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.
Founded | 1966 1967 (Kanto) 1973 (Chugoku and Kyushu) 1975 (Hokushin'etsu) 1977 (Shikoku and Tohoku) 1978 (Hokkaido) | (Kansai and Tokai)
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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 |
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:
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:
Name of league | Names of teams | Hometown |
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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 |
Name of league | Division | Names of teams | Hometown |
---|---|---|---|
Kanto Soccer League 関東サッカーリーグ |
Division 1 | Toin University of Yokohama | Yokohama, Kanagawa |
Vonds Ichihara | Ichihara, Chiba | ||
Tochigi City FC | Tochigi, Tochigi | ||
Tokyo 23 FC | Special wards of Tokyo | ||
Tokyo International University FC | Sakado, Saitama | ||
RKU Dragons | Ryūgasaki, Ibaraki | ||
Tsukuba FC | Tsukuba, Ibaraki | ||
Tokyo United FC | Bunkyō, Tokyo | ||
Toho Titanium SC | Chigasaki, Kanagawa | ||
Nankatsu SC | Katsushika, Tokyo | ||
Division 2 | Esperanza SC | Yokohama, Kanagawa | |
Hitachi Building System SC | Chiyoda, Tokyo | ||
Sakai Trinitas | Sakai, Ibaraki | ||
Tonan Maebashi | Maebashi, Gunma | ||
Yokohama Takeru | Yokohama, Kanagawa | ||
Identy Mirai | Tsukubamirai, Ibaraki | ||
Aventura Kawaguchi | Kawaguchi, Saitama | ||
Atsugi Hayabusa | Atsugi, Kanagawa | ||
Aries Tokyo FC | Nerima, Tokyo | ||
Vertfee Yaita | Yaita, Tochigi |
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 | Fukui United FC | Fukui, Fukui |
Artista Asama | Tōmi, Nagano | ||
Niigata University of Health and Welfare FC | Niigata, Niigata | ||
Toyama Shinjo Club | Toyama, Toyama | ||
Japan Soccer College | Seiro, Niigata | ||
FC Hokuriku | Kanazawa, Ishikawa | ||
'05 Kamo FC | Kamo, Niigata | ||
FC Antelope Shiojiri | Shiojiri, Nagano | ||
Division 2 | Sakai Phoenix FC | Sakai, Fukui | |
Libertas Chikuma FC | Chikuma, Nagano | ||
FC Matsucelona | Matsumoto, Nagano | ||
CUPS Seiro | Seiro, Niigata | ||
SR Komatsu | Komatsu, Ishikawa | ||
AS Jamineiro | Niigata, Niigata | ||
Azalee Iida | Iida, Nagano | ||
N-Style Toyama | Toyama, Toyama |
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 | FC Kariya | Kariya, Aichi |
Fujieda City Hall SC | Fujieda, Shizuoka | ||
FC Ise-Shima | Shima, Mie | ||
Chukyo Univ. FC | Nagoya, Aichi | ||
Tokai Gakuen FC | Miyoshi, Aichi | ||
Wyvern FC | Kariya, Aichi | ||
FC Gifu SECOND | Gifu, Gifu | ||
Yazaki Valente | Shimada, Shizuoka | ||
Division 2 | Bombonera Gifu | Seki, Gifu | |
Toyota SC | Toyota, Aichi | ||
Chukyo University FC | Toyota, Aichi | ||
AS Kariya | Kariya, Aichi | ||
Tokoha University Hamamatsu FC | Hamamatsu, Shizuoka | ||
Nagara Club | Gifu, Gifu | ||
Nagoya SC | Nagoya, Aichi | ||
Gakunan F. Mosuperio | Fuji, Shizuoka and Fujinomiya, Shizuoka | ||
Sports & Society Izu | Izu, Shizuoka |
Name of league | Division | Names of teams | Hometown |
---|---|---|---|
Kansai Soccer League 関西サッカーリーグ |
Division 1 | Ococias Kyoto AC | Kyoto, Kyoto |
Arterivo Wakayama | Wakayama, Wakayama | ||
Asuka FC | Kashihara, Nara | ||
FC Basara Hyogo | Akashi, Hyōgo | ||
Cento Cuore Harima | Kakogawa, Hyogo | ||
Kandai FC 2008 | Suita, Osaka | ||
Lagend Shiga FC | Moriyama, Shiga | ||
Moriyama Samurai 2000 | Moriyama, Shiga | ||
Division 2 | AS Laranja Kyoto | Ukyo-ku, Kyoto | |
FC AWJ | Awaji Island | ||
St.Andrew's FC | Izumi, Osaka | ||
Hannan University Club | Matsubara, Osaka | ||
Hannan University Revolution | Matsubara, Osaka | ||
Takasago Mineiro FC | Takasago, Hyōgo | ||
Kyoto Shiko Club | Kita-ku, Kyoto | ||
Kobe FC 1970 | Kobe, Kobe |
Name of league | Names of teams | Hometown |
---|---|---|
Chūgoku Soccer League 中国サッカーリーグ |
Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima FC | Kurashiki, Okayama |
FC Baleine Shimonoseki | Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi | |
International Pacific University FC | Okayama, Okayama | |
Belugarosso Iwami | Iwami, Shimane | |
NTN Okayama | Bizen, Okayama | |
SRC Hiroshima | Hiroshima, Hiroshima | |
Yonago Genki SC | Yonago, Tottori | |
Hatsukaichi FC | Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima | |
Vajra Okayama | Okayama, Okayama | |
Fukuyama City FC | Fukuyama, Hiroshima |
Name of league | Names of teams | Hometown |
---|---|---|
Shikoku Soccer League 四国サッカーリーグ |
FC Tokushima | Tokushima, Tokushima |
KUFC Nankoku | Nankoku, Kōchi | |
Llamas Kochi FC | Kōchi, Kōchi | |
Tadotsu FC | Tadotsu, Kagawa | |
Lvnirosso NC | Niihama, Ehime | |
R.Velho Takamatsu | Takamatsu, Kagawa | |
FC RSG | Kochi, Kochi | |
Nakamura Club | Shimanto, Kōchi |
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 |