Japan women's national football team facts for kids
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| Nickname(s) | なでしこジャパン (Nadeshiko Japan) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Association | Japan Football Association | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Confederation | AFC (Asia) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Sub-confederation | EAFF (East Asia) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Head coach | Futoshi Ikeda | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Captain | Saki Kumagai | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Most caps | Homare Sawa (205) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Top scorer | Homare Sawa (83) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| FIFA code | JPN | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| FIFA ranking | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Current | 8  1 (7 December 2018) |
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| Highest | 3 (December 2011) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Lowest | 14 (July 2003) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| First international | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.svg){kind=small} Chinese Taipei 1–0 Japan  (Hong Kong; 7 June 1981) |
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| Biggest win | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
.svg){kind=small} Japan 21–0 Guam  (Guangzhou, China; 5 December 1997) |
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| Biggest defeat | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Italy 9–0 Japan (Tokyo, Japan; 9 September 1981)  United States 9–0 Japan (Charlotte, United States; 29 April 1999) |
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| World Cup | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appearances | 9 (first in 1991) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best result | Champions (2011) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Olympic Games | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appearances | 5 (first in 1996) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best result | Runners-up (2012) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Asian Cup | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Appearances | 17 (first in 1977) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Best result | Champions (2014, 2018) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Medal record
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The Japan women's national football team, also known as Nadeshiko Japan, plays for Japan in women's association football. The Japan Football Association (JFA) runs the team. They are the most successful women's team from Asia. Their highest rank in the FIFA Women's World Rankings was 3rd in December 2011.
Nadeshiko Japan won their first FIFA Women's World Cup title in 2011. They beat the United States in the final. This made them the first Asian team to win a World Cup in football. They also won silver medals at the 2012 Summer Olympics and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. This makes them the only Asian team with three medals from major international championships. They have also won gold medals at the 2014 and 2018 AFC Women's Asian Cups. They also won the 2010 and 2018 Asian Games. Plus, they won the EAFF Football Championships in 2008, 2010, 2019, and 2022.
Contents
Team History: From Early Days to Success
How Women's Football Grew in Japan
In the 1970s, more and more women and teams started playing football in Japan. Regional leagues began to form. In 1977, a Japanese club team, FC Jinnan, played in the 1977 AFC Women's Championship. This was the first time a Japanese team played internationally.
The Japan Football Association formed the first official national team in 1981. Seiki Ichihara was their first manager. Their first game was on June 7, 1981, against Chinese Taipei. In 1989, the "Japan Women's Football League" (L. League) was created. This helped the national team qualify for the 1991 FIFA Women's World Cup.
Facing Challenges and Making a Comeback
The Japan women's national team became quite popular in the 1990s. They played in the 1996 Summer Olympics and the 1995 FIFA Women's World Cup. However, in 1999, they didn't qualify for the 2000 Summer Olympics. This led to some tough times for women's football in Japan. Many teams left the L. League.
In 2002, the JFA hired Eiji Ueda as the new coach. He aimed to make the team strong again for the 2004 Summer Olympics. The team improved a lot under his guidance. People in Japan started to get excited about women's football again.
In 2004, the JFA held a contest to choose a nickname for the team. "Nadeshiko Japan" was picked from many ideas. "Nadeshiko" comes from a Japanese phrase meaning "ideal Japanese woman."
World Cup Journeys: Learning and Growing
Japan played in the 2003 FIFA Women's World Cup. They won one game against Argentina (6-0). But they lost to stronger teams like Germany and Canada. They were out in the first round.
In the 2007 FIFA Women's World Cup, they faced Germany and England again. They drew with England and beat Argentina. But another loss to Germany meant they didn't get past the group stage. These experiences helped them prepare for future success.
Golden Era: Winning Big Titles
Becoming World Champions in 2011
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Japan earned their spot in the World Cup finals by finishing third in the 2010 AFC Women's Asian Cup. In the World Cup, they finished second in their group. Then, they surprised everyone by beating two-time champions Germany 1-0 in the quarterfinals. After that, they easily won against Sweden 3-1 to reach the final.
In the final game, they played against the United States. The score was 2-2 after extra time. Japan then won 3-1 in a penalty shootout! This made them the first Asian team to win the FIFA Women's World Cup. It was a huge moment for Japanese football.
Olympic Silver Medal in 2012
After winning the World Cup, Japan qualified for the 2012 Summer Olympics. They finished second in their group. In the quarterfinals, Nadeshiko Japan beat Brazil 2-0. Then, they won 2-1 against France to reach the final.
In the Olympic final, they played the United States again. This time, Japan lost 1-2. Carli Lloyd scored both goals for the U.S. Yūki Ōgimi scored Japan's only goal.
Winning the Asian Cup in 2014
Even though Japan had won a World Cup, they had never won the AFC Women's Asian Cup. In the 2014 tournament, they were in a group with Australia, Vietnam, and Jordan. They drew 2-2 with Australia, then beat Vietnam 4-0 and Jordan 7-0. They finished first in their group.
In the semi-final, Japan beat eight-time champions China 2-1 after extra time. In the final, they met Australia again and won 1-0 with a goal from Azusa Iwashimizu. This was Japan's first time winning the "Queen of Asia" title. They became the first Asian team to win both the World Cup and the Asian Cup.
World Cup Runners-Up in 2015
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Japan, ranked fourth in the world, was in Group C for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup. They played against new teams like Ecuador, Switzerland, and Cameroon. Japan won all three group games. In the Round of 16, they beat the Netherlands 2-1. Goals came from Saori Ariyoshi and Mizuho Sakaguchi.
In the quarterfinals, Japan beat Australia 1-0. Mana Iwabuchi scored the winning goal. In the semifinals against England, the score was tied 1-1. But a late own-goal by an English player sent Japan to the final.
The final was a rematch against the United States. The U.S. started very strong, scoring four goals in the first 16 minutes. Carli Lloyd scored three of them. Japan tried to come back with goals from Yuki Ogimi and an own goal. But Tobin Heath scored for the U.S., who won their third Women's World Cup.
Team Identity and Rivals
Team Nickname
The Japan women's national football team is famously known as "Nadeshiko Japan."
Home Stadiums
Japan plays its home games at different stadiums across the country. They don't have just one main home stadium.
Key Rivalries
- South Korea: Japan and South Korea have a strong rivalry in football.
- Australia: Japan and Australia are also big rivals in Asian football.
- United States: Japan and the United States have become major rivals, especially after their World Cup and Olympic finals.
Team Records and Achievements
FIFA World Ranking Highlights
Japan's highest ever FIFA ranking was 3rd in December 2011. Their lowest ranking was 14th in July 2003.
Coaching Staff
The current head coach for Nadeshiko Japan is Futoshi Ikeda. He leads a team of coaches and staff.
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Head Coach |  Futoshi Ikeda |
| Assistant Coach | Tomomi Miyamoto |
| GK Coach | Toshihiro Nishiiri |
| Physical Coach | Keisuke Otsuka |
| Technical Staff | Kensuke Teraguchi |
Manager History
Many talented managers have led the Japan women's national football team over the years. Some notable ones include Ryohei Suzuki, Eiji Ueda, and Norio Sasaki, who led the team to their 2011 World Cup victory.
Top Players: Most Games and Goals
Here are some of the players who have played the most games (most caps) or scored the most goals for Japan.
Most Capped Players
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Top Goalscorers
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Major Trophies and Awards
Nadeshiko Japan has won many important tournaments:
World and Olympic Medals
- FIFA Women's World Cup
- Olympic Games
Runners-up: 2012
Asian Titles
- AFC Women's Asian Cup
Champions: 2014, 2018
- Asian Games
- Champions: 2010, 2018
Regional Championships
- EAFF E-1 Football Championship
- Champions: 2008, 2010, 2019, 2022
Images for kids
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The Japan team thanking fans for their support for the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami after their World Cup win
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Nadeshiko, 2013
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The national teams of Japan and the United States at the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup
See also
In Spanish: Selección femenina de fútbol de Japón para niños
- National teams
- Men's
- Japan national football team
- Japan national under-23 football team
- Japan national under-20 football team
- Japan national under-17 football team
- Japan national futsal team
- Japan national under-20 futsal team
- Japan national beach soccer team
- Women's
- Japan women's national under-20 football team
- Japan women's national under-17 football team
- Japan women's national futsal team
