Kayo Murase

Since then, I've moved between various departments, and I'm currently assigned to the partner sales department, where one of my tasks is drafting contracts. Here, too, I've gained new insights.

"Until I came to the department generally known as 'sales,' I hadn't given much thought to the club's finances. That's because my previous jobs didn't often directly involve money. But, for example, the contracts with our partner companies are a perfect example of that. The team worked hard, the staff worked hard, and we were able to conclude those contracts. They are the culmination of everyone's efforts to achieve them."

It's not enough for just one person to work hard. Money doesn't automatically follow if the team achieves good results. There are limits to what can be achieved through sales efforts alone. This is something that Urawa Reds, as a single organization, has achieved by working together.

It was the same that day. November 20, 2004. The day the Reds won the J1 League stage championship for the first time. The players, the team staff, the fans and supporters, and the club staff—everyone was in tears that day.

That day, I experienced firsthand the championship victory—something I never thought I'd witness—including the fact that I never imagined I'd work for the Reds for this long.

"I think it's partly because I was away from the field at the time, but putting myself aside, I felt that we were able to win not only because of the players and team staff, but also because of the strength of these people who are crying beside me now. I remember saying the same thing to everyone."

And it's not just the team or the club. Urawa Reds alone cannot achieve its goals. It might not even be able to survive. Partner companies, fans and supporters, and the city of Urawa. We want to work together with everyone involved with the Reds, both inside and outside the club.

"Urawa is a city where soccer is very popular, so you can see people kicking balls everywhere, from little kids to adults, and I think it's very important to be able to work in such an environment. There are lots of things shaped like soccer balls around the city, and that reflects the feelings of the people of Urawa, our hometown. We're still far from being a finished product, and we don't know when we'll ever be able to develop a club that's so deeply rooted in the local community. However, the idea that 'Urawa means Urawa Reds' has become widespread, and that's something the club couldn't have achieved on its own, and I don't think it will ever be possible for the club to succeed on its own."

There was a time when the stadium was always packed with fans and supporters without us having to do anything. We became complacent. When we handed out flyers on the street, we were sometimes met with cold comments like, "You're only doing this because customers have stopped coming, right?"

"We can't think that we can do everything by ourselves as a club. I think there was a time when we thought that. But now, even when handing out flyers, I want to call out to everyone with the feeling that we want everyone to support the Reds. There are people who don't know when the Reds are Trial, and people who don't know that they are Trial at Saitama Stadium. We must not forget that. We want everyone to support us. We want to create excitement together with everyone. With everyone in Urawa. That's what we want."

Depending on one's age, not many people can imagine what their lives will be like 30 years from now. 30 years is a very long time for one person. Murase, too, couldn't imagine what his life would be like 30 years from now. In fact, he wasn't even sure if he could continue for three years, so he worked desperately on what was in front of him, and before he knew it, 30 years had passed.

I don't know what will happen to me or the Reds in the future. But I want to continue sharing the joys, sorrows, anger, and happiness with the team, the club staff, our partner companies, the fans and supporters, and everyone in Urawa through the Reds. That feeling will surely never change.

Text by Masanori Kikuchi

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