Ken Naganuma 1930 – 2008

Biography

Ken Naganuma was born on September 5, 1930, in Hiroshima, Japan, during a pivotal era in the nation’s history. He would go on to dedicate his life to association football, the sport that captured his passion and shaped his career in ways both as a player and as a leader within the game.

Throughout his adult years, Naganuma worked in Japanese football in dual capacities—as both a player and a manager. His involvement in the sport spanned decades, contributing to the development and growth of football in Japan during the post-war period when the sport was gaining traction across the country.

On June 2, 2008, Naganuma passed away in Japan at the age of 77, following a respiratory illness. Though his years in football have become part of Japan’s sporting history, his legacy endures through the contributions he made to the sport he loved. His life reflected a generation dedicated to rebuilding and advancing Japanese athletics during a transformative period in the nation’s recovery and growth.