Leeds United and Birmingham City have hit the jackpot with deals for Japan stars | OneFootball

Japanese stars Ao Tanaka and Tomoki Iwata have both been shining for Leeds and Birmingham so far this season.

Leeds United and Birmingham City have both hit the jackpot this past summer with their respective deals for Japanese stars Ao Tanaka and Tomoki Iwata.

Football in Japan seems to be going through a real golden era, with the national side continuously climbing the world rankings in recent years, and their players being found in various top leagues across the globe.

The growing popularity and success of the J-League has seen significant investment being made, with the nation now boasting 60 professional teams across three divisions, which has given rise to a wave of talented homegrown players.

Leeds United and Birmingham City are two of English football's latest clubs to sample what Japanese football has to offer, with Tanaka and Iwata making their respective moves to Elland Road and St. Andrew's over the summer - albeit not directly from the J-League.

Both central midfielders have hit the ground running so far this season, and look set to play leading roles in both clubs' promotion pushes this term.

Ao Tanaka has become the heartbeat of Leeds United's engine room

Having lost Glen Kamara in the summer, as well as Archie Gray who operated in the centre of midfield on occasions last season, there was an element of uncertainty surrounding how Leeds' engine room would look this season.

For the opening handful of games, it appeared that Farke had found his midfield pairing of Ethan Ampadu and Ilia Gruev, but over the course of two games vs Coventry and Norwich, both players would suffer significant injuries.

That could have thrown Farke's midfield into chaos, but opportunity can arise even in the most desperate situations, as now came Tanaka's chance to show what he can do.

Ever since replacing the injured Ampadu against Coventry in late September, the 26-year-old has been one of Leeds' best players, and has now surely cemented himself in the starting XI going forward.

Farke's side have conceded just twice in their last six games, and Tanaka has played a major hand in that. His 91.5 per cent passing accuracy is one of the highest in the Championship among central midfielders, as is his 77.8 per cent aerial duels won - per FotMob.

Speaking about the Japanese international's performance against Watford on 22 October, Farke said: "He was outstanding today. Lads are doing some jokes about Tiger Tanaka - a Bond villain. No, no he is James Bond. He saved the world today. Steel. Crucial and decisive duels. He was James Bond for us. He can keep going like this."

As well as saving the world, Tanaka has undoubtedly rescued Leeds' central midfield following the injuries to Ampadu and Gruev, and is already looking like one of the signings of the season by the Whites.

From one thriving Japanese central midfielder to another, Iwata has been a revelation for Birmingham City since signing from Celtic in the summer.

After struggling to make a big enough impression in Glasgow, the 27-year-old has become an instant fan favourite in Birmingham thanks to a collection of fantastic goals, and a level of ability that would suggest he's too good for League One.

Four goals and one assist from his opening 12 appearances in all competitions - despite never being much of a goal contributor in his career - points towards Iwata having every chance of registering double-digit strikes in his debut season, as the Blues appear destined for a return to the Championship.

His 89.1 per cent pass accuracy ranks him in the top 96.1 percentile of League One central midfielders so far this term, whilst his 84.6 per cent aerial duels won is only bettered by 1.6 per cent of third tier players in his position this season - per FotMob.

Whether it's scoring brilliant goals, winning his battles in midfield or dictating the tempo and possession of a game, Iwata does it all for Birmingham.

If Chris Davies' side do indeed secure promotion back to the second tier this season, Iwata will no doubt have played a vital role in helping the club with such an achievement.