Japan won the Women’s World Cup in 2011, and today more than 20 Japanese players are in England’s WSL alone. So how does Japan produce so many technically gifted women footballers – and where does the system struggle?

This guide walks through the Japanese pathway step by step, from primary school to the professional WE League and moves abroad. It is based on official Japan Football Association (JFA) data and on my own experience: I played women’s football in Japan for 15 years, through every stage described here.

The pathway at a glance

Age Stage Where girls usually play
6–12 Primary school Local grassroots teams, mostly mixed with boys
12–15 Junior high school Club academies (U-15), a small number of school teams, JFA Academy Fukushima – or boys’ teams
15–18 High school High school teams (the biggest category), club U-18 teams
18–22 University University teams (strongest in the Kanto region around Tokyo)
18+ Senior WE League (professional), Nadeshiko League (amateur), or straight abroad

Primary school: girls learn the game with boys

At primary school age (U-12), most Japanese girls play in local grassroots teams together with boys. There were 20,528 registered girls at this age in JFA’s 2024 figures, the largest of any age group.

Playing with boys is a big reason why Japanese players are so comfortable on the ball: they learn to survive against bigger, faster opponents by using technique, quick passing and good decisions rather than physical strength.

From my own experience, at primary school I was bigger and faster than most of the boys. That changes quickly once everyone hits their teens.

Junior high school: the biggest problem in Japanese women’s football

The move to junior high school (age 12–15) is where Japan loses the most players. According to JFA registration data (March 2024):

  • Primary school girls: 20,528
  • Junior high school girls: 11,225
  • High school girls: 11,489

Almost half of the girls stop playing when they start junior high school. The main reason is simple: there are very few girls’ teams at this age. In 2024 there were only 201 junior high age girls’ teams in the whole country, and only 42 of them were school teams. At high school age there were 594 teams, including 507 school teams.

As a result:

  • About 1 in 3 junior high school girls who keep playing do so in a boys’ team.
  • Many others play in an older category, such as a high school or adult women’s team.
  • Girls often travel a long way every day to reach a club, or move away from home to live in a dormitory.

I experienced this myself. I moved into a dormitory to find a good football environment, and many of my university teammates had stopped playing during junior high school simply because there was no team near them. Facilities are another issue: when I played in a boys’ team, there was often nowhere proper to change, so I would be the last one ready.

Three routes for talented 12–15 year olds

1. Club academies

Most top players come through the youth teams of WE League clubs. The most famous is Nippon TV Menina, the academy of Nippon TV Tokyo Verdy Beleza in Tokyo, which produced Yui Hasegawa, Aoba Fujino and many other national team players. Other strong academies include the youth teams of Urawa Reds Ladies, INAC Kobe Leonessa, Nojima Stella and JEF United Chiba Ladies.

Players train at the club in the evening and attend a normal local school during the day.

2. School teams

A small number of private schools, such as Jumonji Junior High School in Tokyo, run strong girls’ teams linked to their high school team, so players can stay in the same system for six years.

3. JFA Academy Fukushima

The Japan FA’s own elite academy opened in 2006 and was modelled on France’s Clairefontaine. Players live in a dormitory, attend local schools and train together. After the 2011 earthquake and nuclear accident, the girls’ academy moved to Shizuoka Prefecture, and it returned to Fukushima in 2024. Graduates include Momoko Tanikawa (Bayern Munich), Toko Koga (Tottenham), Mao Itamura (Liverpool) and Jun Endo (Angel City).

High school: school football is king

From age 15, the picture changes completely. 99% of high school girls play in girls’ teams, and most of them play for their school. High school football has its own national tournaments, and the biggest is the All Japan High School Women’s Football Championship, held every winter around New Year.

School Prefecture Championship titles Notable alumni
Fujieda Junshin Shizuoka 8 (record, incl. three in a row 2022–2024) Hina Sugita
Tokiwagi Gakuen Miyagi 5 Saki Kumagai, Aya Sameshima
Kamimura Gakuen Kagoshima 3
Hinomoto Gakuen Hyogo 3
Jumonji Tokyo 1 Aoba Fujino

The 2025-26 championship was won by Yanagigaura High School (Oita) for the first time. The next edition runs from 26 December 2026 to 10 January 2027 in Hyogo, with the final at Noevir Stadium Kobe.

A big change is coming: from April 2027, a new national U-18 Women’s Premier League will start, with 16 teams split into East and West groups. It will mix club academies such as Nippon TV Menina and top high schools such as Fujieda Junshin, giving the best young players regular high-level league matches for the first time.

University: a degree and football

In Japan, many talented players go to university instead of turning professional at 18. University women’s football is strongest in the Kanto region around Tokyo, and the national university championship has been dominated by schools such as Waseda, Nippon Sport Science University, Yamanashi Gakuin and Teikyo Heisei.

The university route gives players a degree and a second career option, and more and more players now go straight from university to Europe. Aemu Oyama, for example, left Waseda University to sign for Manchester City in 2025.

Senior level: WE League and Nadeshiko League

  • WE League – Japan’s first professional women’s league, launched in 2021. The 2026-27 season has 12 clubs and kicked off on 22 August 2026. Players have professional contracts and can focus on football full time.
  • Nadeshiko League – the former top league (founded 1989), now the amateur level below the WE League. Most players combine football with a job or study.

The WE League is improving, but salaries and crowds are still far below the WSL or NWSL. That is one reason why so many of Japan’s best players now move abroad in their early 20s.

Going abroad earlier and earlier

A decade ago, Japanese players usually moved overseas only after establishing themselves in Japan. Today, more players go abroad straight from an academy, high school or university – to Europe, or to US college soccer. Goalkeeper Shu Ohba, for example, went from JFA Academy Fukushima to college soccer in the USA, came back to the WE League, and now plays for Rangers in Scotland.

You can see where every Japanese player abroad came from in our full list: Japanese Women Footballers Playing Abroad (2026-27).

Summary

  • Japanese girls learn football with boys, which builds technique and decision-making.
  • The junior high school years are the system’s weak point: almost half of the girls quit because there are so few girls’ teams.
  • Top talent comes through club academies (especially Nippon TV Menina), JFA Academy Fukushima and strong high school teams.
  • University is a common route, and more players now move abroad young.

Despite the gaps, the system keeps producing world-class players. Fixing the junior high school problem could make Japan even stronger in the future.

Data: Japan Football Association player registration figures (as of March 2024). Written by a former player who spent 15 years in Japanese women’s football. Last updated: November 2026.