While Sol Campbell’s infamous move across north London dominated headlines in the 2001 transfer window, there was another piece of history taking place at Highbury.
On July 23, 2001, we unveiled our first-ever Asian player in the form of Junichi Inamoto on a season-long loan from Gamba Osaka. The move came with under 12 months to go until the 2002 FIFA World Cup, which was staged in Inamoto’s homeland of Japan, as well as co-host South Korea.
It was a busy summer in N5, as we brought in Francis Jeffers, Richard Wright and Giovanni van Bronckhorst, alongside Campbell and Inamoto, as Arsene Wenger’s side looked to improve on a run of three successive second-place finishes in the Premier League.
Junichi spoke to us back in 2013 about his time at the club, and as we return to Asia for the first time since 2018 for friendlies against AC Milan, Newcastle United and Tottenham in Singapore and Hong Kong, here’s the story of our first-ever Asian player and his time in north London.
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making history
Having made his debut as a 17-year-old for Gamba Osaka in 1997, Junichi played almost 150 matches during his first stint there. The midfielder was also making waves internationally, helping Japan to a second-ever Asian Cup title in 2000, playing four of their six matches.
With time ticking down to the 2002 World Cup, the midfielder joined us on a season-long loan, becoming the first ever Japanese player to sign for a Premier League club.
Upon his arrival, Wenger said: “We are pleased to welcome Inamoto to the club. He is physically strong and a great passer of the ball. His enthusiasm and ability will undoubtedly strengthen our squad this season.”
Looking back on his move, Inamoto knew it was a big switch for his career: “In general, the fact that it was such a big club with so many famous players. I regard the whole of my time there as a really good experience for me.
“As the only Japanese [player] it wasn’t pressure, but there was definitely a strong sense of responsibility.”
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Under the spotlight
To say Junichi’s switch from Gamba Osaka to Arsenal caused a stir would be an understatement. The intense popularity of the young talent among fans in Japan resulted in press interest going through the roof, often requiring Inamoto to conduct separate press conferences to accommodate the interest.
Inamoto admitted he struggled to adapt to life under the spotlight as he looked to make a name for himself in his new surroundings.
“The first and second weeks were quite tough. The culture and language were so different which made life quite hard and, yes, I did get homesick to a certain extent.
“There was a lot of attention from the mass media, which was unexpected for me. It was because having a Japanese player in England, and at such a big club like Arsenal, was quite a story, but I was still quite surprised by how much interest it caused.”
A helping hand
While getting to grips with his new life in north London was difficult, there was one man that Inamoto could lean: Wenger.
Our former manager spent 20 months in Japan with Nagoya Grampus Eight, winning two major honours before joining us in October 1996. That experience and wisdom helped Inamoto settle quicker and gave the midfielder a confidence boost.
He said: “He was always very supportive during training. I think he understood that because this was my first European club, it was hard for me. I’m very grateful to him for the way he supported me.
“He’d been in Japan for two years and I think he understood the culture and also the Japanese character. That was good for me, and if it hadn’t been for that, things would have certainly been more difficult. After I left Arsenal, I saw him at other Premier League games a few times.”
Inspirations
Junichi made his debut for us in the Champions League, coming on as a substitute for Robert Pires in a 3-2 victory over Schalke 04 at Highbury. While first-team opportunities were few and far between as we battled for titles on all fronts, Junichi was busy learning from the best in training.
Surrounded by the likes of Thierry Henry, Freddie Ljungberg and Pires had its advantages for the youngster, but one player was top of his hero list.
“For me, Dennis Bergkamp stood out the most, particularly in his attitude towards training and matches. He left the greatest impression on me,” he said.
Double Delight
Junichi’s next two appearances came in the League Cup, starting the 2-0 victory over Grimsby Town and the defeat to Blackburn Rovers. His final appearance on the pitch came against Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League in February 2002, replacing Lauren as we ran out 4-1 winners at Highbury.
Despite not featuring in the Premier League or FA Cup, the Japanese international was still part of the overall squad that lifted both of those titles.
Reflecting on his favourite memory, he said: “When the team won the Double: the ceremony, and being on the bus in front of all the fans. That’s a good memory.”
Looking back
Junichi departed after one season, but he enjoyed a successful World Cup with Japan in which he scored twice in the group stages to only add to his fame in his homeland.
He returned to England, playing two years with Fulham before moving to West Bromwich Albion and Cardiff City. He departed the UK in 2006 and would continue playing until December 2024, when he retired at the age of 45.
Despite not seeing many minutes on the pitch for us, the standards set at the club helped stand Junichi in good stead for a long, successful career.
He said: “I felt that there were many other strong players, so that it was unavoidable really [not playing]. However, because I was training with those players day-in-day-out, I learned a great deal, so I didn’t really feel frustrated about the situation.
“Also, it was my first club in Europe so everything was very new and that made it difficult for me to earn a place in the team. And, as I said, the midfield was full of strong players.
“Being at Arsenal was something major, and it was highly regarded by people in Japan.”
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