After graduating from Meiji University, he joined Hitachi in 1969.
In 1972, the club won the Japan Soccer League and the Emperor's Cup.
He played 99 games and scored 22 goals in the league.
On July 31, 1970, Kobata debuted for Japan national team against Hong Kong.
This biographical article related to a Japanese association football midfielder born in the 1940s is a stub.