# Junya Itō

Junya Itō (伊東 純也, Itō Jun'ya, born 9 March 1993) is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a winger or a forward for Ligue 1 club Reims and the Japan national team.

## Club career
### Early club career

After attending Kanagawa University for four years, Itō first became a Special Designated Player for Ventforet Kofu, and obtained a new contract with the J1 League side. His first professional season attracted attention from Chiba-based Kashiwa Reysol, which signed him in January 2016.
On 31 January 2019, Itō moved from Kashiwa Reysol to Genk on a one-year loan deal. On 18 September, he made his Champions League debut as a starter in the group stage match against Red Bull Salzburg. On 30 March 2020, Ito signed permanently with Genk on a three-year contract.

### Stade Reims

On 29 July 2022, Itō joined Ligue 1 club Reims.
On 23 October 2022, he scored the winner in a 2–1 victory against Auxerre. In the 2023–24 Ligue 1 opening game on 12 August, Ito scored a stunning goal against Ligue 1 powerhouse Marseille to open the scoring, but his team eventually lost 2–1.

## International career

Itō made his Japan national team debut in 2017. He was selected for Hajime Moriyasu's final World Cup squad in October 2022.

## Controversy
### Adultery and sexual assault allegations

On 31 January 2024, Shukan Shincho reported that police had launched an investigation into Itō following a criminal complaint filed by two women alleging that he had engaged in sexual misconduct with them while they were intoxicated at a hotel in Osaka without their consent after a match for Japan against Peru in June 2023.
In response to this report, the Japan Football Association decided on February 1 to withdraw Ito from the ongoing 2023 AFC Asian Cup after considering Ito's physical and mental condition.
On 1 February, Itō filed a criminal complaint against the two women with the Osaka Prefectural Police for filing false complaints. On 19 February, he filed a lawsuit against the two women at the Osaka District Court, claiming that their sponsorship contracts were terminated due to false complaints and demanding 200 million yen in damages.
The case was transferred to the Tokyo District Court in May and both Itō and the women were referred to prosecutors in July. On 9 August, prosecutors dropped both charges against Ito and Ito's countersuit on his accusers, citing lack of evidence.

## Career statistics
### Club

    As of match played on 10 November 2024
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition :
| Club | Season | League | League | League | National cup | National cup | League cup | League cup | Continental | Continental | Other | Other | Total | Total |
| Club | Season | Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| Ventforet Kofu | 2015 | J1 League | 30 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 38 | 4 |
| Kashiwa Reysol | 2016 | J1 League | 33 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 41 | 7 |
| Kashiwa Reysol | 2017 | J1 League | 34 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 | — | — | — | — | 42 | 6 |
| Kashiwa Reysol | 2018 | J1 League | 34 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | — | — | 41 | 9 |
| Kashiwa Reysol | Total | Total | 101 | 19 | 7 | 1 | 10 | 0 | 6 | 2 | — | — | 124 | 22 |
| Genk (loan) | 2018–19 | Belgian Pro League | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | 1 | 0 | — | — | 14 | 3 |
| Genk (loan) | 2019–20 | Belgian Pro League | 29 | 5 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 38 | 6 |
| Genk (loan) | Total | Total | 42 | 8 | 2 | 1 | — | — | 6 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 52 | 9 |
| Genk | 2020–21 | Belgian Pro League | 38 | 11 | 4 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 42 | 12 |
| Genk | 2021–22 | Belgian Pro League | 39 | 8 | 1 | 0 | — | — | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 49 | 8 |
| Genk | 2022–23 | Belgian Pro League | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 1 | 0 |
| Genk | Total | Total | 78 | 19 | 5 | 1 | — | — | 8 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 92 | 20 |
| Reims | 2022–23 | Ligue 1 | 35 | 6 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 36 | 6 |
| Reims | 2023–24 | Ligue 1 | 31 | 3 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 31 | 3 |
| Reims | 2024–25 | Ligue 1 | 17 | 4 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 17 | 4 |
| Reims | Total | Total | 83 | 13 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 84 | 13 |
| Career total | Career total | Career total | 334 | 62 | 17 | 3 | 16 | 0 | 21 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 390 | 68 |
* ↑ Appearances in AFC Champions League
* ↑ Appearance in UEFA Europa League
* ↑ Appearances in UEFA Champions League
* 1 2 Appearance in Belgian Super Cup
* ↑ Two appearances in UEFA Champions League, six appearances in UEFA Europa League

### International

    As of match played on 15 October 2024
Appearances and goals by national team and year :
| National team | Year | Apps | Goals |
| Japan | 2017 | 3 | 0 |
| Japan | 2018 | 4 | 2 |
| Japan | 2019 | 10 | 0 |
| Japan | 2020 | 3 | 0 |
| Japan | 2021 | 9 | 5 |
| Japan | 2022 | 13 | 2 |
| Japan | 2023 | 8 | 4 |
| Japan | 2024 | 8 | 1 |
| Total | Total | 58 | 14 |
    Scores and results list Japan's goal tally first, score column indicates score after each Itō goal.
List of international goals scored by Junya Itō :
| No. | Date | Venue | Opponent | Score | Result | Competition |
| 1 | 11 September 2018 | Panasonic Stadium Suita, Suita, Japan | Costa Rica | 3–0 | 3–0 | 2018 Kirin Challenge Cup |
| 2 | 12 October 2018 | Denka Big Swan Stadium, Niigata, Japan | Panama | 2–0 | 3–0 | 2018 Kirin Challenge Cup |
| 3 | 30 March 2021 | Fukuda Denshi Arena, Chiba, Japan | Mongolia | 8–0 | 14–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 4 | 30 March 2021 | Fukuda Denshi Arena, Chiba, Japan | Mongolia | 10–0 | 14–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 5 | 11 June 2021 | Noevir Stadium Kobe, Kobe, Japan | Serbia | 1–0 | 1–0 | Friendly |
| 6 | 11 November 2021 | Mỹ Đình National Stadium, Hanoi, Vietnam | Vietnam | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 7 | 16 November 2021 | Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex, Muscat, Oman | Oman | 1–0 | 1–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 8 | 27 January 2022 | Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, Japan | China | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 9 | 1 February 2022 | Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, Japan | Saudi Arabia | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification |
| 10 | 20 June 2023 | Panasonic Stadium Suita, Suita, Japan | Peru | 3–0 | 4–1 | 2023 Kirin Challenge Cup |
| 11 | 9 September 2023 | Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg, Germany | Germany | 1–0 | 4–1 | Friendly |
| 12 | 12 September 2023 | Cegeka Arena, Genk, Belgium | Turkey | 4–2 | 4–2 | 2023 Kirin Challenge Cup |
| 13 | 17 October 2023 | Noevir Stadium Kobe, Kobe, Japan | Tunisia | 2–0 | 2–0 | 2023 Kirin Challenge Cup |
| 14 | 5 September 2024 | Saitama Stadium 2002, Saitama, Japan | China | 5–0 | 7–0 | 2026 FIFA World Cup qualification |

## Honours
### Genk

* Belgian Pro League: 2018-19
* Belgian Cup: 2020-21
* Belgian Super Cup: 2019

### Individual

* Japan Pro-Footballers Association awards: Best XI (2022, 2023, 2024)