Birmingham City sign Japanese international defender Miyagawa

Birmingham City have announced the signing of Japanese international defender Asato Miyagawa.

WSL Full-Time were informed of the news via an official club press release from Blues this morning.

The 27-year-old joins Birmingham City from Swedish OBOS Damallsvenskan club Hammarby IF. She will officially move to England on 2 January 2026.

Miyagawa has plenty of experience playing at the top level. She spent eight years in the first team at Japanese club Tokyo Verdy Beleza where she won the 2019 AFC Women’s Club Championship before spending the last 18 months in Sweden with Hammarby IF.

On the international stage, Miyagawa has been capped by Japan on 23 occasions. Her most recent senior international cap came in 2022. The player will be hoping to push for fresh international honours by impressing in her time in England with Birmingham City.

After joining Birmingham City, Miyagawa said “I am very happy to be able to join this historic team. I believe that winning the championship is definitely ahead, so first I want to focus on the upcoming matches and keep winning.”

Miyagawa will be ready to make her Birmingham City debut when the club return to Barclays WSL2 action following the winter break. She is the club’s first January transfer window signing.

About The Author

Daniel Pentland

I am the editor and owner of the WSL Full-Time brand which I launched in 2018.

I am an accredited journalist with the FWA, SJA and AIPS. I have reported from various levels of men’s and women’s elite football since 2016.