The Japan Football Association (JFA, Japanese: 日本サッカー協会, romanized: Nihon Sakkā Kyōkai)[1] is the governing body responsible for the administration of football, futsal, beach soccer and efootball in Japan. It is responsible for the national team, as well as club competitions.[2]
| AFC | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 03 January 1921 |
| Headquarters | Bunkyō, Tokyo |
| FIFA affiliation | 21 May 1929 |
| AFC affiliation | 07 June 1954 |
| EAFF affiliation | 28 May 2002 |
| President | Tsuneyasu Miyamoto |
| Vice-President |
|
| Website | jfa.jp |
History
The organization was founded in 1921 as the Greater Japan Football Association (大日本蹴球協会, Dai-Nippon Shūkyū Kyōkai), and became affiliated with FIFA in 1929.[1] In 1945, the name of the organization was changed to the Japan Football Association (日本蹴球協会, Nihon Shūkyū Kyōkai); its Japanese name was changed to the current title in 1975. The association generally translates its name to "Japan Football Association" in English,[3] though "Japan Soccer Association" is also used.
Identity
Flag
The symbol of the JFA is the Yatagarasu, a mythical three-legged raven that guided Emperor Jimmu to Mount Kumano. Yatagarasu is also the messenger of the supreme Shinto sun goddess Amaterasu.[1]
Anthem
In 1994, the JFA asked Ryuichi Sakamoto to compose the instrumental song - "Japanese Soccer Anthem".[4] There is an arrangement version by Yasuhide Ito. This anthem is played at the beginning of JFA-sponsored events, such as the Emperor's Cup matches and as a prelude to kickoff at stadiums.
Members
The following is a list of presidents of Japan Football Association (JFA). The Honorary President is Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado.[5]
Last updated: 6 March 2022
| Name | Role | Ref. |
|---|---|---|
 Tsuneyasu Miyamoto | President | [1][6][7] |
| Mitsuru Murai | Vice President | [6][7] |
| Kazumichi Iwagami | 2nd Vice President | [6][7] |
| Yoshinori Hayashi | 3rd Vice President | [7] |
| Kiyotaka Suhara | General Secretary | [6][7] |
| Masashi Fukuda | Treasurer | [6] |
| Tsuyoshi Nishimoto | 2nd Treasurer | [6] |
| Yasuharu Sorimachi | Technical Director | [6][7] |
| Hajime Moriyasu | Team Coach (Men's) | [6][7] |
| Futoshi Ikeda | Team Coach (Women's) | [6][7] |
| Hideki Kato | Media/Communications Manager | [6] |
| Tsuyoshi Kitazawa | Futsal Coordinator | [6] |
| Miiko Kaneko | Referee Coordinator |
Presidents
| Presidency | President | Took office | Left office |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jikichi Imamura | 1921 | 1933 |
| 2 | Ryutaro Fukao | 1935 | 1945 |
| - | 1945 | 1947 | |
| 3 | Ryutaro Takahashi | 1947 | 1954 |
| 4 | Yuzuru Nozu | 1955 | 1976 |
| 5 | Tomisaburo Hirai | 1976 | 1987 |
| 6 | Shizuo Fujita | 1987 | 1992 |
| 7 | Hideo Shimada | 1992 | 1994 |
| 8 | Ken Naganuma | 1994 | 1998 |
| 9 | Shunichiro Okano | 1998 | 2002 |
| 10 | Saburo Kawabuchi | 2002 | 2008 |
| 11 | Motoaki Inukai | 2008 | 2010 |
| 12 | Junji Ogura | 2010 | 2012 |
| 13 | Kuniya Daini | 2012 | 2016 |
| 14 | Kozo Tashima | 2016 | 2024 |
| 15 | Tsuneyasu Miyamoto | 2024 | Present |
Management
- JFA Academy Fukushima
- JFA Academy Sakai
- JFA Academy Imabari
- JFA Academy Kumamoto Uki
Sponsorship
Last updated: 8 April 2023
| Company | Period |
|---|---|
| Kirin | 1 January 2023 – 31 December 2030[8] |
| Company | Period |
|---|---|
| Adidas Japan | 20xx–present |
| Company | Period |
|---|---|
| ANA | 27 February 2023 – 31 December 2026 |
| Saison | 5 November 2001 – 31 December 2030 |
| au | 25 August 2016 – 31 December 2026 |
| Mizuho | 1 April 2013 – 31 December 2026 |
| MS&AD | 2 May 2008 – 31 December 2026 |
| Toyo Tires | 1 May 2021 – 31 December 2026 |
| Bushiroad | 9 September 2023 – 31 December 2030 |
| Company | Period |
|---|---|
| APA Hotel | 1 March 2023 – 31 December 2026 |
| Yomiuri Shimbun | 21 March 2023 – 31 December 2026 |
| GTV Indonesia | 2 November 2023 – 31 December 2026 |
National teams
Men
| Team[9][10] | Manager | Appointed | Time as Manager |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan national football team | Hajime Moriyasu[11][12][13][14] | 26 July 2018 | 5 years, 276 days |
| Japan national football B team (ja) | — | — | — |
| Japan national under-23 football team | Go Oiwa[15][16] | 16 December 2021 | 2 years, 133 days |
| Japan national under-22 football B team | Go Oiwa | ||
| Japan national under-20 football team | Yuzo Funakoshi[17] | 14 July 2023 | 288 days |
| Japan national under-17 football team | Yoshiro Moriyama[18][19] | 16 December 2021 | 2 years, 133 days |
| Japan national futsal team | Kenichiro Kogure[20][21] | 23 November 2021 | 2 years, 156 days |
| Japan national under-23 futsal team | Kenichiro Kogure[22][23] | — | — |
| Japan national under-20 futsal team | Kenichiro Kogure | 23 November 2021 | 2 years, 156 days |
| Japan national beach soccer team | Ozu Moreira[24] | 18 June 2020 | 3 years, 314 days |
| Japan eNational football team | — | — | — |
Women
| Team[9][10] | Manager | Appointed | Time as Manager |
|---|---|---|---|
| Japan women's national football team | Futoshi Ikeda[25] | 1 October 2021 | 2 years, 209 days |
| Japan women's national football B team | Michihisa Kano (ja) | 29 August 2023 | 242 days |
| Japan women's national under-23 football team | — | — | — |
| Japan women's national under-20 football team | Michihisa Kano (ja)[26] | 19 January 2023 | 1 year, 99 days |
| Japan women's national under-17 football team | Sadayoshi Shirai (ja)[27] | 19 January 2023 | 1 year, 99 days |
| Japan women's national futsal team | Takehiro Suga (ja)[20] | 23 November 2021 | 2 years, 156 days |
| Japan women's national under-20 futsal team | — | — | — |
League system
Japanese clubs' placements at each league may determine the JFA-organized competition the club will participate in, or if they will be qualified to one at all.
Men
As of the 2024 season, all clubs in the top two tiers (J1 and J2) enter the Emperor's Cup directly, with the clubs below it having to qualify through prefectural tournaments.
Last updated: 5 December 2023
| Level on pyramid | League(s)/Division(s) | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | J1 League (J.League) 20 clubs – 3 relegations Current: 2024 J1 League Dates: 23 February – 8 December 2024 | ||||||||
| 2 | J2 League (J.League) 20 clubs – 2 promotions + 4 playoffs, 3 relegations Current: 2024 J2 League Dates: 24 February – 10 November 2024 | ||||||||
| 3 | J3 League (J.League) 20 clubs – 2 promotions + 4 playoffs, 0–2 relegations Current: 2024 J3 League Dates: 24 February – 24 November 2024 | ||||||||
| 4 | Japan Football League (JFL) 16 clubs – 0–2 promotions, 0–2 relegations Current: 2024 Japan Football League Dates: 10 March – 24 November 2024 | ||||||||
5–6 | Japanese Regional Leagues 135 clubs (80 in Division 1 and 55 in Division 2; As of 2023) – promotions and relegations vary according to each regional association. Current: 2024 Japanese Regional Leagues | ||||||||
Hokkaido | Tohoku | Kantō | Hokushinetsu | Tōkai | Kansai | Chūgoku | Shikoku | Kyushu | |
| 7+ | 47 Prefectural Leagues (ja)[28] & 5 Block Leagues of Hokkaido 450+ clubs (D1) and 1200+ clubs (D2 and below) – promotions and relegations vary according to each regional and prefectural association. Hokkaido | ||||||||
Women
As of 2023–24 season, all clubs in the top two tiers enter the Empress's Cup directly, with the clubs below having to qualify through regional tournaments. The top-tier clubs also qualify to the WE League Cup.
Last updated: 28 October 2023
| Level on pyramid | League(s)/Division(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | WE League 12 clubs – no relegation Current: 2023–24 WE League season Dates: 11 November 2023 – June 2024 | |
| 2 | Nadeshiko League Division 1 12 clubs – 1 relegation + 1 playoff Current: 2024 Nadeshiko League Dates: 16 March – 20 October 2024 | |
| 3 | Nadeshiko League Division 2 10 clubs – 1 promotion + 1 playoff, 1 relegation + 1 playoff Current: 2024 Nadeshiko League Dates: 16 March – 26 October 2024 | |
| 4 | 9 Regional Leagues many clubs – 2 playoffs, ?? relegations | |
| 5–6 | 47 Prefectural Leagues[28] & 2 Block Leagues of Hokkaido many clubs – ?? promotions | |
Competitions
Only includes tournaments organized by the JFA.
International competitions
Senior
| Competition[29][9][10] | Edition | Champions / Team(s) | Next edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| National team | |||
| Kirin Cup Soccer | 2022 (final) |  Tunisia (1st title) | TBD |
| Kirin Challenge Cup | 2023 |  Uruguay (24 March)  Colombia (28 March)  El Salvador (15 June)  Peru (20 June) | 2024 |
| Women's national team | |||
| MS&AD Cup | 2023 |  Panama (14 July) | 2024 |
Youth
| Competition[29][9][10] | Edition | Champions / Teams | Next edition |
|---|---|---|---|
| National teams | |||
| U-16 International Dream Cup | 2023 | Japan  Netherlands  Nigeria  United States | 2024 |
Domestic competitions
Senior
| Competition[30][31] | Current | Champions | Details | Runners-up | Next | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| League | ||||||||||
| Japanese Regional Football Champions League | 2023 | Tochigi City | Final round | Vonds Ichihara | 2024 | |||||
| Cup | ||||||||||
| Japanese Super Cup | 2023 | Yokohama F. Marinos | 2–1 | Ventforet Kofu | 2024 | |||||
| Emperor's Cup JFA Japan Football Championship | 2023 | Kawasaki Frontale | Final | Kashiwa Reysol | 2024 | |||||
| All Japan Senior Football Championship | 2023 | FC Kariya | Final | Arterivo Wakayama | 2024 | |||||
| All Japan Club Teams Football Tournament | 2023 | E-Wing Izumo | Final | FC MJO | 2023 | |||||
| Futsal | ||||||||||
| JFA Japan Futsal Championship | 2023 (ja) | Fugador Sumida | Final | Shonan Bellmare | 2024 (ja) | |||||
| F.League Ocean Cup | 2023 | Nagoya Oceans | Final | Bardral Urayasu | 2024 | |||||
| Beach soccer | ||||||||||
| JFA Japan Beach Soccer Tournament | 2023 | Tokyo Verdy BS | Final | Loewe Yokohama | 2024 | |||||
| Competition[30][31] | Season | Champions | Details | Runners-up | Next season | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's cup | ||||||||||
| Empress's Cup JFA Japan Women's Football Championship | 2023 | INAC Kobe Leonessa | Final | Urawa Red Diamonds | 2024 | |||||
| Women's futsal | ||||||||||
| JFA Japan Women's Futsal Championship (ja) | 2023 | Bardral Urayasu Las Bonitas | Final | Arco Kobe | 2024 | |||||
University
| Competition[30][31] | Season | Champions | Score | Runners-up | Next season | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Football | ||||||||
| All Japan University Football Tournament | 2023 | Meiji University (4th title) | 2–0 | Kyoto Sangyo University | 2024 | |||
| Prime Minister's Cup All Japan University Football Tournament | 2023 (ja) | Fuji University (1st title) | 2–1 | Kwansei Gakuin University | 2024 (ja) | |||
| Denso Cup Challenge Soccer (ja) | 2023 | Kansai Selection (5th title) | 3–1 | Tokai Selection | 2024 | |||
| All Japan University Football Rookie Championship | 2023 | Waseda University (1st title) | 4–0 | Fukuoka University | 2024 | |||
| Women's football | ||||||||
| All Japan Women's University Football Championship | 2023 | Yamanashi Gakuin University (1st title) | 3–2 | Waseda University | 2024 | |||
| Futsal | ||||||||
| University Futsal Championship (ja) | 2023 | Osaka Seikei University (2nd title) | 5–3 | Tama University | 2024 | |||
Youth
| Competition[30][31] | Season | Champions | Score | Runners-up | Next season | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| League | ||||||||||
| Prince Takamado Trophy JFA U-18 Football Premier League | 2023 | Aomori Yamada High School | 2–1 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima U-18 | 2024 | |||||
| Cup | ||||||||||
| Club Youth U-18 Championship (ja) | 2023 (ja) | Gamba Osaka U-18 (4th title) | FC Tokyo U-18 | 2024 (ja) | ||||||
| J.Youth Cup (ja) | 2019 (ja) | Nagoya Grampus U-18 (2nd title) | Gamba Osaka U-18 | 2024 | ||||||
| All Japan High School Soccer Tournament | 2023 | Aomori Yamada High School (4th title) | 3–1 | Ohmi High School | 2024 | |||||
| Inter High School Sports Festival | 2023 | Meishu Hitachi High School (1st title) | Toko Gakuen High School | 2024 | ||||||
| Prince Takamado Trophy JFA U-15 Japan Football Championship (ja) | 2023 (ja) | Kashima Antlers (2nd title) | 3–2 | Omiya Ardija | 2024 (ja) | |||||
| Club Youth U-15 Championship (ja) | 2023 (ja) | FC Tama (1st title) | 2–1 | Sorriso Kumamoto | 2024 (ja) | |||||
| Junior High School Sports Festival (ja) | 2023 (ja) | Kamimura Gakuen Junior High School (2nd title) | 4–1 | Nissho Gakuen Junior High School | 2024 (ja) | |||||
| JFA U-12 Japan Football Championship (ja) | 2023 | Sorriso Kumamoto (2nd title) | 1–0 | FC Alonza | 2024 | |||||
| Futsal | ||||||||||
| JFA U-18 Japan Futsal Championship (ja) | 2023 | Fugador Sumida Falcons (1st title) | 1–0 | Pescadola Machida | 2024 | |||||
| JFA U-15 Japan Futsal Championship (ja) | 2023 | Fugador Sumida Wings (1st title) | 4–1 | Kōchi Junior High School | 2024 | |||||
| JFA Vermont Cup U-12 Japan Futsal Championship (ja) | 2023 | Violet FC (3rd title) | 8–7 | Ginga FC | 2024 | |||||
| Competition[30][31] | Season | Champions | Score | Runners-up | Next season | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's cup | ||||||||||
| XF CUP Japan Club Youth (U-18) Women's Football Tournament (ja) | 2023 | Tokyo Verdy Menina (1st title) | 1–0 | Cerezo Osaka Yanmar Girls | 2024 | |||||
| All Japan High School Women's Football Championship | 2023 | Fujieda Junshin High School (7th title) | 3–0 | Jumonji High School | 2024 | |||||
| JFA U-18 Japan Women's Football Championship (ja) | 2023 | Cerezo Osaka Yanmar (3rd title) | Tokyo Verdy Menina | 2024 | ||||||
| Princess Takamado Trophy JFA U-15 Women's Football Championship (ja) | 2023 | JFA Academy Fukushima (4th title) | 2–0 | INAC Kobe Tesoro | 2024 | |||||
| Women's futsal | ||||||||||
| JFA U-15 Japan Women's Futsal Tournament (ja) | 2023 | Asahi Intecc Loveledge Nagoya Statice (1st title) | 4–3 | Jūmonji Junior High School | 2024 | |||||
Over-age
| Competition[30][31] | Season | Champions | Score | Runners-up | Next season | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Over-age | ||||||||
| JFA O-40 Japan Football Tournament | 2023 | Aries Tokyo Senior 40 (1st title) | 1–0 | Hokkaido Ossandole Sapporo | 2024 | |||
| JFA O-50 Japan Football Tournament | 2023 | Yamanashi Masters (1st title) | 3–1 | Nichols FC Senior | 2024 | |||
| JFA O-60 Japan Football Tournament | 2023 | Yokosuka Azul (1st title) | 1–0 | Shizuoka Selection | 2024 | |||
| JFA O-70 Japan Football Tournament | 2023 | Hyogo Selection (1st title) | 0–0 (4–2 p) | Shizuoka Selection | 2024 | |||
| Competition[30][31] | Season | Champions | Score | Runners-up | Next season | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Women's over-age | ||||||||
| JFA O-30 Japan Women's Football Tournament (ja) | 2023 | Shupini Osaka (1st title) | 1–0 | Yamato Sylphid '98 | 2024 | |||
| JFA O-40 Japan Women's Football Open Tournament | 2023 | Banvert (1st title) | 1–0 | FC.VIDA Feliz | 2024 | |||
See also
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References
External links
- Official website
- Japan Football Association at inside.fifa.com
- Japan Football Association at www.the-afc.com