Ataru Esaka

Ataru Esaka
江坂 任
Personal information
Full name Ataru Esaka
Date of birth (1992-05-31) 31 May 1992
Place of birth Sanda, Hyōgo, Japan
Height 1.75 m (5 ft 9 in)
Position(s) Attacking midfielder, winger
Team information
Current team
 Fagiano Okayama
Number 8
Youth career
2008–2011 Kobe Koryo Gakuen High School
College career
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2011–2014 Ryutsu Keizai University
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
2015 Thespakusatsu Gunma 42 (13)
2016–2017 Omiya Ardija 65 (15)
2018–2021 Kashiwa Reysol 119 (31)
2021–2022 Urawa Red Diamonds 46 (7)
2023–2024 Ulsan Hyundai[a] 50 (8)
2025– Fagiano Okayama 1 (0)
International career‡
2021– Japan 1 (0)
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 15 February 2025, 15:52 (UTC)
‡ National team caps and goals as of 25 March 2021, 17:36 (UTC)

Ataru Esaka (江坂 任, Esaka Ataru; born May 31, 1992) is a Japanese football player who plays as an Attacking midfielder for J1 League Fagiano Okayama.[1]

Career

Esaka made his debut for Thespakusatsu Gunma against Yokohama FC on 8 March 2015.[2] He scored his first goal for the club against Roasso Kumamoto on 15 March 2015, scoring in the 5th minute.[3]

Esaka made his debut for Omiya against Gamba Osaka on 11 March 2016.[4] He scored his first goal for the club against Sagan Tosu on 21 May 2016, scoring in the 74th minute.[5]

Esaka made his debut for Kashiwa against Vegalta Sendai on 25 February 2018.[6] He scored his first goals, a brace, against Gamba Osaka on 18 March 2018, scoring in the 8th and 18th minute.[7]

Esaka made his debut for Urawa against Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo on 9 August 2021.[8] He scored his first goal for the club on 14 August 2021 against Sagan Tosu, scoring a penalty in the 84th minute.[9]

On 26 December 2022, Esaka was announced at Ulsan Hyundai.[10]

On 23 December 2024, Esaka was announced at newly promoted club Fagiano Okayama from the 2025 season.[11]

International career

He made his debut for Japan national football team on 25 March 2021 in a friendly against South Korea.[12]

Career statistics

Club

As of the match played 15 February 2025.[13][14][15]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League National Cup League Cup Continental Other Total
Division Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals Apps Goals
Thespakusatsu Gunma 2015 J2 League 42 13 0 0 – 42 13
Total 42 13 0 0 – 42 13
Omiya Ardija 2016 J1 League 31 8 3 0 8 2 – 42 10
2017 34 7 2 1 2 1 38 9
Total 65 15 5 1 10 3 – 80 19
Kashiwa Reysol 2018 J1 League 33 9 2 2 4 0 6 1 – 45 12
2019 J2 League 38 11 1 0 4 1 – 43 12
2020 J1 League 32 9 – 4 2 36 11
2021 16 2 0 0 3 0 19 2
Total 119 31 3 2 15 3 6 1 – 143 37
Urawa Red Diamonds 2021 J1 League 16 5 4 1 4 1 – 24 7
2022 30 2 2 0 3 1 7 1 1 2 43 6
Total 46 7 6 1 7 2 7 1 1 2 67 13
Ulsan Hyundai/
Ulsan HD 		2023 K League 1 21 3 2 0 – 10 1 – 33 4
2024 29 5 4 1 6 0 39 6
Total 50 8 6 1 – 16 1 – 72 10
Fagiano Okayama 2025 J1 League 1 0 0 0 0 0 – 1 0
Total 1 0 0 0 0 0 – 1 0
Career total 323 74 22 6 32 8 28 3 1 2 406 93

Honours

Kashiwa Reysol

Urawa Red Diamonds

Ulsan Hyundai / Ulsan HD

Notes

  1. ^ Ulsan Hyundai changed its name to Ulsan HD in 2024

References

  1. ^ "江坂 任選手 完全移籍加入のお知らせ | トップチームトピックス". 25 June 2021.
  2. ^ "ThespaKusatsu Gunma vs Yokohama - 8 March 2015". int.soccerway.com.
  3. ^ "Roasso Kumamoto vs ThespaKusatsu Gunma - 15 March 2015". int.soccerway.com.
  4. ^ "Gamba Osaka vs Omiya Ardija - 11 March 2016". int.soccerway.com.
  5. ^ "Sagan Tosu vs Omiya Ardija - 21 May 2016". int.soccerway.com.
  6. ^ "Vegalta Sendai vs Kashiwa Reysol - 25 February 2018". int.soccerway.com.
  7. ^ "Gamba Osaka vs Kashiwa Reysol - 18 March 2018". int.soccerway.com.
  8. ^ "Consadole Sapporo vs Urawa Reds - 9 August 2021". int.soccerway.com.
  9. ^ "Urawa Reds vs Sagan Tosu - 14 August 2021". int.soccerway.com.
  10. ^ "江坂 任選手 蔚山現代FCへ完全移籍のお知らせ" [Announcement of the permanent transfer of Esaka Im to Ulsan Hyundai FC]. www.urawa-reds.co.jp (in Japanese). 26 December 2022.
  11. ^ "江坂 任選手 完全移籍加入のお知らせ" (Press release). ファジアーノ岡山. 2024-12-23. Retrieved 2024-12-27.
  12. ^ "Japan v South Korea game report". ESPN. 25 March 2021.
  13. ^ Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "2017 J1&J2&J3選手名鑑 (NSK MOOK)", 8 February 2017, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411420 (p. 41 out of 289)
  14. ^ Nippon Sports Kikaku Publishing inc./日本スポーツ企画出版社, "2016J1&J2&J3選手名鑑", 10 February 2016, Japan, ISBN 978-4905411338 (p. 130 out of 289)
  15. ^ Ataru Esaka at Soccerway. Retrieved 17 February 2025.
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