Japan Football Association

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Founded	1921
FIFA affiliation	1929
AFC affiliation	1954
President Saburo Kawabuchi
Coach Ivica Osim

The Japan Football Association (日本サッカー協会, Nihon Sakkā Kyōkai^?), also known as the JFA, is the governing body responsible for the administration of football in Japan. It is responsible for the national team as well as club competitions.

The organisation was founded in 1921 as the Greater Japan Football Association (大日本蹴球協会, Dai-Nihon Shūkyū Kyōkai^?), and became affiliated with FIFA in 1929. In 1945, the name of the organisation was changed to the Japan Football Association (日本蹴球協会, Nihon Shūkyū Kyōkai^?); its Japanese name was changed to the current title in 1975.

The symbol of the JFA is the Yatagarasu, a mythical three-legged raven that guided Emperor Jimmu to Mount Kumano. The bird is the messenger of the supreme Shinto sun goddess Amaterasu.

Soccer in Japan is one of the most popular sports. After the very successful Asia cup, beating China 3-1 in the final, Japan beat Iran 2-1 and qualified for the World Cup 2006. Currently the Japanese Football Team is in the first group for the Asian Cup.

[edit] See also

• Football in Japan
• Japan national football team
• Japan women's national football team
• J-League
• Japan Football League
• List of 2006-07 Japanese players in Europe

[edit] External links

• Japan Football Association official site

Football in Japan v • d • e
Governing body : Japan Football Association Champions | Cup Winners National professional leagues : J. League Division 1 | J. League Division 2 National teams : Men's | Women's
International football v • d • e
FIFA | World Cup | Confederations Cup | U-20 World Cup | U-17 World Cup | Olympics | Asian Games | All-Africa Games | Pan American Games | Island Games | World Rankings | Player of the Year | Teams | Codes
Asia: AFC – Asian Cup      Africa: CAF – African Cup of Nations      North America: CONCACAF – Gold Cup      South America: CONMEBOL – Copa América      Oceania: OFC – Nations Cup      Europe: UEFA – European Championship      Non-FIFA: NF-Board – VIVA World Cup
National Football Associations of Asia (AFC) v • d • e
Afghanistan | Australia | Bahrain | Bangladesh | Bhutan | Brunei | Cambodia | China PR | Chinese Taipei | East Timor | Guam | Hong Kong | India | Indonesia | Iran | Iraq | Japan | Jordan | Korea DPR | Korea Republic | Kuwait | Kyrgyzstan | Laos | Lebanon | Macau | Malaysia | Maldives | Mongolia | Myanmar | Nepal | Oman | Pakistan | Palestine | Philippines | Qatar | Saudi Arabia | Singapore | Sri Lanka | Syria | Tajikistan | Thailand | Turkmenistan | United Arab Emirates | Uzbekistan | Vietnam | Yemen Note: FIFA and AFC use Hong Kong and Macau; the EAFF uses Hong Kong, China and Macau, China.