Japanese Regional Leagues

Founded	1966 (Kansai and Tokai) 1967 (Kanto) 1973 (Chugoku and Kyushu) 1975 (Hokushin'etsu) 1977 (Shikoku and Tohoku) 1978 (Hokkaido)
Country	Japan
Confederation	AFC (Asia)
Divisions	5 (first level) 6 (second level)
Number of teams	134
Level on pyramid	5–6
Promotion to	Japan Soccer League (1966–1991) Japan Football League (1992–1998) Japan Football League (1999–present)
Relegation to	Japanese Prefectural Leagues
Domestic cup(s)	Emperor's Cup Shakaijin Cup
Current: 2024 Japanese Regional Leagues

Japanese Regional Leagues (Japanese: 地域リーグ, Hepburn: Chiiki Rīgu) are a group of parallel association football leagues in Japan that are organized on the regional basis. They form the fifth and sixth tier of the Japanese association football league system below the nationwide Japan Football League.

Overview

Football regions in Japan:
  Hokkaido   Tōhoku   Kantō   Hokushinetsu   Tōkai   Kansai   Chūgoku   Shikoku   Kyushu
Hokkaido subdivision boundaries are by Block League.

Japan is divided regionally in a variety of ways, some of them administrative and some more historical. For the football purposes, the country is divided into nine regions. All regional league champions earn the right to participate in the Regional Football League Competition (since 2016 renamed Japan Regional Football Champions League) at the end of the year. Runners-up may also qualify according to criteria set by the Japan Football Association.

Regional league clubs also compete in the All Japan Senior Football Championship, a cup competition. The winner of this cup also earns a berth in the Regional League promotion series, and the runner-up may also qualify depending on space and JFA criteria.

Regional league clubs must win the qualifying cup in their home prefecture in order to compete in the Emperor's Cup.

Since the divisions rarely go over 10 members, the season is shorter and long summer breaks may be taken.

Among the existing Japanese clubs there are ten that have never played in the regional leagues. They are:

• Japan Soccer League co-founders Urawa Red Diamonds, JEF United Chiba, Kashiwa Reysol, Cerezo Osaka, Sanfrecce Hiroshima (listed under current names, all formed the old league in 1965);
• Independent club Shimizu S-Pulse, established as a professional club upon J. League creation in 1992;
• Sagan Tosu who took over the folded Tosu Futures in former JFL in 1997;
• Yokohama FC who were directly admitted into the Japan Football League in 1999 upon their formation;
• Kataller Toyama that formed in 2008 as a result of the fusion of JFL clubs ALO's Hokuriku and YKK AP.
• Kagoshima United FC that formed in 2014 as a result of the fusion of Kyushu League clubs Volca Kagoshima and FC Kagoshima, top two in the 2013 Regional Promotion Series, and which joined the JFL as a merged club

Additionally, the forerunners to Tosu Futures, Kashima Antlers, Avispa Fukuoka and Vissel Kobe were originally based in different regions (and won or were promoted from those regions) from where they, or their successors, are based today:

• Kashima Antlers was originally based in Kansai but moved to Kantō in 1975 after reaching the JSL;
• Tosu Futures was originally based in Tōkai but moved to Kyushu in 1994 after reaching the former JFL;
• Avispa Fukuoka was originally based in Tōkai but moved to Kyushu in 1994 after reaching the former JFL;
• Vissel Kobe was originally based in Chūgoku but moved to Kansai in 1995 after reaching the former JFL.

Regional Leagues clubs, 2023

Hokkaido Soccer League

Name of league	Names of teams	Hometown
Hokkaido Soccer League 北海道サッカーリーグ	Hokkaido Tokachi Sky Earth	Obihiro, Hokkaido
	Norbritz Hokkaido	Ebetsu, Hokkaido
	Sapporo Univ. Goal Plunderers	Sapporo, Hokkaido
	Sapporo FC	Sapporo, Hokkaido
	Hokushukai Iwamizawa	Iwamizawa, Hokkaido
	Kyokusyuukai FC	Muroran, Hokkaido
	BTOP Hokkaido	Kuriyama, Hokkaido
	Nippon Express FC	Tomakomai, Hokkaido

Tohoku Member-of-Society Soccer League

Name of league	Division	Names of teams	Hometown
Tohoku Member-of-Society Soccer League 東北社会人サッカーリーグ	Division 1	Blancdieu Hirosaki FC	Hirosaki, Aomori
		Hitome Senbonzakura SUFT	Sendai, Miyagi
		Cobaltore Onagawa	Onagawa, Miyagi
		Ganju Iwate	Morioka, Iwate
		Nippon Steel Corp. Kamaishi	Kamaishi, Iwate
		Morioka Zebra	Morioka, Iwate
		Fuji Club 2003	Hanamaki, Iwate
		Shichigahama SC	Shichigahama, Miyagi
		Oshu United FC	Ōshū, Iwate
		FC LA U. de Sendai	Sendai, Miyagi
	Division 2 North	Akita FC Cambiare	Akita, Akita
		Bogolle D. Tsugaru FC	Tsugaru, Aomori
		NewPearl Hiraizumi Maesawa	Hiraizumi, Iwate
		TDK Shinwakai	Nikaho, Akita
		Hokuto Bank	Akita, Akita
		Lascivo Aomori	Aomori, Aomori
		Omiya SC	Morioka, Iwate
		Shichinohe SC	Shichinohe, Aomori
		Saruta Kogyo	Akita, Akita
		Kuzumaki Club	Kuzumaki, Iwate
	Division 2 South	RICOH Industry Tohoku	Shibata, Miyagi
		Oyama Club	Tsuruoka, Yamagata
		Sendai Sasuke	Sendai, Miyagi
		Primeiro Fukushima	Kōriyama, Fukushima
		Merry FC	Fukushima, Fukushima
		Parafrente Yonezawa	Yonezawa, Yamagata
		Sendai universität	Sendai, Miyagi
		Ardore Kuwahara	Iwanuma, Miyagi
		Nagai Club	Nagai, Yamagata
		Iwaki Furukawa FC	Iwaki, Fukushima

Kyushu Soccer League

Name of league	Names of teams	Hometown
Kyushu Soccer League 九州サッカーリーグ	Kajiki FC	Kajiki, Kagoshima
	Veroskronos Tsuno	Tsuno, Miyazaki
	J-Lease FC	Oita, Oita
	Brew Kashima	Kashima, Saga
	NIFS Kanoya FC	Kanoya, Kagoshima
	KMG Holdings FC	Fukuoka, Fukuoka
	Kawasoe Club	Kawasoe, Saga
	Kyushu Sogo Sports College	Usa, Oita
	Nippon Steel Oita SC	Ōita, Ōita
	FC Nobeoka Agata	Nobeoka, Miyazaki

See also

• Sport in Japan
  • Football in Japan
    • Women's football in Japan
• Japan Football Association (JFA)

References

External links

• Japanese Regional Leagues summary – Soccerway
• Hokkaido Football Association
• Tohoku Football Association
• Kanto Soccer League
• Hokushinetsu Football League
• Tokai Member of Society League
• Kansai Soccer League
• Chūgoku Soccer League
• Shikoku Soccer League
• Kyushu Soccer League
• Japan Football Federation for Members of Society