Japan Football Association

Japan's football governing body since 1921, running the national teams and the Emperor's Cup.

The Japan Football Association (JFA) is the organisation that governs football in Japan, along with futsal, beach soccer and efootball. It oversees the national teams and runs club competitions such as the Emperor's Cup for men and the Empress's Cup for women. Founded in 1921 and affiliated with FIFA since 1929, it has shaped the country's game for over a century. In English it usually calls itself the Japan Football Association, though the name Japan Soccer Association is also used. Its emblem, the three-legged raven Yatagarasu, is one of the most recognisable symbols in Japanese sport.

Quick Facts

Founded: 10 September 1921
Headquarters: Bunkyō, Tokyo
FIFA affiliation: 17 May 1929
Region: AFC
Region affiliation: 8 May 1954
Subregion: EAFF
Subregion affiliation: 28 May 2002
President: Tsuneyasu Miyamoto

Facts from the source article.

Background

The association was set up in 1921 and joined FIFA in 1929. Its name changed in 1945, and the present Japanese title dates from 1975. Before 1930, Japan was represented abroad by whichever university side was ranked best that year, playing in its own school kit. In 1930 the JFA assembled its first true national squad from players across the country, and they picked the light blue of Imperial University for their shirts. A switch to red and white in 1989 coincided with a failed FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, and the team returned to blue in 1992. The link between blue and samurai indigo was added as an explanation later; convenience and superstition were the real reasons.