Kaoru Mitoma made history for Japan with his goal in Brighton & Hove Albion's 3-1 win at Manchester United.
TV Info - Broadcasters
Mitoma is now the outright highest-scoring Japanese player in Premier League history, with 15 goals, moving one clear of former Leicester City striker Shinji Okazaki.
Mitoma's goal v Man Utd
Kaoru giving us the lead at Old Trafford! 🤩 pic.twitter.com/vIJQBmKTe7
— Brighton & Hove Albion (@OfficialBHAFC) January 19, 2025
Mitoma also got an assist on Sunday at Old Trafford, taking him to 12 in his Premier League career, double the total of any other Japanese player.
Most goals/assists by Japanese players
| Player | Goals | Player | Assists |
| Kaoru Mitoma | 15 | Kaoru Mitoma | 12 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shinji Okazaki | 14 | Shinji Kagawa | 6 |
| Maya Yoshida | 6 | Junichi Inamoto | 6 |
| Takumi Minamino | 6 | Shinji Okazaki | 4 |
| Shinji Kagawa | 6 | Takehiro Tomiyasu | 3 |
Mitoma's goal at Old Trafford also moved him into the top five for most Premier League goals by players from Asia. He is now level with Ki Sung-yueng, the former Swansea City midfielder.
Mitoma's 12 Premier League assists, meanwhile, are the third-most by an Asian.
Tottenham Hotspur star Son Heung-min is by some distance the leader for both goals and assists by Asian players.
Most goals/assists by Asian players
| Player | Goals | Player | Assists |
| Son Heung-min (South Korea) | 126 | Son Heung-min (South Korea) | 68 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hwang Hee-chan (South Korea) | 22 | Park Ji-sung (South Korea) | 21 |
| Park Ji-sung (South Korea) | 19 | Kaoru Mitoma (Japan) | 12 |
| Kaoru Mitoma (Japan) | 15 | Lee Chung-yong (South Korea) | 10 |
| Ki Sung-yueng (South Korea) | 15 | Ki Sung-yueng (South Korea) | 9 |
In terms of appearances, Mitoma has now played 74 times in the Premier League, the third-most among Japanese players and the 10th-most among Asians.
Most apps by Japanese/Asian players
| Japanese player | Apps | Asian player | Apps |
| Maya Yoshida | 154 | Son Heung-min (South Korea) | 322 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shinji Okazaki | 114 | Ki Sung-yueng (South Korea) | 187 |
| Kaoru Mitoma | 74 | Park Ji-sung (South Korea) | 154 |
| Junichi Inamoto | 66 | Maya Yoshida (Japan) | 154 |
| Takehiro Tomiyasu | 65 | Sun Jihai (China) | 123 |
| Takumi Minamino | 40 | Shinji Okazaki (Japan) | 114 |
| Shinji Kagawa | 38 | Ali Al Habsi (Oman) | 111 |
| Wataru Endo | 37 | Lee Chung-yong (South Korea) | 105 |
| Yoshinori Muto | 25 | Hwang Hee-chan (South Korea) | 101 |
| Hidetoshi Nakata | 21 | Kaoru Mitoma (Japan) | 74 |
How many Asian players have won the PL?
Only four Asian players have ever won a Premier League title.
They are Park Ji-sung (South Korea), Shinji Kagawa, Okazaki and Takumi Minamino (all Japan).
Park was the first to do so, in 2006/07 - one of four Premier League titles he won with Man Utd.
Kagawa also won it with Man Utd, in 2012/13 only, while Okazaki lifted the Trophy with Leicester in 2015/16 before Minamino did so with Liverpool in 2019/20.