The Air Self-Defense Forces Iruma Base football team and the Maritime Self-Defense Forces Atsugi Marcus team grabbed the championships in the 48th national Self-Defense Forces football tournament in the women’s division and men’s division, respectively. The women’s tournament (futsal) was held between the 19 April and the 20 April at the gymnasium of the Defense Forces Asaka Base, while the men’s tournament was played from the 20-27 April at Ajinomoto Field Nishigaoka.
On the final day of the men’s tourney, JFA secretary general Hara Hiromi gave rewarding words to the players, saying, ``Even after you got hit hard, you did not show the signs of your pains, while you kept the attitudes to never give up on your plays, whether you would lose your ball or your team would lose. That was great. We appreciate that all of you work for the safety and peace of Japan on a daily basis.’’

Men’s division

Championship - Maritime Self-Defense Forces Atsugi Marcus
Runner-ups - Defense Army
Third place - Air Force Self-Defense Forces F.C. 3DEP (3rd supply depot football club)

Best Eleven

Maritime Self-Defense Forces Atsugi Marcus - Oyama Toru, Itakura Mitsuo, Kudo Hayato, Sato Koichi, Ogusu Kyohei, Hiruta Yuki
Defense Army - Fujii Mitsuaki, Tsuruya Takahiro
Air Force Self-Defense Forces F.C. 3DEP - Kumagaya Teppei, Maki Motoki

Women’s division

Championships - Air Force Self-Defense Forces Iruma Base women’s football club
Runner-ups - Air Force Self-Defense Fores Tida Kickers
Third place - Air Force Self-Defense Force Thrusters F.C.

Comments of coach and players, Maritime Self-Defense Forces Atsugi Marcus

OHNO Shinji Coach
We missed the championship last year, and the players took it so hard. So I am proud that our guys made progressed mentally. As for the games, I think that we were able to play our ball as planned. We cannot have all the players for our weekday practices, but we came in the tournament thinking that we would definitely win it, and as a matter of a fact, we did not feel that we would get beaten by anyone. Our Kanto league play continues, but we prohibit ourselves to make complaints inside the team. I think that our younger guys will lead the team more from now on.

SAKAKURA Mitsuo
We ended up coming up short last year and the past year felt such a long time. So it felt like that we have finally paid back. We are playing feeling that we cannot afford to lose, so we were so desperate. We did not have a weird pressure or whatsoever in the final game, and I think that we were able to overwhelm our opponents there. Because we usually have to prioritize our jobs and often cannot have all the members, but I think that our personal training paid off to help it. We received so much high expectations, but we were able to convert it to our power.

Comments of coach and players, Air Force Self-Defense Forces Iruma Base women's football club

MATSUMOTO Hirohisa Coach
We were eliminated in the group stage and came in here having worked harder based on the frustration from that time. We only have three persons that had had the football experience and it gave us some hard time in our practices and originally we did not have enough players and could not play even mini games. But eventually those who did not have experience in the sport got to be able to move like football players, because of the teachings of our coaches, and I was impressed when I saw some of our players kept working hard, overcoming pains in their bodies. So as we won the championships, it was such an incredible feeling, and I really think that our players did an incredible job.

SAKIKAWA Kana
The reason why we could win the championship was because our players and staff did their own roles, and it was the result of our team effort. And personally I was able to run how I wanted to, it was because of our defense, who held our opponents to just two goals throughout the tournament. Also, we have to appreciate for the support of our head coach and those other players who were not able to play due to injuries. Because of them, we could keep our motivation and put extra efforts. Hopefully, we will be able to put up better results and we are going to work harder.