The JFA Mid-Term Plan for 2023-2026Japan Football Hall of Fame
JFA Hall of Fame Inductee
FUKUSHIMA Genichi
Inductees Recommended by the Committee (Special Selection)
- Born in Miyagi on 6 April 1911
Graduates from the Nippon Institute of Dentistry (now the Nippon Dental University).
First learns football at the Tokyo Prefectural Fifth Junior High School (now Tokyo Metropolitan Koishikawa High School), before going on to play the sport at the Nippon Institute of Dentistry and at the Dai-ichi Mutual Life Insurance Company.
Serves as linesman at the 16th All-Japan Championship Tournament (which also served as the 2nd All-Japan General Championship), and later becomes a JFA referees, making a great contribution to the improvement of refereeing ability and the organisation of refereeing in Japan.
International referee in 1958-66, and again in 1967-70. Attended the 5th FIFA Referees' Course in Florence in 1961. Gains experience in overseas competitions such as the Asian Youth Championships and the Merdeka Tournament, before serving as referee for the match between Hungary and Yugoslavia at the Games of the 18th Olympiad (Tokyo) in Tokyo. Clears what is at the time a difficult condition of having refereed in at least ten international "A" matches in 1969, and becomes the first Japanese recipient of the FIFA Referees' Special Award. Officiates at 22 JSL matches (1965-70).
Devotes efforts to setting up a referees' committee and a refereeing system, and sat on the board of the JFA as director of the referees' committee in 1965-71. Also focuses on improving the referee training system, contributing to the training and development of his successors. Chairs the referees' governing committee of the Kanto Football Association, and becomes vice-president of the Referees' Association of Japan.
Serves as president of the Suginami-ku Football Association and as vice-president of the Suginami-ku Sports Association, contributing greatly to the popularisation and development of football in his home town. Receives Sports Certificate of Merit from the Minister of Education in 1984.
Passes away in 1994.
