is a Japanese retired badminton player who won a record eight Japanese national men's singles titles and some major international titles in both singles and doubles between the mid-1960s and the mid-1970s.
Career His game was marked by exceptional foot speed, great tenacity, and power surprising for a man who was about five feet (1.524 meters) tall. Kojima is the first of only two Japanese players to have won men's singles at the prestigious Danish Open (1970). He also shared the Danish Open men's doubles title, with different partners, in 1968 and 1969.Herbert Scheele, The International Badminton Federation Handbook for 1971 (Canterbury, Kent, England: J. A. Jennings Ltd., 1971) 152, 153. In 1970 he reached the final of all three events at both the U.S. and Canadian Open championships, winning men's doubles in the U.S. and both singles and mixed doubles in Canada. In 1971 he won men's singles at the Singapore Open and, over a select international field, at the Flare Square Invitational, a one-time-only event held in conjunction with the Calgary (Canada) Stampede, where he defeated Denmark's Svend Pri in the final. Perhaps the most notable matches of Kojima's career were a series of close but losing singles efforts against the iconic Rudy Hartono in Thomas Cup, the All-Englands, and other major venues in 1970 and 1971.Herbert Scheele, The International Badminton Federation Handbook for 1971 (Canterbury, Kent, England: J. A. Jennings Ltd., 1971) 45."Danish National Championships", Badminton USA, May 1971, 23.
Achievements Asian Games Men's singles YearVenueOpponentScoreResult1970Kittikachorn Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand Muljadi15–17, 15–11, 10–15 Bronze
International tournaments Men's singles Year Tournament Opponent Score Result Ref 1968 Malaysia Open Tan Aik Huang 4–15, 15–13, 6–15 Runner-up1968 Singapore Open Tan Aik Huang 12–15, 4–15 Runner-up 1970Denmark Open Erland Kops15–3, 15–10 Winner1970U.S. Open Junji Honma15–13, 8–15, 8–15 Runner-up1970Canada Open Junji Honma15–11, 9–15, 15–6 Winner1971Denmark Open Rudy Hartono18–14, 14–15, 11–15 Runner-up1971Canada Open Rudy Hartono7–15, 2–15 Runner-up1971Flare Square Invitational Svend Pri15–3, 15–4 Winner1971Singapore Open Nunung Murdjianto15–3, 18–16 Winner1972Denmark Open Svend Pri9–15, 5–15 Runner-up
Men's doubles Year TournamentPartner Opponent Score Result1968Malaysia Open Issei Nichino Tan Yee Khan Ng Boon Bee15–11, 9–15, 9–15 Runner-up1968Denmark Open Issei Nichino Henning Borch Erland Kops17–15, 17–16 Winner1969Denmark Open Bjarne Andersen Tan Aik Huang Tan Aik Mong15–9, 6–15, 15–7 Winner1969U.S. Open Channarong Ratanaseangsuang Punch Gunalan Ng Boon Bee3–15, 7–15 Runner-up1970Canada Open Junji Honma Channarong Ratanaseangsuang Raphi Kanchanaraphi10–15, 9–15 Runner-up1970US Open Junji Honma Don Paup Jim Poole17-14, 15–2 Winner1971Singapore Open Junji Honma Ade Chandra Christian Hadinata10–15, 8–15 Runner-up
Mixed doubles Year TournamentPartner Opponent Score Result1970U.S. Open Machiko Aizawa Paul Whetnall Margaret Boxall8–15, 2–15 Runner-up1970Canada Open Susan Whetnall Paul Whetnall Margaret Boxall12–15, 15–5, 15–13 Winner
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