Japan defender Shogo Taniguchi has spoken of his grief after an earthquake struck his home region of Kumamoto, expressing a desire to lift spirits through his performances on the pitch, according to article.auone.jp.
Taniguchi, who currently plays for Belgian club Sint-Truiden, said he was "very surprised and saddened" by the disaster. He added that he hopes to give people "even a little courage" through his play, the outlet reports.
The 34-year-old was speaking alongside teammate Ryotaro Araki, who also hails from Kumamoto. Both players shared their thoughts on the situation, with Araki also expressing a lasting wish to help their hometown in some way, according to Sankei Sports.
Taniguchi's comments come as he continues his second spell with Sint-Truiden. He recently explained his decision to re-sign with the club, saying he felt there was still room for him to grow and develop, as reported by Yahoo! News Japan.
The defender has also addressed his future with the Japan national team. Taniguchi stated that he wants to be part of the squad, though he acknowledged that his plans regarding the 2030 World Cup are not yet fixed, according to dmenu News.
Taniguchi was part of Japan's squad at the 2026 World Cup in North America, with a photo from a match in Dallas on June 25 showing him in action, per Sankei News.
The earthquake in Kumamoto has clearly affected the veteran defender, who is now balancing his club commitments in Belgium with concern for his hometown. His focus will be on performing well for Sint-Truiden in the coming weeks, with an eye on maintaining his place in the national team setup.
