List of football clubs in Japan
This is a list of association football clubs in Japan from the 2023 season.
Japan Professional Football League (J.League)
J1 League
First division of the Japanese professional football system. It has 18 clubs (20 clubs from 2024):
J2 League
Second division of the Japanese professional football system. It has 22 clubs (20 clubs from 2024):
- Blaublitz Akita
- Fagiano Okayama
- Fujieda MYFC
- Iwaki FC
- JEF United Chiba
- Jubilo Iwata
- Machida Zelvia
- Mito HollyHock
- Montedio Yamagata
- Oita Trinita
- Omiya Ardija
- Renofa Yamaguchi
- Roasso Kumamoto
- Shimizu S-Pulse
- Thespakusatsu Gunma (Thespa Gunma from 2024)
- Tochigi SC
- Tokushima Vortis
- Tokyo Verdy
- V-Varen Nagasaki
- Vegalta Sendai
- Ventforet Kofu
- Zweigen Kanazawa
J3 League
Third and last division of the Japanese professional football system. It has 20 clubs:
- Azul Claro Numazu
- Ehime FC
- Fukushima United
- Gainare Tottori
- FC Gifu
- Giravanz Kitakyushu
- FC Imabari
- Iwate Grulla Morioka
- Kagoshima United
- Kamatamare Sanuki
- Kataller Toyama
- Matsumoto Yamaga
- Nagano Parceiro
- Nara Club
- FC Osaka
- FC Ryukyu
- SC Sagamihara
- Tegevajaro Miyazaki
- Vanraure Hachinohe
- Yokohama Sports & Culture Club
Japan Football League (JFL)
First division of the Japanese amateur football system and the only nationwide division for amateur clubs, from where are located some teams aiming to be promoted to the J.League in the near future through associate membership system. Such teams are indicated with (A) in parentheses.
15 clubs (for 2023):
- Briobecca Urayasu
- Criacao Shinjuku (A)
- Honda FC*
- Kochi United (A)
- Maruyasu Okazaki*
- Minebea Mitsumi FC* (renamed from Honda Lock SC)
- Okinawa SV (A)
- Reilac Shiga (renamed from MIO Biwako Shiga)
- ReinMeer Aomori (A)
- Sony Sendai*
- Suzuka Point Getters
- Tiamo Hirakata
- Tokyo Musashino United
- Veertien Mie (A)
- Verspah Oita (A)
Japanese Regional Leagues
It are a group of nine 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.
Hokkaidō League
- Asahikawa FC (Muroran, Hokkaido)
- BTOP Hokkaido (Kuriyama, Hokkaido) (renamed from BTOP Thank Kuriyama)
- Hokkaido Tokachi Sky Earth (Obihiro, Hokkaido)
- Hokushukai Iwamizawa (Iwamizawa, Hokkaido)
- Nippon Express FC (Tomakomai, Hokkaido)
- Norbritz Hokkaido (Sapporo, Hokkaido)
- Sapporo FC (Sapporo, Hokkaido)
- Sapporo Univ. Goal Plunderers (Sapporo, Hokkaido) (Un)
Tōhoku League
Division 1
- Blancdieu Hirosaki (Hirosaki, Aomori)
- Cobaltore Onagawa (Onagawa, Miyagi)
- Fuji Club 2003 (Hanamaki, Iwate) (Un)
- Ganju Iwate (Hachimantai, Iwate)
- Morioka Zebra (Morioka, Iwate)
- Nippon Steel Kamaishi* (Kamaishi, Iwate)
- Oshu United (Oshu, Iwate)
- Shichigahama SC (Shichigahama, Miyagi)
- FC Sendai University (Shibata, Miyagi) (Un)
- FC La Universidad de Sendai (Shibata, Miyagi) (Un)
North
- Akita Cambiare (Akita, Akita)
- Bogolle D. Tsugaru (Tsugaru, Aomori)
- Hokuto Bank* (Akita, Akita)
- Lascivo Aomori (Aomori Prefecture)
- Kuzumaki Club (Kuzumaki, Iwate)
- NewPearl Hiraizumi Maesawa (Hiraizumi, Iwate)
- Omiya SC (Ōmiya-ku, Saitama)
- Saruta Kōgyō* (Akita, Akita)
- Shichinohe SC (Shichinohe, Aomori)
- TDK Shinwakai (Nikaho, Akita)
South
- Ardore Kuwahara (Miyagi Prefecture)
- Iwaki Furukawa (Iwaki, Fukushima)
- Merry (Fukushima, Fukushima)
- Nagai Club (Nagai, Yamagata)
- Oyama Club (Morioka, Iwate)
- Parafrente Yonezawa (Yonezawa, Yamagata)
- FC Primeiro (Fukushima prefecture)
- Ricoh Industry Tohoku* (Shibata, Miyagi)
- Sendai Sasuke (Sendai, Miyagi)
- Sendai Universität (Sendai, Miyagi) (Un)
Kantō Soccer League (KSL)
Division 1
- Joyful Honda Tsukuba* (Tsukuba, Ibaraki)
- Nankatsu SC (Katsushika, Tokyo)
- RKU Dragons (Un)
- Tochigi City (Tochigi, Tochigi)
- Toho Titanium (Kanagawa Prefecture)
- Toin University of Yokohama FC (Yokohama, Kanagawa) (Un)
- Tokyo 23 (Special wards of Tokyo)
- Tokyo International University (Sakado, Saitama) (Un)
- Tokyo United (Bunkyō, Tokyo)
- Vonds Ichihara (Ichihara, Chiba)
Division 2
- Aries Tokyo (Tokyo)
- Atsugi Hayabusa (Atsugi, Kanagawa) (Renamed from Hayabusa Eleven)
- Aventura Kawaguchi (Kawaguchi, Saitama)
- Esperanza SC (Yokohama, Kanagawa)
- Hitachi Building System SC* (Chiyoda, Tokyo)
- Identy Mirai (Tsukubamirai, Ibaraki)
- Sakai Trinitas (Sakai, Ibaraki)
- Vertfee Yaita (Yaita, Tochigi)
- Tonan Maebashi (Maebashi, Gunma) (A)
- Yokohama Takeru (Yokohama, Kanagawa)
Hokushin'etsu League (HFL)
Division 1
- '05 Kamo FC (Kamo, Niigata) (Un)
- Antelope Shiojiri (Shiojiri, Nagano)
- Artista Asama (Tōmi, Nagano)
- Fukui United (Fukui, Fukui)
- FC Hokuriku (Kanazawa, Ishikawa) (Un)
- JSC FC (Seirō, Niigata) (aka. College of Upward Players in Soccer or CUPS)
- Niigata UHW FC (Niigata, Niigata) (Un)
- Toyama Shinjo Club (Toyama, Toyama)
Division 2
- Azalea Iida (Iida, Nagano)
- CUPS Seirō (Seirō, Niigata) (Japan Soccer College "B" team)
- AS Jamineiro (Niigata, Niigata)
- Libertas Chikuma (Chikuma, Nagano)
- FC Matsucelona (Matsumoto, Nagano) (Un)
- N-Style Toyama (Toyama)
- Sakai Phoenix (Sakai, Fukui)
- SR Komatsu (Komatsu, Ishikawa)
Tōkai League
Division 1
- Chukyo University FC (Toyota, Aichi) (Un)
- Fujieda City Hall (Fujieda, Shizuoka)
- FC Gifu Second (Gifu, Gifu) (FC Gifu "B" team)
- FC Ise-Shima (Shima, Mie)
- FC Kariya (Kariya, Aichi)
- Tokai Gakuen FC (Nagoya, Aichi) (Un)
- Wyvern FC (Kariya, Aichi)
- Yazaki Valente (Shimada, Shizuoka)
Division 2
- Bonbonera Gifu (Chūnō, Gifu)
- Chukyo Univ. FC (Toyota, Aichi) (Un)
- Gakunan F. Mosuperio (Gakunan, Shizuoka)
- AS Kariya (Kariya, Aichi)
- Nagara Club (Gifu, Gifu)
- Nagoya SC (Nagoya, Aichi)
- Sports & Society Izu (Izu, Shizuoka)
- Tokoha University Hamamatsu Campus SC (Hamamatsu, Shizuoka) (Un)
- Toyota Shūkyūdan (Toyota, Aichi)
Kansai League
Division 1
- Arterivo Wakayama (Wakayama, Wakayama)
- FC Asuka (Kashihara, Nara)
- Basara Hyōgo (Akashi, Hyōgo) (renamed from FC Easy 02 Akashi)
- Cento Cuore Harima (Harima, Hyōgo)
- Kandai FC 2008 (Suita, Osaka) (Un)
- Lagend Shiga (Moriyama, Shiga)
- Moriyama Samurai 2000 (Moriyama, Shiga)
- Ococias Kyoto (Kyoto, Kyoto)
Division 2
- FC AWJ (Awaji, Hyōgo) (renamed from FC Awajishima)
- Hannan University Club (Matsubara, Osaka) (Un)
- Hannan University Revolution (Matsubara, Osaka) (Un)
- Kobe FC 1970 (Kobe)
- Kyoto Shiko Club (Kyoto, Kyoto)
- Laranja Kyoto (Kyoto, Kyoto)
- St. Andrew's FC (Izumi, Osaka) (Un)
- Takasago Mineiro (Takasago, Hyōgo)
Chūgoku League
- Baleine Shimonoseki (Shimonoseki, Yamaguchi)
- Belugarosso Iwami (Hamada, Shimane) (renamed from Belugarosso Hamada)
- Fukuyama City FC (Fukuyama, Hiroshima)
- Hatsukaichi FC (Hatsukaichi, Hiroshima)
- International Pacific University FC (Okayama, Okayama) (Un)
- Mitsubishi Motors Mizushima* (Kurashiki, Okayama)
- NTN Okayama* (Bizen, Okayama)
- SRC Hiroshima (Hiroshima, Hiroshima)
- Vajra Okayama (Okayama, Okayama)
- Yonago Genki SC (Yonago, Tottori)
Shikoku League
- KUFC Nankoku (Nankoku, Kōchi) (Un)
- Llamas Kochi (Kōchi, Kōchi)
- Lvnirosso NC (Niihama, Ehime)
- Nakamura Club (Shimanto, Kōchi)
- FC R.S.G (Kōchi, Kōchi)
- R. Velho Takamatsu (Takamatsu, Kagawa)
- Tadotsu FC (Tadotsu, Kagawa)
- FC Tokushima (Tokushima, Tokushima)
Kyūshū League (Kyu-League)
- Brew Kashima (Kashima, Saga)
- Kajiki FC (Kajiki, Kagoshima)
- Kawasoe Club (Saga, Saga)
- KMG Holdings FC* (Fukuoka, Fukuoka)
- Kyushu Sogo Sports College FC (Usa, Ōita)
- J-Lease FC (Ōita)
- NIFS Kanoya FC (Kanoya, Kagoshima) (Un)
- Nippon Steel Oita SC (Ōita, Ōita)
- Nobeoka Agata (Nobeoka, Miyazaki)
- Veroskronos Tsuno (Tsuno, Miyazaki)
Notes
- Teams with * are company teams.
- Teams with "Un" are feeder (or "B") teams for their universities' main football teams.
- In the Regional Leagues, First divisions equals to Japanese fifth tier of league football, while 2nd divisions equals to the sixth tier. So, regional leagues who only have one single division, such as Shikoku, have teams going straight from the seventh to the fifth tier in case of a promotion.