Reims’ Japanese connection: Junya Itō and Keito Nakamura

Stade de Reims' ties with Japan have strengthened over the past three years with the arrivals of Junya Itō and Keito Nakamura. Both players will be key figures for the club if the squad is to have a successful 2024-25 season.

This weekend, Nakamura netted a stoppage-time winner to secure Stade de Reims’ victory over FC Nantes on Sunday, marking a strong start as he aims to elevate his game in his second season with Reims.

The 24-year-old joined the French side in August 2023 from Austrian club LASK. In his first season with Les Rouges et Blancs, Nakamura made 25 appearances in Ligue 1, scoring four goals and recording one assist.

When Nakamura arrived at Reims, he had a fellow Japanese player to help him adapt to his new surroundings. Itō joined the Champage side in 2022 and has since made 71 appearances across all competitions, scoring ten goals and recording 13 assists.

Itō has also made 56 appearances for Japan’s national team while scoring 14 goals. Former Reims manager Will Still spotlighted Nakamura’s speed and the Japanese duo’s willingness to do anything for the squad, as he told L’Equipe in September 2023.

“Keito is quick, sharp, and gets what’s expected of him. He can score remarkable goals, as seen in Lille, and he’s often amazing in training... If you ask [Itō and Nakamura] to charge headfirst through a wall, they’ll do it!”

Nakamura’s move to France’s top flight also helped his performance with Japan’s national team. Last season, the forward made six appearances for the Samurai Blue, scoring six goals and recording one assist.

Despite the success that Nakamura had last season as he adapted to a new league, new country, and city, there’s still room for improvement. Reims manager Luka Elsner told L’Equipe in August what he wants to see from the standout.

“Keito still needs to prove himself and tweak his game to fully meet expectations. Like Junya [Ito], he’s doing important defensive work. He has a fantastic skill set, but he needs to step up—especially mentally—to execute his moves faster and better handle the physicality and intensity of opposing defenders.”

This past summer, Reims took their connection with Japan even further, aside from having two players from the country. The Ligue 1 side went on tour to play a couple of friendlies and deepen ties with people who have become supporters of the club thanks to Itō and Nakamura.

Reims Tour of Japan This Summer

Elsner also told L’Equipe about the experience of going to Japan with Itō and Nakamura as the duo were the most popular players during that tour.

“We were almost like Hollywood stars, with fans lining up from early in the morning until late at night! They happily accommodated all the requests and received a lot of support, just like the entire team did. It was a pleasant surprise during our four matches there.”

Reims are off to a good start this 2024-25 season as they’re sixth in the table and currently occupy a UEFA Conference League spot. If Elsner and his team want to secure a European place for next season, Itō and Nakamura will need to play a significant role.

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