NIIGATA, Japan — Imagine a Jamaican-born person representing Japan’s national football team.
But there is at least one this newspaper knows about. His name his Masashi Suzuki, born in Montego Bay, St James, before his Japanese mother Marika Suzuki shipped off to her Far East home with her son.
During the Mexico FIFA Under-17 World Cup in 2011, the Jamaica Observer had located the mother of Suzuki and carried a story with her telling how she came to Jamaica to work as a tour operator on the island’s enchanting north-west coast and fell in love with it.
That wasn’t the only thing she fell in love with. Marika met Masashi’s father, Robert Hamilton, and a romance blossomed in a picturesque part of Jamaica, and it was magic all the way.
Masashi’s mother, in the previous Observer story, told how her son was born at the Cornwall Regional Hospital in Montego Bay, near Union Street, 20 years ago.
She has another son, Sho, by another Jamaican. He is about 15 years old now.
When the Observer caught up with Masashi at the Denka Big Swan Stadium, the home of his J-League club Albirex Niigata, he spoke little English and had to be helped through the brief interview by an interpreter.
But he recalled, more than anything else, his days playing along the Montego Bay coast, and one particular place brings back fond memories for the 6ft striker.
“I used to play on Doctor’s Cave Beach every day,” he said.
He has been back to Jamaica three times after initially leaving at six years old, but though he professes his love for the island, which sparked the romance that brought his parents together, his heart is clearly with Japan.
“I love Jamaica, but I love Japan too because it’s a beautiful country that is safe and there is little crime, plus they have good food here, good people and I love those things about Japan,” said Masashi after watching Japan defeat Jamaica‘s Reggae Boyz 1-0 in a friendly international in cool Niigata.
He thought the game was an entertaining affair, with both teams having their moments.
“I think it was a very nice game as both teams had chances to score… I also think the Jamaicans can play… I remember playing against them for Japan at the Under-17 World Cup in Mexico, and I think that was interesting in a game with the countries of both my parents,” Masashi noted.
The player is highly thought of and is viewed as a future prospect for Japan. In a game-day magazine, he was featured along with the likes of AC Milan’s Keisuke Honda, Borussia Dortmund’s Shinji Kagawa and FSV Mainz’s Shinji Okazaki.
“I am currently in the Olympic team and that’s the level before you go to the senior team, so I am looking forward to that,” he said.
So far this season for his club, Masashi has scored two goals, but has set his sights on more goals and also a possible move to Europe in the future. “I have scored two goals so far this season and I am looking to score more… yes, I would love to go and play in Europe, especially in England where I think the soccer there is so fantastic,” Masashi ended.
– Sean Williams
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Jamaican-born Suzuki targets senior Japanese team
