The JFA Mid-Term Plan for 2023-2026Origins and History
| 1921 | Sep. | The Dai-Nippon Shukyu Kyokai (“Greater Japan Football Association”) is founded, with IMAMURA Jikichi as its first president. Its founding was prompted by The Football Association (The FA) presenting Japan with the FA Silver Cup in 1919. |
| Nov. | The inaugural National Association Football Tournament (now known as the Emperor's Cup) is held. | |
| 1929 | May | The JFA joins FIFA. |
| 1935 | May | FUKAO Ryutaro becomes the JFA's second president. |
| 1936 | Aug. | Japan participates in the Berlin Olympic Games (quarterfinalist). KAWAMOTO Taizo scores Japan's first Olympic goal as Japan defeats Sweden 3-2, a result that becomes known as the "Miracle of Berlin." The team makes it through to the quarter-finals. |
| 1947 | Apr. | TAKAHASHI Ryutaro becomes the JFA's third president. |
| 1950 | Sep. | The JFA re-joins FIFA. |
| 1954 | Mar. | Japan takes part in regional qualifiers for the FIFA World Cup™ in Switzerland. |
| Oct. | The JFA joins the AFC. | |
| 1955 | Apr. | NOZU Yuzuru becomes the JFA's fourth president. |
| 1958 | May | ICHIDA Soichi becomes the first Japanese to be appointed to the FIFA Executive Committee. |
| 1960 | Aug. | Dettmar CRAMER (Germany) is invited to coach the Japan National Team. |
| 1964 | Oct. | Japan participates in the Tokyo Olympic Games（quarterfinalist）. |
| 1965 | Jun. | Japan Soccer League（JSL）kicks off as the Japan's first national league. |
| 1968 | Oct. | Japan participates in the Mexico City Olympic Games （bronze medalist）. |
| 1969 | Apr. | JFA President NOZU Yuzuru (Vice President of the AFC) is appointed to the FIFA Executive Committee. |
| 1970 | Jun. | MARUYAMA Yoshiyuki becomes the first Japanese referee to officiate at the 1970 FIFA World Cup Mexico ™. |
| 1974 | Aug. | The JFA is incorporated as a juridical foundation. |
| 1976 | Mar. | HIRAI Tomisaburo becomes the JFA's fifth president. |
| 1977 | Aug. | The National Training Centre opens, providing an elite training programme for outstanding players from around the country. |
| 1978 | May | The Japan Cup (later known as the Kirin Cup Soccer) is held for the first time. |
| 1979 | Aug.-Sep. | Japan hosts the 2nd FIFA World Youth Championship（currently the FIFA U-20 World Cup™） |
| 1981 | Feb. | The 1st TOYOTA European/South American Cup is held (～2004). |
| 1986 | May | The Players' Special Licencing System, which allows for a limited number of professional players, is introduced. |
| 1987 | Apr. | His Imperial Highness Prince Takamado becomes Honorary Patron of the JFA. |
| Apr. | FUJITA Shizuo becomes the JFA's sixth president. | |
| 1989 | Sep. | Japan Women's Football League (now known as Nadeshiko League) kicks off. |
| Nov. | Japan officially declares its candidacy as host for the 2002 FIFA World Cup™. | |
| 1991 | Nov. | Japan participates in the 1st FIFA Women's World Championship (currently the FIFA Women's World Cup™) . |
| Nov. | The Japan Professional Football League is established as a legal corporation (10 clubs). | |
| 1992 | May | SHIMADA Hideo becomes the JFA's seventh president. |
| Oct.-Nov. | The 10th Asian Cup is held in Hiroshima. Japan becomes Asian champions for the first time. | |
| 1993 | May | Japan Professional Football League (J.League) kicks off (15 May). |
| Aug.-Sep. | Japan hosts the 2nd FIFA U-17 World Championship (currently the FIFA U-17 World Cup™). | |
| 1994 | May | NAGANUMA Ken becomes the JFA's eighth president. |
| 1996 | May | FIFA announces that the 2002 FIFA World Cup™ will be co-hosted by Japan and Korea Republic. |
| 1997 | Dec. | Japan Organising Committee for the 2002 FIFA World Cup Korea/Japan (JAWOC) is established. |
| 1998 | Jun.-Jul. | Japan appears in the 1998 FIFA World Cup France ™. |
| Jul. | OKANO Shunichiro becomes the JFA's ninth president. | |
| 1999 | Mar. | J.League introduces a two-division format (J1 and J2). |
| Apr. | U-20 Japan National Team finishes as Runner-up in the 10th FIFA World Youth Championship in Nigeria. | |
| 2000 | Oct. | Japan is crowned champions for the second time at the AFC Asian Cup Lebanon 2000. |
| 2001 | May-Jun. | Japan hosts the FIFA Confederations Cup Korea/Japan 2001™. Japan finishes as runner-up. |
| 2002 | May-Jun. | Japan co-hosts the FIFA World Cup™ with Korea Republic and reaches the Round of 16. The first-ever jointly hosted World Cup strengthens the relationship between Japan and Korea Republic. The warmth and camaraderie between players and fans earn the tournament the moniker "The World Cup of Smiles." |
| Jul. | KAWABUCHI Saburo becomes the JFA's 10th president. | |
| Aug. | JFA Vice-President OGURA Junji becomes the third Japanese to be appointed to the FIFA Executive Committee. | |
| Oct. | The Captain's Mission (later renamed the "President's Mission") is implemented to introduce strategies for improving football infrastructure and growing the game. | |
| Nov. | JFA Honorary Patron His Imperial Highness Prince Takamado passes away. | |
| 2003 | Mar. | Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado becomes Honorary Patron of the JFA. |
| Sep. | JFA House opens in Hongo, Tokyo, housing the new headquarters of the JFA, J.League, and associated groups and organisations. | |
| Dec. | The Japan Football Museum opens at JFA House. | |
| 2004 | Jul.-Aug. | Japan wins the AFC Asian Cup for two consecutive editions. |
| 2005 | Jan. | The JFA Declaration 2005 (1 Jan.) is announced. The declaration sets out the JFA philosophy and vision under the slogan "DREAM - Courage to Achieve." |
| May | Japan Football Hall of Fame is established at JFA House. | |
| Dec. | Japan hosts the FIFA Club World Championship TOYOTA Cup (currently FIFA Club World Cup™／also held in 2006-2008, 2011, 2012, 2015 and 2016). | |
| 2006 | Apr. | The JFA Academy Fukushima opens. |
| 2007 | Apr. | The "JFA Kokoro Project" is launched. Both current and retired players are dispatched to elementary schools to give lectures on the power of dreams and the importance of resilience. |
| Sep. | The F.League (Japan Futsal League) is launched. | |
| 2008 | Jul. | INUKAI Motoaki becomes the JFA's 11th president. |
| Aug. | U-23 Japan National Team and Nadeshiko Japan participate in the Beijing Olympic Games. Nadeshiko Japan places fourth. | |
| 2009 | Apr. | The JFA Academy Kumamoto-Uki opens. |
| Aug. | The JFA Medical Center opens in the J. Village in Fukushima. | |
| Sep. | The JFA Dream Asia Project is launched for the further development of Asian football. | |
| 2010 | Jun.-Jul. | SAMURAI BLUE appears in the 2010 FIFA World Cup South Africa™ and reaches the Round of 16. |
| Jul. | OGURA Junji becomes the JFA's 12th president. | |
| Sep. | U-17 Japan Women's National Team finishes as runner-up at the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Trinidad & Tobago 2010™. | |
| 2011 | Jan. | SAMURAI BLUE is crowned champions for the fourth time at the AFC Asian Cup Qatar 2011. |
| Jun.-Jul. | Nadeshiko Japan wins the FIFA Women's World Cup Germany 2011™, its first world champion title. Japan receives the FIFA Fair Play Award and SAWA Homare wins the awards for Top Scorer and Player of the Tournament. |
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| Aug. | Nadeshiko Japan receives the People's Honour Award for its outstanding achievement in the FIFA Women's World Cup™. | |
| 2012 | Jan. | SAWA Homare is awarded the FIFA Women's World Player of the Year, Head Coach SASAKI Norio is awarded the FIFA World Coach of the Year for the Women's Football and the JFA receives the FIFA Fair Play Award at the FIFA Ballon d'Or 2011. |
| Apr. | The JFA becomes a public interest incorporated foundation. | |
| Apr. | The JFA Academy Sakai opens. | |
| Jun. | DAINI Kuniya becomes the JFA's 13th president. | |
| Jul.-Aug. | U-23 Japan National Team and Nadeshiko Japan participate in the London Olympic Games. Nadeshiko Japan wins the silver medal and Japan's U-23 places fourth. | |
| Aug.-Sep. | Japan hosts the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup™. U-20 Japan Women's National Team finishes third. |
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| 2014 | Mar.-Apr. | U-17 Japan Women's National Team wins the FIFA U-17 Women's World Cup Costa Rica 2014™ and captures its first world champion title. |
| Mar. | The J.League adopts a three-tier structure (J1, J2, J3). | |
| May | JFA announces“ The JFA Declaration on Grassroots Football” | |
| May | Nadeshiko Japan wins the AFC Women’s Asian Cup,held in Vietnam, for the first time ever. | |
| 2015 | Mar. | JFA introduces “The JFA Values” |
| Apr. | Japan Beach Soccer Federation (JBSF) is established. | |
| Apr. | The JFA Academy Imabari opens. | |
| Apr. | JFA Vice President TASHIMA Kohzo becomes the fourth Japanese to be appointed to the FIFA Executive Committee. | |
| Jun.-Jul. | Nadeshiko Japan appears in the FIFA Women's World Cup Canada 2015™ and finishes runner-up. | |
| 2016 | Jan. | U-23 Japan National Team wins the AFC U-23 Championship Qatar 2016 and is crowned champions for the first time. |
| Mar. | TASHIMA Kohzo becomes the JFA's 14th president. | |
| Nov.-Dec. | U-20 Japan Women's National Team appears in the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Papua New Guinea 2016™ and finishes third. | |
| Dec. | Kashima Antlers finishes runner-up at the FIFA Club World Cup™. | |
| 2017 | May | The inaugural Women's F.League（ Japan Women's Futsal League）kicks off. |
| 2018 | Apr. | Nadeshiko Japan wins its second consecutive AFC Women's Asian Cup, in Jordan. |
| Jun.-Jul. | SAMURAI BLUE appears in the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia™ and reaches the Round of 16. | |
| Aug. | U-20 Japan Women's National Team wins the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup France 2018™ , its first world champion title. | |
| 2019 | Apr. | A grand opening is held for J-Village as a symbol of reconstruction, resuming full operation. |
| May | JFA designates March 8 as “JFA Women’s Football Day”, coinciding with International Women’s Day. | |
| May | JFA announces “The Declaration – Ensure Safety of Football Family” | |
| 2020 | Apr. | Prince Takamado Memorial JFA YUME Field is completed. |
| Apr. | JFA launches support projects for members of the JFA Football Family in response to COVID-19. | |
| Jun. | Japan Women’s Empowerment Professional Football League (WE LEAGUE) is established. | |
| Oct. | The WE LEAGUE’s 11 inaugural clubs are decided. | |
| 2021 | Mar. | JFA Medical Center reopened. |
| Jul.-Aug. | U-24 Japan National Team appears in the Tokyo Olympic Games and finishes fourth. | |
| Aug. | Japan Beach Soccer National Team appears in the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup Russia 2021™ and finishes runner-up. | |
| Sep. | The JFA 100th Anniversary Celebration is held (10 September). WE League kicks off (12 September). |
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| Nov. | JFA establishes the“ JFA Safeguarding Policy” | |
| 2022 | Sep. | U-20 Japan Women's National Team finishes as runner-up at the FIFA U-20 Women's World Cup Costa Rica 2022™ |
| Nov. | JFA’s official mobile app "JFA Passport" launched |
