Mina Tanaka(田中 美南, Tanaka Mina; born April 28, 1994) is a professional footballer who plays as a forward for National Women's Soccer League club Utah Royals and the Japan national team. She has previously played for Nippon TV Beleza, Bayer Leverkusen, and INAC Kobe Leonessa.

Early life

Tanaka was born in Thailand on April 28, 1994 to a Japanese father and a Thai mother. She returned to Japan soon after her birth and grew up in Kawasaki City, Kanagawa. She graduated from Kanagawa Prefectural Yurigaoka High School in March 2013.

Club career

On May 3, 2011, she made her debut for Nippon TV Beleza in a 1–0 loss to Okayama Yunogo Belle. On August 14, she scored her first goal in a 5–0 home victory against Fukuoka J. Anclas. She became top scorer in 2016 and 2017. She was also selected Best Eleven for 3 years in a row (2015–2017).

In 2020, Tanaka signed for INAC Kobe Leonessa. After the season was delayed by two months due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Tanaka made her club debut in the season opener on July 18. She scored the only goal of the match. On 3 February 2020, she joined Bayer Leverkusen on loan until the end of the 2019–20 season

On July 5, 2024, NWSL club Utah Royals signed Tanaka to a contract through the 2025 NWSL season. Tanaka signed a contract extension with Utah through 2028 on August 22, 2025.

National team career

Tanaka was part of the Japan U-17 national team that finished in second place at the 2010 U-17 World Cup and of the U-20 team that finished in third place at the 2012 U-20 World Cup. In February 2013, she received her first senior team call-up. On March 8, she made her debut for Japan and scored her first goal in a 2–1 loss to Germany in the 2013 Algarve Cup.

On 19 March 2018, she was called up to the 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cup, where Japan won the championship.

On 18 June 2021, she was included in the Japan squad for the 2020 Summer Olympics.

On 7 January 2022, Tanaka was called up to the 2022 AFC Women's Asian Cup squad.

On 13 June 2023, she was included in Japan's 23-player squad for the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023. On July 31, Tanaka scored in Japan's 4-0 group-stage victory in a match against Spain.

On 14 June 2024, Tanaka was included in the Japan squad for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

Tanaka was tournament MVP as part of the Japan squad that won the 2025 SheBelieves Cup. She scored four goals and had three assists across Japan's three matches of the tournament.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played April 4, 2026.

Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueNational CupLeague CupTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Tokyo Verdy Beleza2011Nadeshiko League7130—101
2012Nadeshiko League1522120193
2013Nadeshiko League171020872717
2014Nadeshiko League21345—258
2015Nadeshiko League231447—2721
2016Nadeshiko League181842963126
2017Nadeshiko League181557662928
2018Nadeshiko League181557552827
2019Nadeshiko League16205410103334
Total1539834334034227165
INAC Kobe Leonessa2020Nadeshiko League181231—2113
2021–22WE League181210—1912
2022–23WE League191121422514
2023–24WE League32003163
Total583762737142
Bayer Leverkusen (loan)2020–21Frauen-Bundesliga104——104
Utah Royals2024NWSL71——71
2025NWSL236——236
2026NWSL32——32
Total3390000339
Career total25414840354737341220

International

As of match played 11 April 2026

Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Japan201341
201400
201520
201600
2017145
2018158
201942
202030
2021115
202292
2023127
2024115
2025117
202651
Total10143

Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Tanaka goal.

List of international goals scored by Mina Tanaka
No.DateVenueOpponentScoreResultCompetition
18 March 2013Bela Vista Municipal Stadium, Parchal, PortugalGermany1–11–22013 Algarve Cup
29 April 2017Egao Kenkō Stadium, Kumamoto, JapanCosta Rica2–03–0Friendly
327 July 2017SDCCU Stadium, San Diego, United StatesAustralia1–02–42017 Tournament of Nations
422 October 2017Minami Nagano Sports Park Stadium, Nagano, JapanSwitzerland2–02–0Friendly
58 December 2017Fukuda Denshi Arena, Chiba, JapanSouth Korea1–03–22017 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
611 December 2017China1–01–0
71 April 2018Transcosmos Stadium Nagasaki, Isahaya, JapanGhana1–07–1Friendly
87 April 2018King Abdullah II Stadium, Amman, JordanVietnam4–04–02018 AFC Women's Asian Cup
910 June 2018Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New ZealandNew Zealand1–03–1Friendly
102–1
113–1
1226 July 2018Children's Mercy Park, Kansas City, United StatesUnited States1–14–22018 Tournament of Nations
1321 August 2018Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium, Palembang, IndonesiaVietnam4–07–02018 Asian Games
147–0
1511 December 2019Busan Asiad Main Stadium, Busan, South KoreaChinese Taipei2–09–02019 EAFF E-1 Football Championship
164–0
178 April 2021Yurtec Stadium Sendai, Sendai, JapanParaguay7–07–0Friendly
1810 June 2021Edion Stadium Hiroshima, Hiroshima, JapanUkraine8–08–0
1913 June 2021Kanseki Stadium Tochigi, Utsunomiya, JapanMexico2–05–1
2027 July 2021Miyagi Stadium, Rifu, JapanChile1–01–02020 Summer Olympics
2130 July 2021Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, JapanSweden1–11–3
226 October 2022Noevir Stadium Kobe, Kobe, JapanNigeria1–02–0Friendly
232–0
247 April 2023Estádio D. Afonso Henriques, Guimarães, PortugalPortugal2–12–1
2522 July 2023Waikato Stadium, Hamilton, New ZealandZambia2–05–02023 FIFA Women's World Cup
2631 July 2023Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington, New ZealandSpain4–04–0
2723 September 2023Kitakyushu Stadium, Kitakyushu, JapanArgentina1–08–0Friendly
2826 October 2023Lokomotiv Stadium, Tashkent, UzbekistanIndia4–07–02024 AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying Tournament
2930 November 2023Arena Corinthians, São Paulo, BrazilBrazil3–33–4Friendly
303 December 2023Estádio do Morumbi, São Paulo, Brazil2–02–0
319 April 2024Lower.com Field, Columbus, United States1–01–1 (0–3 p)2024 SheBelieves Cup
3231 May 2024Estadio Nueva Condomina, Murcia, SpainNew Zealand1–02–0Friendly
3313 July 2024Kanazawa Go Go Curry Stadium, Kanazawa, JapanGhana1–04–0
3431 July 2024Stade de la Beaujoire, Nantes, FranceNigeria2–03–12024 Summer Olympics
3526 October 2024Japan National Stadium, Tokyo, JapanSouth Korea3–04–0Friendly
3620 February 2025Shell Energy Stadium, Houston, United StatesAustralia1–04–02025 SheBelieves Cup
372–0
3823 February 2025State Farm Stadium, Glendale, United StatesColombia2–04–1
394–1
4027 June 2025Butarque, Leganés, SpainSpain1–01–3Friendly
4129 November 2025Peace Stadium, Nagasaki, JapanCanada2–03–0
422 December 2025Transcosmos Stadium Nagasaki, Isahaya, Japan1–01–0
4315 March 2026Stadium Australia, Sydney, AustraliaPhilippines1–07–02026 AFC Women's Asian Cup

Honours

Nippon TV Beleza

INAC Kobe Leonessa

Japan

Individual

External links

  • – FIFA competition record (archived)
  • at Soccerway
  • at WorldFootball.net
  • at Japan Football Association
  • January 3, 2018, at the Wayback Machine at NTV Beleza