who have come to Germany to pursue their dreams. 

World Cup glory

After retiring from football, Okazaki took up the role of head coach at his club Basara Mainz and is currently pursuing his coaching license. He dreams of leading Japan’s national team to a World Cup victory. ‘’I recently spoke with [Alberto] Zaccheroni (former Japan national coach), who told me that he started in Italy’s Serie D. That reassured me that I’m on the right path. It’s about how many challenges I can overcome. For example, I might now present my vision to small groups of people, but there could be a day when I’m addressing hundreds. A manager capable of winning the World Cup should be able to handle such situations with ease.’’

‘’I don’t want to just earn a license and coach in the J-League,’’ said Okazaki. ‘’I want to do things no one else has done, like competing in intense environments. The World Cup is my ultimate goal, and I’ll keep working toward it, even if it takes 10 or 20 years.’’ 

As of today, no Japanese football manager has managed a notable European club. But that might change soon, with not only Okazaki starting his managerial career but also Makoto Hasebe. The former defender who played ten seasons at Eintracht Frankfurt before retiring in the summer of 2024 is the assistant coach of Frankfurt’s under-21 side.