Primary sponsors include Kirin, Adidas, Panasonic, Saison Card International, FamilyMart, Fujifilm, ANA, Bank of Yokohama, NTT Docomo and Nissan.
Snowflake, Arizona
Snowflake is a town in Navajo County, Arizona, United States. It was founded in 1878. 5,590 people lived here in 2010.
Far Eastern Championship Games
The Far Eastern Championship Games (also known as the Far Eastern Championships, Far Eastern Games or Far East Games) was an Asian multi-sport event considered to be a precursor to the Asian Games.
In 1913, Elwood Brown, president of the Philippine Amateur Athletic Association and Manila Carnival Games, proposed the creation of the ""Far Eastern Olympic Games"" to China and Japan. It was at that time that Governor-General William Cameron Forbes was the president of the Philippine Amateur Athletic Federation from 1911-1913. Governor-General Forbes formed the Far Eastern Olympic Association.
The first event was held on the Manila Carnival grounds (later the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex) in Malate, Manila, Philippines on February 4, 1913 and was known as the "First Oriental Olympic Games". Forbes was also the one who formally declare the games open. Six countries participated in the eight-day event: the host country then-named Philippine Islands, Republic of China, Empire of Japan, British East Indies (Malaysia), Kingdom of Thailand and British crown colony Hong Kong.
In 1915, the name changed to Far Eastern Championship Games and the association to Far Eastern Athletic Association when the event was held at Hongkou Park in Shanghai, China. They were held there again in 1921. The games were held every two years except in 1929 when Japan decided to delay the project to 1930. The FEAA decided to change the time table to four years and the Philippine Islands hosted the tenth games in 1934. Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) joined in the 1934 FECG.
The 1934 edition was held in a period of dispute between China and Japan, following the Japanese invasion of Manchuria in 1931. Inclusion of people from this region in the games caused controversy between the two member nations, which resulted in the break-up of the Far Eastern Athletic Association. In September 1937, Japan invaded China with the Marco Polo Bridge Incident and started the Second Sino-Japanese War (which later became part of World War II), thus the planned games in 1938 were cancelled.
A total of nine different sports were contested over the lifetime of the competition. Eight of the sports featured on each programmes of the games, with the ninth sport – cycling – being held once only, in 1915.
Show Low, Arizona
Show Low is a city in Navajo County, Arizona, United States. In the 2010 census, 10,660 people lived here.
Japan Football Hall of Fame
Koichi Kudo
Kudo was born in Iwate, Iwate on February 4, 1909. In 1933, he graduated from Waseda University and he became manager for Waseda University. In 1936, he became assistant coach for Japan national team for 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. Japan completed a come-from-behind victory against Sweden. The first victory in Olympics for the Japan and the historic victory over one of the powerhouses became later known as "Miracle of Berlin" () in Japan. In 2016, this team was selected Japan Football Hall of Fame. In 1942, he became manager for Japan national team. In 1957, he managed Waseda University again until 1966.
On September 21, 1971, Kudo died of heart failure in Suginami, Tokyo at the age of 62.
Vahid Halilhodžić
Vahid Halilhodžić (born May 15, 1952) is a former Bosnian football player and manager. He played for Yugoslavia national team.
Younan Nowzaradan
Younan Nowzaradan (; born October 11, 1944), also known as Dr. Now, is an Iranian-American surgeon, TV personality, and author. He specializes in vascular surgery and bariatric surgery. He is known for helping morbidly obese people lose weight on "My 600-lb Life" (2012–present).
Seiki Ichihara
In June 1981, the Japan Football Association formed the first Japan women's national team for the 1981 AFC Women's Championship in Hong Kong. The Japan Football Association appointed Ichihara as the first Japan national team manager. The first match of this tournament was on June 7, and Japan played against Chinese Taipei. This match was the Japan team's first match in an "International A Match". However, Japan lost this match (0–1) and its second match, against Thailand (0–2), on June 11. The third match, against Indonesia, was on June 13, and Japan won 1–0 with Etsuko Handa's goal. This was the Japan team's first victory.
In September, the team played two matches in Japan. However, they lost in both games, against England (0–4) and Italy (0–9). The match against Italy was the greatest loss in the history of the Japan national team.
Takao Orii
In October 1984, Japan women's national team was formed for the first time in three years for a China expedition, and Japan Football Association appointed Orii as Japan national team manager. Japan played 3 matches against Italy and Australia in Xi'an. However Japan lost in all matches.
Ryohei Suzuki (footballer, born 1949)
Suzuki was born on June 12, 1949. After graduating from Tokai University, he went to West Germany in 1973 and became a coach. In January 1986, he became a manager for Japan women's national team. In December, Japan participated in 1986 AFC Women's Championship in Hong Kong and won the 2nd place. He managed Japan until January 1989. In 1990, he became a manager for new club Nikko Securities Dream Ladies. The club won the champions at Empress's Cup in 1990. The club participated Nadeshiko League from 1991. The club was 4th place in the 1991 season and he resigned end of the season.
Nadeshiko League
The , commonly known as the , is a women's association football league in Japan.
The Nadeshiko League consists of three divisions that correspond to the top three levels of the Japanese women's football pyramid respectively: the Nadeshiko League Division 1, the Nadeshiko League Division 2, and the Nadeshiko . Teams are promoted and relegated among the three divisions, and between the Nadeshiko Challenge League and the fourth-level Japanese regional leagues, based on performance in the previous season.
Since 2008, the Nadeshiko League has been sponsored by , a fast food company based in Fukuoka.
Japan Women's Football League began in 1989. From 1993 to 1999 it adopted an Apertura and Clausura system, similar to the J.League system of that era. From 2000 to 2003 the clubs were divided into East and West groups and then the top clubs of each would go into a championship group, with the bottom clubs in a relegation group. In 2004 the single-table format was brought back.
Players from the 8 Japan Women's Football League teams would host an annual training camp to build skills and relationships between the L.League and women's international football clubs, including U.S.- and Australia-based teams.
In 2004 the L.League was renamed to Nadeshiko League, with the nickname "Nadeshiko Japan". "Nadeshiko" is the name of the dianthus flower and was chosen from suggestions by fans, signifying an ideal of a dutiful Japanese woman.
Starting in the 2004 season, the L.League had 2 divisions – Division 1, with 8 clubs, and Division 2, with 8 clubs in the 2006 season. Until 2009 the league operated in the same way as the old Japan Soccer League for men, the bottom club in the second division playing off against a regional league playoff winner.
Starting with the 2010 season, the second division is divided into an east and west group of six teams each. The winners of each group are promoted. In 2015 this became Division 3, with the Nadeshiko League becoming two divisions of 10 teams each.
After Japan's World Cup win in 2011 the L.League saw an upsurge in popularity.