are a group of parallel association football leagues in Japan that are organised 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

Japan is divided regionally in a variety of ways, some of them administrative and some more historical. For 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 Japanese 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, took over the folded Tosu Futures in the former JFL in 1997; Yokohama FC, directly admitted into the Japan Football League in 1999 upon their formation; Kataller Toyama, formed in 2008 as a result of the fusion of JFL clubs ALO's Hokuriku and YKK AP. Kagoshima United FC, 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 were originally based in Kansai but moved to Kantō in 1975 after reaching the JSL; Tosu Futures were 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, 2025

Hokkaido Soccer League League Teams HometownHokkaido Soccer League北海道サッカーリーグASC Hokkaido (ja)Tomakomai, HokkaidoBTOP HokkaidoKuriyama, HokkaidoSapporo FC (ja) Sapporo, HokkaidoHokkaido Tokachi Sky EarthObihiro, HokkaidoHokushukai Iwamizawa (ja) Iwamizawa, HokkaidoNorbritz HokkaidoEbetsu, HokkaidoSabas FC Sapporo, HokkaidoSapporo University Goal Plunderers (ja)Sapporo, Hokkaido

Tohoku Member-of-Society Soccer League League Division Teams HometownTohoku Member-of-Society Soccer League東北社会人サッカーリーグDivision 1Blancdieu HirosakiHirosaki, AomoriCobaltore OnagawaOnagawa, MiyagiFuji Club 2003 (ja)Hanamaki, IwateGanju IwateMorioka, IwateHitome Senbonzakura SUFT (ja)Sendai, MiyagiFC LA U. de Sendai (ja)Sendai, MiyagiIwanuma, Miyagi Sendai, MiyagiShichigahama, Miyagi Shichinohe, AomoriDivision 2 North Tsugaru, Aomori Morioka, IwateSaruta KogyoAkita, AkitaTDK ShinwakaiNikaho, AkitaNippon Steel Corp. Kamaishi (ja) Kamaishi, IwateMorioka, IwateŌshū, IwateNu Perle Hiraizumi Maesawa Hiraizumi, IwateDivision 2 SouthKōriyama, FukushimaIwaki, FukushimaFC La U. de Sendai Second (ja)Sendai, MiyagiMerry FC (ja)Fukushima, FukushimaParafrente Yonezawa (ja)YamagataOyama SCTsuruoka, YamagataKōriyama, FukushimaShibata, Miyagi

Kantō Soccer League League Division Teams HometownKanto Soccer League関東サッカーリーグDivision 1Toshima, TokyoJoyful Honda TsukubaTsukuba, IbarakiNankatsu SCKatsushika, TokyoNihon University N. (ja) Inagi, TokyoRKD Ryugasaki Ryūgasaki, IbarakiToho Titanium SCChigasaki, KanagawaToin University of Yokohama FC (ja)Yokohama, KanagawaTokyo 23Special wards of TokyoTokyo UnitedBunkyō, TokyoVonds IchiharaIchihara, ChibaDivision 2 Atsugi, KanagawaKawagoe, Saitama Chūō, Kōtō, TokyoYokohama, KanagawaChiyoda, Tokyo Shibuya, TokyoTokyo International University FC (ja) Sakado, SaitamaTonan MaebashiMaebashi, GunmaVertfee Yaita Yaita, TochigiYokohama, Kanagawa

Hokushin'etsu Football League League Division Teams HometownHokushin'etsu Football League北信越フットボールリーグDivision 1Artista AsamaTōmi, NaganoFukui UnitedFukui, FukuiFC Hokuriku (ja) Kanazawa, IshikawaJapan Soccer CollegeSeiro, NiigataNiigata University of Health and Welfare FC (ja)Niigata, NiigataNiigata University of Management FC (ja)Kamo, Niigata Komatsu, IshikawaToyama Shinjo ClubToyama, ToyamaDivision 2 Chino, Nagano Shiojiri, NaganoCUPS SeiroSeiro, Niigata Kanazawa, IshikawaFC Matsucelona (ja)Matsumoto, NaganoToyama, ToyamaNUHW FC (ja) Niigata, Niigata Sakai, Fukui

Tōkai Soccer League LeagueDivisionTeamsHometownTōkai Soccer League東海サッカーリーグDivision 1Chukyo University FC (ja)Nagoya, AichiFujieda City Hall SCFujieda, Shizuoka Fuji, Shizuoka and Fujinomiya, ShizuokaFC Ise-ShimaShima, Mie Kariya, AichiFC KariyaKariya, Aichi Tsu, MieWyvern FCKariya, AichiDivision 2Chukyo Univ.FC (ja)Toyota, AichiFC Gifu SECOND (ja) Gifu, GifuNagoya SC Nagoya, Aichi Toyokawa, Toyohashi, Aichi Izu, Shizuoka Yatomi, AichiTokai Gakuen University FC (ja) Miyoshi, Aichi Shimada, Shizuoka

Kansai Soccer League LeagueDivisionTeamsHometownKansai Soccer League関西サッカーリーグDivision 1Arterivo WakayamaWakayama, Wakayama Awaji IslandAkashi, HyōgoCento Cuore HarimaKakogawa, Hyogo Kobe, HyogoLaranja Kyoto Kyoto, KyotoMoriyama, ShigaIkoma, NaraDivision 2Hannan University Club (ja) Matsubara, OsakaKandai FC 2008 (ja) Suita, OsakaKyoto, KyotoOsaka, OsakaOcocias Kyoto Kyoto, KyotoOsaka, Osaka Kishiwada, OsakaSt.Andrew's FC (ja)Izumi, Osaka

Chūgoku Soccer League LeagueTeamsHometownChūgoku Soccer League中国サッカーリーグBaleine ShimonosekiShimonoseki, Yamaguchi Tottori, TottoriBelugarosso IwamiIwami, ShimaneENEOS Mizushima (ja) Kurashiki, OkayamaFukuyama City FCFukuyama, HiroshimaHatsukaichi, HiroshimaInternational Pacific University FC (ja)Okayama, OkayamaMitsubishi Motors Mizushima FCKurashiki, OkayamaSRC HiroshimaHiroshima, HiroshimaYonago, Tottori

Shikoku Soccer League LeagueTeamsHometownShikoku Soccer League四国サッカーリーグKUFC Nankoku (ja)Nankoku, KōchiKōchi, KōchiNiihama, EhimeTakamatsu, Kagawa Takamatsu, KagawaTadotsu, KagawaFC TokushimaTokushima, Tokushima Shikokuchūō, Ehime

Kyushu Soccer League League Teams HometownKyushu Soccer League九州サッカーリーグBrew KashimaKashima, SagaFukuoka, FukuokaKawasoe, SagaFukuoka, FukuokaJ-Lease FCOita, Oita Nagasaki, NagasakiNIFS Kanoya FC (ja)Kanoya, KagoshimaNippon Steel Oita SC (ja)Ōita, ŌitaNobeoka AgataNobeoka, MiyazakiVeroskronos TsunoTsuno, 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