Japan Football Association
{{Short description|Governing body of association football in Japan}}
{{Infobox football association
|Logo = Japan FA logo.svg
|Badge_size =
|Founded = {{Start date and age|df=yes|10 September 1921}}
|Folded =
|FIFA affiliation = {{Start date and age|df=yes|17 May 1929}}
|Region = AFC
|Region affiliation = {{Start date and age|df=yes|8 May 1954}}
|Subregion = EAFF
|Subregion affiliation = {{Start date and age|df=yes|28 May 2002}}
|President = Tsuneyasu Miyamoto
|Vice-President = {{ubl|Takeshi Okada|Yoshikazu Nonomura|Yoshinori Hayashi|Haruna Takata}}
|Website = {{URL|https://www.jfa.jp/eng/|jfa.jp}}
}}
The Japan Football Association (JFA, {{Langx|ja|日本サッカー協会|lit=|translit=Nihon Sakkā Kyōkai}}){{cite web|title=Organisation|date=16 January 2021|url=https://www.jfa.jp/eng/about_jfa/organization/|publisher=JFA}} 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.{{cite news|first=Tom|last=Byer|date=2 February 2011|title=Asian Cup: Japan Is on the Up|url=http://goal.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/02/02/asian-cup-japan-is-on-the-up/?_r=0|work=The New York Times}}
History
{{See also|Football in Japan#History}}
The organization was founded in 1921 as the {{nihongo|Greater Japan Football Association|大日本蹴球協会|Dai-Nippon Shūkyū Kyōkai}}, and became affiliated with FIFA in 1929. In 1945, the name of the organization was changed to the {{nihongo|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,{{cite web|title=Japan Football Association|url=http://www.jfa.or.jp/eng/|publisher=JFA|date=4 June 2013}} 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.
=Anthem=
In 1994, the JFA asked Ryuichi Sakamoto to compose the instrumental song - "Japanese Soccer Anthem".{{Cite web|url=https://www.jfa.jp/about_jfa/report/PDF/h20060413.pdf|title=財団法人日本サッカー協会 平成18年度第1回理事会 報告事項|page=6|publisher=JFA|date=13 April 2006}} 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.{{cite web |title=Empress's Cup of Soccer |date=1 January 2015 |url=http://imperialfamilyjapan.wordpress.com/2015/01/01/empresss-cup-of-soccer/ |publisher=Imperial Family of Japan}}
Last updated: 6 March 2022
| class="wikitable"
!Name !Role !Ref. |
| {{flagicon|Japan}} Tsuneyasu Miyamoto
|President |{{Cite web|url=https://www.fifa.com/about-fifa/associations/JPN|title=Japan Football Association|publisher=FIFA|access-date=9 February 2023}}{{Cite web|title=Japan Football Association (JFA) |url=https://www.the-afc.com/en/east/japan.html|access-date=31 October 2020|publisher=AFC}} |
| {{flagicon|Japan}} Mitsuru Murai
|Vice President |
| {{flagicon|Japan}} Kazumichi Iwagami
|2nd Vice President |
| {{flagicon|Japan}} Yoshinori Hayashi
|3rd Vice President |
| {{flagicon|Japan}} Kiyotaka Suhara
|General Secretary |
| {{flagicon|Japan}} Masashi Fukuda
|Treasurer |
| {{flagicon|Japan}} Tsuyoshi Nishimoto
|2nd Treasurer |
| {{flagicon|Japan}} Yasuharu Sorimachi
|Technical Director |
| {{flagicon|Japan}} Hajime Moriyasu
|Team Coach (Men's) |
| {{flagicon|Japan}} Futoshi Ikeda
|Team Coach (Women's) |
| {{flagicon|Japan}} Hideki Kato
|Media/Communications Manager |
| {{flagicon|Japan}} Tsuyoshi Kitazawa
|Futsal Coordinator |
| {{flagicon|Japan}} Miiko Kaneko
|Referee Coordinator | |
=Presidents=
| class="wikitable" |
| Presidency
!President !Took office !Left office |
|---|
| 1
|{{flagicon|Japan}} Jikichi Imamura |1921 |1933 |
| 2
|{{flagicon|Japan}} Ryutaro Fukao |1935 |1945 |
| |{{flagicon|Japan}} -
|1945 |1947 |
| 3
|{{flagicon|Japan}} Ryutaro Takahashi |1947 |1954 |
| 4
|{{flagicon|Japan}} Yuzuru Nozu |1955 |1976 |
| 5
|{{flagicon|Japan}} Tomisaburo Hirai |1976 |1987 |
| 6
|{{flagicon|Japan}} Shizuo Fujita |1987 |1992 |
| 7
|{{flagicon|Japan}} Hideo Shimada |1992 |1994 |
| 8
|{{flagicon|Japan}} Ken Naganuma |1994 |1998 |
| 9
|{{flagicon|Japan}} Shunichiro Okano |1998 |2002 |
| 10
|{{flagicon|Japan}} Saburo Kawabuchi |2002 |2008 |
| 11
|{{flagicon|Japan}} Motoaki Inukai |2008 |2010 |
| 12
|{{flagicon|Japan}} Junji Ogura |2010 |2012 |
| 13
|{{flagicon|Japan}} Kuniya Daini |2012 |2016 |
| 14
|{{flagicon|Japan}} Kozo Tashima |2016 |2024 |
| 15
|{{flagicon|Japan}} Tsuneyasu Miyamoto |2024 |Present |
Management
- JFA Academy Fukushima
- JFA Academy Sakai
- JFA Academy Imabari
- JFA Academy Kumamoto Uki
Sponsorship
Last updated: 15 August 2024
| class="wikitable"
|+JFA Official Top Partner | |
| Company
!Period | |
|---|---|
| Kirin | 1 January 2023 – 31 December 2030{{cite web |url=https://www.kirinholdings.com/jp/newsroom/release/2022/0601_02.html#_ga=2.242688065.2120918520.1655341678-290703954.1654230821|title=「日本サッカー協会オフィシャルパートナー」契約に基本合意|language=ja|publisher=Kirin Company|date=1 June 2022}} |
| class="wikitable"
|+JFA Official Supplier | |
| Company
!Period | |
|---|---|
| Adidas Japan | 20xx–present |
| class="wikitable"
|+JFA Major Partner | |
| Company
!Period | |
|---|---|
| ANA | 27 February 2023 – 31 December 2026 |
| Saison | 5 November 2001 – 31 December 2030 |
| au | 25 August 2016 – 31 December 2026 |
| Mitsui Fudosan | 1 October 2023 – 31 March 2027 |
| Mizuho | 1 April 2013 – 31 December 2026 |
| MS&AD | 2 May 2008 – 31 December 2026 |
| Toyo Tires | 1 May 2021 – 31 December 2026 |
| class="wikitable"
|+JFA National Team Partner | |
| Company
!Period | |
|---|---|
| APA Hotel | 1 March 2023 – 31 December 2026 |
| Toyota | 1 January 2024 – 31 December 2027 |
| Yomiuri Shimbun | 21 March 2023 – 31 December 2026 |
National teams
- [http://www.jfa.jp/eng/international_match/ List of international matches]
=Men=
=Women=
League system
{{Main|Japanese association football league system}}
{{See also|List of football stadiums in Japan}}
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=
{{See also|List of football clubs in Japan}}
As of the 2025 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.
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |
| Level on pyramid
!colspan="9"|League(s)/Division(s) |
|---|
| 1
|colspan="9"|J1 League (J.League) |
| 2
|colspan="9"|J2 League (J.League) |
| 3
|colspan="9"|J3 League (J.League) |
| 4
|colspan="9"|Japan Football League (JFL) |
| rowspan="2"|
5–6 |colspan="9"|Japanese Regional Leagues |
| |
8 clubs || 30 clubs || 20 clubs || 16 clubs || 17 clubs || 16 clubs || 10 clubs || 8 clubs || 10 clubs |
| 7+
|colspan="9"|47 Prefectural Leagues (ja){{cite web |url=https://www.jfa.jp/eng/about_jfa/organization/47fa/|title=47 Prefectural Football Associations|publisher=JFA|access-date=19 October 2022}} & 5 Block Leagues of Hokkaido Hokkaido Tōhoku Kantō Hoku-shinetsu Tōkai Kansai Chūgoku Shikoku Kyushu |
=Women=
{{See also|List of women's football clubs in Japan}}
As of 2024–25 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.
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
!Level on pyramid !colspan="2"|League(s)/Division(s) |
| 1
|colspan="2"|WE League |
| 2
|colspan="2"|Nadeshiko League Division 1 |
| 3
|colspan="2"|Nadeshiko League Division 2 |
| 4
|colspan="2"|9 Regional Leagues |
| 5–6
|47 Prefectural Leagues & 2 Block Leagues of Hokkaido |
Competitions
{{Further|List of association football competitions#Japan}}
Only includes tournaments organized by the JFA.
=International competitions=
{{See also|FIFA International Match Calendar}}
==Senior==
| class="wikitable" |
| Competition{{cite web|title=List of International matches|publisher=JFA|access-date=27 May 2023|url=http://www.jfa.jp/eng/international_match/}}
!Edition !Champions / Team(s) !Next edition |
|---|
| colspan=4|National team |
| Kirin Cup Soccer
|{{fb|TUN}} |TBD |
| Kirin Challenge Cup
|2023 |{{fb|URU}} {{Nowrap|(24 March)}} |2024 |
| colspan=4|Women's national team |
| MS&AD Cup
|2023 |{{fbw|PAN}} {{Nowrap|(14 July)}} |2024 |
==Youth==
| class="wikitable" |
| Competition
!Edition !Champions / Teams !Next edition |
|---|
| colspan=4|National teams |
| U-16 International Dream Cup
|2024 |{{fbu|17|JPN}} |2025 |
=Domestic competitions=
==Senior==
{{See also|2024–25 AFC Champions League Elite|2024–25 AFC Champions League Two}}
| class="wikitable" |
| Competition{{cite web|url=https://www.jfa.jp/eng/match/|title=Competitions|publisher=JFA|access-date=17 June 2022}}{{cite web |url=https://www.jfa.jp/match/|title=大会・試合|trans-title=Competitions / Matches|publisher=JFA|language=Japanese|access-date=3 October 2022}}
!Current !Champions !Details !Runners-up !Next |
|---|
| colspan=11|League |
| Japanese Regional Football Champions League
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Asuka FC |style="text-align:center"|Final |2025 |
| colspan=11|Cup |
| Japanese Super Cup
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Kawasaki Frontale |style="text-align:center"|1–0 |2025 |
| Emperor's Cup JFA Japan Football Championship
|{{Nowrap|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Vissel Kobe |style="text-align:center"|{{center|1–0}} |{{Nowrap|2025 |
| All Japan Senior Football Championship
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Japan Soccer College |style="text-align:center"|{{center|1–0}} |2025 |
| All Japan Club Teams Football Tournament
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Koga City FC |style="text-align:center"|1–0 |FC Nakatsu |2025 |
| colspan=11|Futsal |
| JFA Japan Futsal Championship
|2024 (ja) |style="text-align:right"|Nagoya Oceans |style="text-align:center"|6–2 |2025 (ja) |
| F.League Ocean Cup
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Nagoya Oceans |style="text-align:center"|4–3 |2025 |
| colspan=11|Beach soccer |
| JFA Japan Beach Soccer Tournament
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Loewe Yokohama |style="text-align:center"|7–4 |Tokyo Verdy BS |2025 |
{{See also|2024–25 AFC Women's Champions League}}
| class="wikitable" |
| Competition
!Season !Champions !Details !Runners-up !Next season |
|---|
| colspan=11|Women's cup |
| Empress's Cup JFA Japan Women's Football Championship
|{{Nowrap|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Urawa Red Diamonds |style="text-align:center"|{{center|1–1 {{aet}} |style="text-align:left"|Albirex Niigata |{{Nowrap|2025 |
| colspan=11|Women's futsal |
| JFA Japan Women's Futsal Championship (ja)
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|SWH Ladies Nishinomiya |style="text-align:center"|{{center|4–4 {{aet}} |2025 |
==University==
| class="wikitable" |
| Competition
!Season !Champions !Score !Runners-up !Next season |
|---|
| colspan=9|Football |
| All Japan University Football Tournament
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Toyo University |{{center|1–0}} |2024 |
| Prime Minister's Cup All Japan University Football Tournament
|style="text-align:right"|Hannan University |{{center|2–1}} |2025 |
| Denso Cup Challenge Soccer (ja)
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Kanto Selection B |{{center|8–1}} |Shikoku Selection |2025 |
| All Japan University Football Rookie Championship
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Kokushikan University |{{center|3–1}} |2025 |
| colspan=9|Women's football |
| All Japan Women's University Football Championship
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Nippon Sport Science University |{{center|2–1}} |2025 |
| colspan=9|Futsal |
| University Futsal Championship (ja)
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Osaka Seikei University |{{center|4–3}} |2025 |
==Youth==
| class="wikitable" |
| Competition
!Season !Champions !Score !Runners-up !Next season |
|---|
| colspan=8|League |
| Prince Takamado Trophy JFA U-18 Football Premier League
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Ohzu High School |style="text-align:center"|3–0 |2025 |
| colspan=9|Cup |
| Club Youth U-18 Championship (ja)
|style="text-align:right"|Gamba Osaka U-18 |{{center|3–2 }} |2025 |
|
|All Japan High School Soccer Tournament |2024 |style="text-align:right"|Maebashi Ikuei High School |{{center|1–1 {{aet}} |RKU Kashiwa High School |2025 |
| Football at the Inter High School Sports Festival
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Shohei High School |{{center|3–2}} |Kamimura Gakuen High School |2025 |
| Prince Takamado Trophy JFA U-15 Japan Football Championship (ja)
|2024 (ja) |style="text-align:right"|Urawa Red Diamonds |{{center|3–2}} |2025(ja) |
| Club Youth U-15 Championship (ja)
|2024 (ja) |style="text-align:right"|Kawasaki Frontale Ikuta |{{center|4–1}} |2025 (ja) |
| Junior High School Sports Festival (ja)
|2024 (ja) |style="text-align:right"|Kamimura Gakuen Junior High School |{{center|1–0}} |Aomori Yamada Junior High School |2025 (ja) |
| JFA U-12 Japan Football Championship (ja)
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Tokyo Verdy |{{center|3–2}} |Buddy SC |2025 |
| colspan=11|Futsal |
| JFA U-18 Japan Futsal Championship (ja)
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Fugador Sumida Falcons (2nd title) |{{center|1–0}} |2025 |
| JFA U-15 Japan Futsal Championship (ja)
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Nagaoka JYFC |{{center|7–0}} |FC Craques Matsudo |2025 |
| JFA Vermont Cup U-12 Japan Futsal Championship (ja)
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Tozuka FC Junior |{{center|8–2}} |Shizuoka Junior FC Pivo |2025 |
| class="wikitable" |
| Competition
!Season !Champions !Score !Runners-up !Next season |
|---|
| colspan=11|Women's cup |
| Japan Club Youth (U-18) Women's Football Tournament (ja)
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Tokyo Verdy Menina |{{center|1–0}} |JFA Academy Fukushima |2025 |
| All Japan High School Women's Football Championship
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Fujieda Junshin High School |{{center|5–0}} |Kamimura Gakuen High School |2025 |
| JFA U-18 Japan Women's Football Championship (ja)
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Tokyo Verdy Menina |{{center|1–0}} |2025 |
| Football at the Inter High School Sports Festival
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Fujieda Junshin High School |{{center|2–0}} |Daisho Gakuen High School |2025 |
| Princess Takamado Trophy JFA U-15 Women's Football Championship (ja)
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Cerezo Osaka |{{center|3–2}} |2025 |
| colspan=11|Women's futsal |
| JFA U-15 Japan Women's Futsal Tournament (ja)
|2024 |style="text-align:right"|Kyoto Seika Gakuen Jr. High School |{{center|5–1}} |Linda |2025 |
==Over-age==
| class="wikitable" |
| Competition
!Season !Champions !Score !Runners-up !Next season |
|---|
| colspan=9|Women's over-age |
| JFA O-30 Japan Women's Football Tournament (ja)
|2024 |style=text-align:right;"|Shupini Osaka |{{center|1–0}} |Legame |2025 |
| JFA O-40 Japan Women's Football Open Tournament
|2024 |style=text-align:right;"|Kodaira SC |{{center|1–0}} |Tokyo Artemis SC |2025 |
See also
{{Portal bar|Asia|Japan|Sports|Association football}}
References
{{scrollable-top}}
{{Reflist}}
{{scrollable-bottom}}
External links
- [http://www.jfa.jp/eng/ Official website]
- [https://inside.fifa.com/about-fifa/associations/JPN JFA] on FIFA
- [https://www.the-afc.com/en/east/japan.html JFA] on AFC
- [https://www.jfa.jp/sns_list/ List of the official SNSs] on JFA
{{Football in Japan}}
{{Japan national football team}}
{{Japan women's national football team}}
{{Sports governing bodies in Japan}}
{{AFC associations}}
{{Presidents of the Japan Football Association}}
{{Futsal in Japan}}
Category:Sports organizations established in 1921
Category:1921 establishments in Japan
Category:Japan Football Association