goalkeeper at the start of the season. Prior to an AFC Champions League match against Melbourne Victory on 31 March 2010, Kawashima suffered a hand injury in training, but made his recovery and started the whole game, as Kawasaki Frontale lost 1–0. He went on to make 17 appearances for the side in all competitions. Lierse After participating in the 2010 World Cup, Kawashima completed a move to Europe by joining Lierse S.K. in the Belgian Pro League. Upon joining the club, he signed a two–year contract with an option to extend. About the move Kawashima said, "After I experienced the World Cup, I thought that putting myself in a more competitive environment is the only way I can get better." Kawashima made his Lierse debut in a 1–0 loss against Sint-Truidense in the opening game of the season. After making his Lierse debut, Kawashima quickly became the club's first choice goalkeeper. However, the club struggled at the start of the season and suffered five defeats in the first five matches, but Kawashima impressed the side with saves. On 25 September 2010, he kept his first clean in a 1–0 win over Charleroi, the side's first win in the league of the season. In mid–October, Kawashima suffered a groin injury that kept him out throughout the month. He then returned to the starting line-up on 10 November 2010, helping the side beat RFC Tournai 4–1 in the round of 16 of the Belgian Cup. Next, Kawashima went on a run of conceding a total of 24 goals in the league for the rest of 2010, as the club suffered heavy defeats, including a 7–0 loss against Standard Liège on 27 November 2010, a 3–1 loss against K.V. Kortrijk on 12 December 2010 and a 6–0 loss against Anderlecht on 26 December 2010. After helping Japan win the Asian Cup, he did not return as a starting goalkeeper on 12 February 2011 against Germinal Beerschot in a 2–2 draw. Following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami, Kawashima made an impressed display for the next two matches against Lokeren and Club Brugge, which saw the club secure its status in the league for the next season. In the league's Europa League Playoffs, he kept another clean sheet, in a 0–0 draw against Cercle Brugge on 2 April 2011. The club finished second place behind Cercle Brugge in the league's Europa League playoffs.