Japanese Regional Leagues

Japanese Regional Leagues
Country Japan Japan
Confederation AFC
Founded 1966 (Kansai and Tokai)
1967 (Kanto)
1973 (Chugoku and Kyushu)
1975 (Hokushin'etsu)
1977 (Shikoku and Tohoku)
1978 (Hokkaido)
Divisions 9 (first level)
6 (second level)
Number of teams 134
Level on pyramid 5–6
Promotion to Japan Football League (1999-present)
Japan Football League (1992-1998)
Japan Soccer League (1966-1991)
Relegation to Prefectural Leagues
Domestic cup(s) Emperor's Cup
Shakaijin Cup
2013 Japanese Regional Leagues

Japanese Regional Leagues (地域リーグ Chiiki Rīgu) are a group of parallel association football leagues in Japan that are organized on the regional basis. They form the fifth 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 All Japan Regional Football Promotion League Series 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 All Japan 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 nine that have never played in the regional leagues. They are:

Regional Leagues clubs, 2015

Hokkaido Soccer League

Name of league Names of teams Hometown
Hokkaido Soccer League
北海道サッカーリーグ
Tokachi Fairsky FC Obihiro, Hokkaido
Sapporo Shūkyū Sapporo, Hokkaido
Club Fields Norbritz Hokkaidō Ebetsu, Hokkaido
Nippon Steel Muroran Muroran, Hokkaido
Sapporo University Goal Plunderers Sapporo, Hokkaido
Iwamizawa F.C Hokusyukai Iwamizawa, Hokkaido
Shintoku F.C. Shintoku, Hokkaido
Nippon Express F.C. Sapporo, 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 F.C. Ganju Iwate Morioka, Iwate
Cobaltore Onagawa Onagawa, Miyagi
Reinmeer Aomori F.C. Aomori, Aomori
Fuji Club 2003 Hanamaki, Iwate
F.C. Primeiro Fukushima Prefecture
Bandits Iwaki Iwaki, Fukushima
Akita F.C Cambiare Akita, Akita
Morioka Zebra Morioka, Iwate
Blancdieu Hirosaki FC Hirosaki, Aomori
Iwaki Furukawa F.C. Iwaki, Fukushima
Division 2 North Saruta Kogyo Akita, Akita
TDK Shinwakai Nikaho, Akita
Akita University Medical F.C. Akita, Akita
Mizusawa Club Mizusawa, Iwate
F.C. Fuji 08 Hanamaki, Iwate
Nippon Steel Corp. Kamaishi S.C. Kamaishi, Iwate
Omiya Club Morioka, Iwate
Shichinohe Club Shichinohe, Aomori
Hokuto Bank Akita, Akita
Hanamaki Club Hanamaki, Iwate
Division 2 South Merry Fukushima Prefecture
Marysol Matsusima S.C. Matsushima, Miyagi
F.C. Scheinen Fukushima Fukushima, Fukushima
Sendai Nakata FC Taihaku-ku, Sendai
F.C. Parafrente Yonezawa Yonezawa, Yamagata
Soma S.C. Soma, Fukushima
Sendai SASUKE F.C. Sendai, Miyagi
DUOPARK.F.C. Sendai, Miyagi
Sakata Takuyu Club Sakata, Yamagata
Asaka Scorpion Kōriyama, Fukushima

Kantō Soccer League

Name of league Division Names of teams Hometown
Kanto Soccer League
関東サッカーリーグ
Division 1 Briobecca Urayasu Urayasu, Chiba
Tokyo 23 F.C. Special wards of Tokyo
Vonds Ichihara Ichihara, Chiba
F.C. Korea Tokyo
Ryutsu Keizai University F.C. Ryūgasaki, Ibaraki
Vertfee Takahara Nasu Yaita, Tochigi
Tonan Maebashi Maebashi, Gunma
Hitachi Building System S.C. Chiyoda, Tokyo
Saitama S.C. Sayama, Saitama
Joyful Honda Tsukuba F.C. Tsukuba, Ibaraki
Division 2 Aries F.C. Tokyo Nerima, Tokyo
Yokohama Takeru Yokohama, Kanagawa
JMSDF Atsugi Marcus Atsugi, Kanagawa
Nihonkogakuin F・Marinos Yokohama, Kanagawa
Kanagawa-ken Kyoin S.C. Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama
Toho Titanium S.C. Chigasaki, Kanagawa
Taisei City F.C. Sakado Sakado, Saitama
Tonan Maebashi Satellite Maebashi, Gunma
Waseda United Nishitōkyō, Tokyo
F.C. TIU Sakado, Saitama

Hokushinetsu Football League

Name of league Division Names of teams Hometown
Hokushinetsu Football League
北信越フットボールリーグ
Division 1 Saurcos Fukui Fukui, Fukui
Japan Soccer College Seiro, Niigata
Artista Tōmi Tōmi, Nagano
F.C. Ueda Gentian Ueda, Nagano
Valiente Toyama Toyama, Toyama
F.C. Antelope Shiojiri Shiojiri, Nagano
Okuetsu F.C. Ōno, Fukui
Toyama Shinjo Club Toyama, Toyama
Division 2 F.C. Hokuriku Kanazawa, Ishikawa
Sakai Phoenix F.C. Sakai, Fukui
A.S. Jamineiro Niigata, Niigata
Niigata University of Management F.C. Kamo, Niigata
F.C. Abies Chino, Nagano
Teihens F.C. Hakusan, Ishikawa
Nakano Esperanza Nakano, Nagano
Fukui KSC Sakai, Fukui

Tōkai Adult League

Name of league Division Names of teams Hometown
Tōkai Adult Soccer League
東海社会人サッカーリーグ
Division 1 F.C. Suzuka Rampole Suzuka, Mie
Fujieda City Hall S.C. Fujieda, Shizuoka
Chukyo univ.FC Nagoya, Aichi
F.C. Kariya Kariya, Aichi
Yazaki Valente Shimada, Shizuoka
F.C. Gifu SECOND Gifu, Gifu
Tokoha University Hamamatsu F.C. Hamamatsu, Shizuoka
Nagara club Gifu, Gifu
Division 2 Nagoya S.C. Nagoya, Aichi
Toyota Shūkyūdan Toyota, Aichi
TSV1973 Yokkaichi Yokkaichi, Mie
Toyota Industries S.C. Kariya, Aichi
F.C. Kawasaki Kakamigahara, Gifu
Kasugai Club Kasugai, Aichi
F.C. Ise Shima Ise, Mie
Veertien Mie Kuwana, Mie

Kansai Soccer League

Name of league Division Names of teams Hometown
Kansai Soccer League
関西サッカーリーグ
Division 1 Arterivo Wakayama Wakayama, Wakayama
Banditonce Kakogawa F.C. Kakogawa, Hyogo
Amitie S.C. Kyoto, Kyoto
Lagend Shiga F.C. Shiga Prefecture
Kandai F.C. 2008 Suita, Osaka
Hannan University F.C. Matsubara, Osaka
F.C. TIAMO Hirakata Hirakata, Osaka
AS. Laranja Kyoto Ukyo-ku, Kyoto
Division 2 Takasago Mineiro F.C. Takasago, Hyōgo
Ain Foods S.C. Izumi, Osaka
Kwangaku Club Nishinomiya, Hyōgo
Diablossa Nara F.C. Yamatotakada, Nara
Kyoto Shiko Club Kita-ku, Kyoto
Tatsuno F.C. Tatsuno, Hyogo
Renaiss Kōka F.C. Kōka, Shiga
Kishiwada Club Kishiwada, Osaka

Chūgoku Soccer League

Name of league Names of teams Hometown
Chūgoku Soccer League
中国サッカーリーグ
Matsue City F.C. Matsue, Shimane
Dezzolla Shimane Hamada, Shimane
Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima F.C. Kurashiki, Okayama
SRC Hiroshima Hiroshima, Hiroshima
JX Nippon Oil & Energy Mizushima F.C. Kurashiki, Okayama
Fuji Xerox Hiroshima S.C. Hiroshima, Hiroshima
NTN Okayama Bizen, Okayama
Sagawa Express Chugoku S.C. Hiroshima, Hiroshima
International Pacific University Okayama, Okayama
S.C. Matsue Matsue, Shimane

Shikoku Adult League

Name of league Names of teams Hometown
Shikoku Adult League
四国社会人リーグ
Kochi U TORASTAR F.C. Nankoku, Kōchi
Igosso Kōchi F.C. Kōchi, Kōchi
F.C. Imabari Imabari, Ehime
R.VELHO Takamatsu, Kagawa
Tadotsu F.C. Tadotsu, Kagawa
Llamas Kōchi F.C. Kōchi, Kōchi
Nakamura Club Shimanto, Kōchi
Rossorise KFC Kōchi, Kōchi

Kyushu Soccer League

Name of league Names of teams Hometown
Kyushu Soccer League
九州サッカーリーグ
Nippon Steel Corp. Oita S.C. Ōita, Ōita
Okinawa Kaihō Bank S.C. Naha, Okinawa
Kagoshima United Second Kagoshima, Kagoshima
Kyushu Mitsubishi Motors F.C. Fukuoka, Fukuoka
Mitsubishi Heavy Industrial Nagasaki S.C. Nagasaki, Nagasaki
F.C. Nakatsu Nakatsu, Oita
Tegevajaro Miyazaki Miyazaki, Miyazaki
F.C. Naha Naha, Okinawa
Saga LIXIL F.C. Kashima, Saga
J.F.C Miyazaki Miyazaki, Miyazaki

References

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