Urawa Reds We are pleased to announce that Mr. Cho Ki-jae will join us as head coach of the men’s first team for the 2026–27 season.
First, regarding the appointment of the new head coach, we sincerely apologize for any anxiety or concern this may have caused you, as news of the appointment was reported prior to the official announcements by Kyoto Sanga F.C. and Urawa Reds.
Following various media reports, we have received a wide range of feedback from many people, particularly from the fans and supporters of Urawa Reds.
As the person entrusted with managing Urawa Reds—a club beloved by so many—I have been reviewing not only the feedback we receive directly but also the comments shared with us indirectly. In doing so, I strongly feel that we need to provide a more thorough explanation than we did when a new manager was appointed in the past.
Although I will be stepping down as manager on June 30,as the final decision-maker regarding this managerial appointment, I wish to fulfill my duty of accountability with my own heart and words. To all Urawa Reds fans and supporters, I would like to explain below the deliberation process that we at Urawa Reds underwent to make this managerial appointment, as well as what this club values, who we want to be with, and where we hope to go.

Regarding the Decision-Making Process for Coaching Appointments

Led by Sports Director (SD) Horinouchi, the first-team development staff is constantly compiling and updating a list of players who can embody the team’s concept—Urawa Reds—on the field, as well as staff members who can help maximize that potential. They are actively preparing to welcome these individuals to the team at the appropriate time.
Regarding this coaching appointment, we identified candidates through a process of repeatedly reviewing and updating the list mentioned above—which we maintain on an ongoing basis—and analyzing the team’s current situation, while conducting further detailed analysis.Subsequently, I received a presentation from SD Horinouchi regarding several final candidates, including Mr. Cho Ki-jae. In accordance with the internal approval procedures of Urawa Red Diamonds Co., Ltd., I, as the club’s representative and the final decision-maker for first-team personnel matters, approved the offer of appointment to Mr. Cho.
During the presentation, based on an objective analysis of the team and players using data centered on various KPIs for team evaluation, and taking into account the need for continuity in improving team strength with a focus on the team concept, a multifaceted explanation was provided regarding the qualities required of a head coach and the suitability of each candidate.The presentation concluded by identifying Mr. Cho Ki-jae as the top candidate, expressing the desire to win the J1 League title with him, compete in Asia once again, and aim for qualification and victory in international tournaments.
In response to various preliminary reports, many of the comments we received raised questions about the relationship between Mr. Cho Ki-jae’s personality and the “rigor” that we at Urawa Reds expect from our teams, players, and staff. Regarding this point, I would like to explain below the reasoning behind my decision to approve him as our top candidate.
Urawa Reds Needless to say, the “rigor” that we expect from our teams, players, and staff is neither something we impose in a manner that violates social ethics, nor is it something that should be imposed upon us. Furthermore, it is vastly different from a “win-at-all-costs” mentality based on ideas that run counter to the club’s philosophy and sportsmanship.
Urawa Reds The team’s philosophy includes the phrase, “Master soccer and pursue victory.” Urawa Reds The club defines “rigor” as the commitment to confronting this philosophy head-on, giving one’s all every day based on personal resolve, and maintaining an attitude that strives to be an athlete capable of inspiring others through such dedication. It continues to demand this rigor from the team, players, and staff as they pursue personal growth through the sport of soccer.
In making this managerial appointment, we took the necessary time to gather information and confirmed that Mr. Cho Ki-jae is a manager capable of working alongside the club to pursue the “rigor” defined in this context. Furthermore, we confirmed that the first team has established a structure in which this pursuit is not left solely to the manager, but rather one in which the entire team can work together toward this goal. Based on this, we determined that this appointment would enhance the feasibility of winning the J1 League titleand to advance our efforts in Asia and on the global stage, we have approved the appointment of Mr. Cho Ki-jae.

Governance within the Top Team

In the previous section, I mentioned that one of the reasons for approving this managerial appointment was the existence of a system capable of working alongside the manager to pursue a “rigorous” approach. I would like to provide a more detailed explanation of that point.
Following the conclusion of the 2024 season, we established a new group within the men’s first team called “Team Management.”The Team Management Division operates within the first team without directly participating in competitive activities. Its scope of responsibilities includes supporting the Team Development Department led by SD Horinouchi, assisting the medical staff led by High-Performance Coordinator Ikeda, and handling all tasks related to coordination between the team and the club.Consequently, to provide effective support to the Team Development Department and medical staff, the team requires not only the necessary knowledge and dedication but also business and management expertise to coordinate with various club departments and executive leadership. Therefore, the team is composed of staff with extensive practical experience in partner sales, merchandising,public relations, marketing, event operations, and general affairs.
We have always believed that strengthening the team should not be treated as sacrosanct, nor should it be dependent on individual players or rely solely on motivational rhetoric. Based on this philosophy, our team management staff supports the team from the club’s perspective while maintaining objectivity, ensuring that the first team does not become a sacred cow or a black box, nor does it become isolated.
A team is a collective of professionals with strong minds and bodies—it is a living entity. As such, it inevitably faces a variety of challenges every day, some of which are unpredictable.Even in such situations, what is essential for the club in supporting the team is to grasp the team’s situation promptly, appropriately, and without delay; to respond effectively; to create an environment where players and team staff can focus on competition; and to consistently and accurately guide both the club and the team toward the right direction.Team management is required to carry out these tasks diligently, without being swayed by the team’s competitive success or failure. We explained the rationale in the previous section because we have determined that the necessary framework has been established and is now operational.

Ensuring Full Compliance

First, as a general premise, both the company Urawa Red Diamonds and the professional soccer team Urawa Red Diamonds define the concept of compliance not merely as adherence to laws andregulations, but as a set of fundamental principles of honest and fair conduct that includes respect for social and corporate ethics. We are fully committed to upholding these principles and will never condone or tolerate any actions that violate them.
In deciding whether to name Mr. Cho Ki-jae as the top candidate for the new head coach position, as the representative of a club that upholds the ethical standards outlined above—and as the steward of this club entrusted to us by our hometown, partners, and all fans and supporters who care deeply about Urawa Reds—it is only natural thatHowever, setting aside my personal respect for him, I could not overlook the fact that he was found to have engaged in conduct constituting power harassment against players and staff at a J.League club he previously managed, and that he was subsequently subjected to disciplinary measures, including a suspension of his coaching license, by the J.League and the Japan Football Association.
Under the Act on the Comprehensive Promotion of Labor Measures, which came into effect in June 2020 and was amended in April 2022, power harassment is defined as “causing physical or mental distress, or damaging the work environment, by exploiting a position of authority and going beyond what is necessary and reasonable for business purposes.”
We understand that since the enactment of this legislation, a positive trend has emerged in the field of sports coaching toward reevaluating coaching practices, and we support this development. However, we at Urawa Reds strongly oppose the acts defined andnot merely because they are prohibited by law, but also because we recognize them as unnecessary and unacceptable in the context of sports coaching. Even if the intent were to improve athletic performance, there is absolutely no room for tolerating such behavior.Furthermore, this stance is a universal principle unrelated to whether Mr. Cho Ki-jae assumes his position; it is a fundamental requirement for all players and staff affiliated with Urawa Reds going forward. We have reconfirmed these principles with Mr. Cho Ki-jae, SD Horinouchi, and the rest of the team development staff, and we have confirmed and are confident that there is no discrepancy in our understanding.
However, I also recognize that harassment—not limited to power harassment—is a social issue where no one can completely rule out the possibility of becoming either a perpetrator or a victim; precisely for this reason, the surrounding environment and how people respond are of critical importance.
The fact that Mr. Cho Ki-jae committed such mistakes in the past, and the fact that, following his apology and reflection, he has sincerely coached professional soccer teams and players for approximately five and a half years.While both of these are indisputable facts, neither serves as proof that harassment will occur in the future, nor does it serve as proof that it will not.
The key question is whether the leader, Mr. Cho Ki-jae, and the club Urawa Reds can mutually appreciate and value each other—not only in terms of athletic performance but also on a personal level.Furthermore, regardless of who joins as a new member, I understand that the club Urawa Reds must not rely on unscientific assumptions of either innate goodness or innate evil. Instead, it must consistently ensure that proper preparations are in place to address various forms of harassment—not limited to power harassment—including prevention (guidance, training, deterrence, and close coordination), early detection (monitoring, helplines, and reporting channels),and response when incidents occur (correction mechanisms, external coordination). We understand that the club must consistently ensure these measures are properly implemented, keep them functioning effectively, and take firm action as appropriate.We have reached an agreement with Mr. Cho Ki-jae regarding these matters, and through participation in regular liaison meetings between the club and the team, we intend to support the new management under Head Coach Cho Ki-jae as a united club.
To reiterate, we at Urawa Reds believe that harassment has no place in any situation, and we will never tolerate such behavior.
We remain committed to creating an environment where players, team staff, and club staff can focus on their competitions and duties with peace of mind. In the unlikely event that harassment occurs, we will prioritize protecting the victim and preventing the situation from escalating. We will take appropriate and prompt action, including collaborating with the J.League as necessary to formulate measures to prevent recurrence.
Please note that regarding the signing of Mr. Cho Ki-jae, as this information pertains to team composition—which is highly confidential and involves numerous factors requiring coordination prior to public announcement—we were unable to provide advance notice to our home town,partners, and all fans and supporters—in short, everyone who cares about the Urawa Reds—we were unable to provide a prior explanation. We sincerely apologize for any concern this may have caused.
While the explanation provided above may not be entirely sufficient, in the process of extending this invitation, we have taken various steps, including reviewing past cases, reaffirming the club’s scope of responsibility—including compliance with laws and regulations—verifying the club’s organizational structure, particularly with regard to team management, and conducting consultations with relevant parties to the extent morally permissible.Among the information regarding Mr. Cho Ki-jae obtained through these preparatory steps, there was nothing that would cause my trust in him—as the final decision-maker—to waver.and based on these facts, I hereby pledge that we will not obscure the responsibilities the club must bear, and that we will never tolerate or condone any actions or incidents that run counter to the club’s philosophy.

Deepening Our Approach to Soccer Together with Coach Cho Ki-jae

Since the establishment of the Football Division in the 2020 season, Urawa Reds has been working to strengthen the team under the guiding principles of “Team, Individual, and Attitude,” with a focus on continuity. Below, we explain what we mean by continuity and what kind of team we aim to build under our new head coach, Choi Ki-jae.
In the world of soccer, there is a certain correlation between a team’s ability to adapt to tactical trends and its results. For this reason, we do not define our team concept as an overly specific description of specific plays. Consequently, our expression is highly abstract, allowing for a wide range of interpretations; we understand that this naturally gives rise to a variety of opinions.Put another way, this also means that, fundamentally, the style of soccer Urawa Reds aims to play is not merely about following tactical trends.
Since the establishment of the Football Division, our approach to selecting head coaches has centered on the team’s core philosophy. We have carefully considered the team’s current standing in the league, its stage of development and the resulting team atmosphere, as well as the roster composition, market dynamics, and tactical trends. Based on this comprehensive analysis, we have determined which type of coach is best suited for the role.Each manager has then internalized the team concept, added their own interpretation based on their individual personalities and strengths, and implemented it within the team and among the players.
"Positional," "Possession," "High Press"Terms such as “storming” are sometimes interpreted as distinct concepts, with the belief that focusing on just one of them is a sign of consistency and continuity. However, we believe that these concepts can coexist within the same team and can be switched between and used in combination depending on the phase of the game and the structure of attack and defense (the positioning of players on the pitch and the principles of ball movement).Consequently, our team tactics have been flexible, taking into account the specific circumstances of the team at any given time and the strengths of each coach. This includes coaches who aimed to take control through structural organization, those who sought to dominate by shifting the team’s center of gravity forward and applying aggressive pressing,and managers who aim to control the game by maintaining a balance between attack and defense based on a solid defensive block—we have adopted a wide range of team tactics based on the team’s situation at the time and the compatibility with each manager’s strengths.This was intended to maintain a certain level of abstraction in our team concept, while simultaneously ensuring continuity in our pursuit of the goal of “football that takes the initiative in both attack and defense.”However, every manager experienced periods where they were able to get the players to embody the team concept at a high level through their respective methods, and periods where they were not. As a result, we were unable to win the J1 League title.
Looking ahead to the J.League Centennial Vision League, SD Horinouchi and former head coach Maciej Scorja aimed to “increase runs behind the defense” on offense, implement “high-pressing man-to-man defense from the front” on defense, and “win the ball high up the field to create more scoring opportunities” in order to maintain an advantage during transitions.Former Head Coach Scorja was skilled at building defensive structures in Zone 1, and he addressed these challenges without creating a detrimental trade-off with that characteristic. The team’s strengths were carried over even after Interim Head Coach Tanaka, whose style is primarily characterized by attack, took the helm.Regarding the initial goal of increasing scoring opportunities based on a solid defense, while the data shows a certain number of improvements compared to the previous year, this did not translate into points, and the team handed the reins to Interim Manager Tanaka without fully resolving these issues.Interim Manager Tanaka had been a member of the team since the beginning of the year. Leveraging his deep understanding of the players’ and team’s strengths and weaknesses, he achieved some success in a short period, primarily by reorganizing the team’s attacking structure.
In line with this trend, the primary reason for appointing Mr. Cho Ki-jae as the team’s head coach for the upcoming season is that we determined he could consistently and reliably deliver a style of play that maintains control on both offense and defense. This is based on the high level of intensity, ability to immediately regain possession, and seamless coordination between offense and defense that the teams he has previously led have demonstrated on the pitch.high intensity, quick ball recovery, and seamless coordination between attack and defense. We determined that he could consistently and reliably deliver a style of play that maintains control on both ends of the field while executing these elements at a high level. Current tactical trends, both domestically and internationally, emphasize greater intensity (duels, speed,work rate, and quality of decision-making), and we believe that teams that play this style of football tend to have higher win rates. We assess Mr. Cho Kee-jae as a manager who can align with this trend while implementing a style of play that embodies the team concept of “Urawa Reds” at a high level.
However, expecting Mr. Cho Ki-jae to implement these football strategies does not mean resetting the foundation that past managers have built based on their team concepts.As mentioned above, I expect him to take the current team—which is built upon the contributions of previous managers, each with their own distinct styles—and, while making the most of what works (to varying degrees), fuse it with his own style at a high level.
Under Coach Cho Ki-jae, the team aims to overwhelm opponents by moving forward as quickly and directly as possible toward the goal and repeating this sequence of attacks over and over.
On defense, we focus on coordinated team play in the opponent’s half to win the ball, and in our own half, we prioritize building attacks while maintaining a strong commitment to protecting our goal.
Even during transitional phases, we will expect our players to maintain awareness of the ball, open spaces, and the positioning of teammates and opponents, encouraging them to make more aggressive decisions in order to control Trial and fight with determination until the very end.
And the energy generated by the players as they take to the field is felt by all the fans and supporters, making the stadium even more electric.
That is the kind of soccer we want to play.

Finally

Following this managerial appointment, we have received numerous requests asking us to communicate the club’s philosophy more proactively.I deeply regret that, as the appointment of a manager involves contractual matters, we were unable to provide an explanation until the official announcement was made. However, I now realize—albeit belatedly—that if we had increased the opportunities to share the club’s perspective on a regular basis, the impression and perception we would have conveyed in such situations might have been different from what it was this time.
While I realize this message may not fully address all of your concerns and grievances, I have done my best to explain the situation as honestly as possible, speaking from the heart.

Urawa Reds I understand that the "self" in "self-reliance"—a principle enshrined in our club’s philosophy and one we strive to achieve—refers to everyone who supports Urawa Reds, including our hometown community, our partners, and our fans and supporters.
Urawa Reds is committed to standing alongside you, facing challenges together, and striving toward a better world—never losing sight of this mission for a single moment. However, as we move forward, there may still be instances where we fail to gain your full understanding or approval due to our own limitations or the lack of information we are able to provide.
Nevertheless, we promise to continue making every effort to prevent such situations from arising and to make decisions and take actions that allow us to explain our reasoning in our own words to everyone who cares about Urawa Reds.
Urawa Reds is not owned by Urawa Red Diamonds Co., Ltd.
I see this as a testament to the passion, love, and unity of everyone who has been involved with Urawa Reds and has supported it up until today.
It is by no means a given that so many of you continue to support this club so passionately, even though it has gone nearly 20 years without winning a league title.

Though we are far from perfect, we want to do our best to live up to those expectations and bring you even more joy and excitement. There is no pretense or falsehood in this sentiment, and I truly believe that if we cannot continue to hold onto this feeling, we have no business wearing the Urawa Reds emblem.

Urawa Reds. sincerely hopes to continue working alongside everyone who supports this club, which is part of the Urawa Reds.
We are committed to running this club in a way that ensures everyone who supports us can feel that this is a sincere wish from the bottom of our hearts. We look forward to your continued support at Urawa Reds.


Urawa Red Diamonds
President and CEO
Makoto Taguchi