The 5th All Japan Youth (U-15) Women’s Futsal Tournament is set on Sunday 11 and Monday 12 January 2015. The contests for the women’s futsal champions of the U-15 generation will be held at Sky Hall Toyota in Toyota, Aichi, the same venue as men’s 20th All Japan Youth (U-15) Futsal Tournament

The women’s football has garnered remarkable attention in Japan in the recent years with the success of Nadeshiko Japan (Japan National Women’s Team) and the development of the Nadeshiko League and the Challenge League. On the other hand, as there is no national league of women’s futsal, regional leagues such as Kanto, Tokai and Kansai and prefectural leagues are held as the top leagues. While this category is to be developed in the near future, this tournament certainly is the gateway for women’s futsal’s bigger stages.

Looking at the top category of women’s futsal, Japan National Women’s Futsal Team have achieved great results. Since the team were launched in 2007, they claimed three straight Asian titles at the Asian Indoor Games in 2007 and 2009 and the Asian Indoor-Martial Arts Games in 2013. They played a friendly in May 2013 for the first time in Japan and had the first international friendly on Japan soil against Chinese Taipei National Women’s Futsal Team last December. Additionally, the 1st AFC Women’s Futsal Championship is scheduled in September next year. The women’s futsal team are looking at the further development.

Just like Maruoka Ruck Ladies’ Kitagawa Kana, who scored her first goal in her friendly-match debut in 2013 when she was at the third grade of junior high school, there has been a player out of this generation who gets to play on the national team. Japan National Women’s Futsal Team head coach Arihara Masaaki opens the door for all female players and gives advice to them. “To improve the level of the national team, your daily habit is important. You need to get used to making decisions in your life so that you can understand a situation and make a decision on the pitch. To do that, your activity in your team is important―how much you can experience unconventional training and how much you can actively communicate with others even off the pitch. That creates the foundation of a player who can make her own decision as she follows coach’s order.

The top category is more open to young generations in women’s futsal than men’s. The participating players’ level has also improved every time the tournament is held. Take a close look at the contests that show a sense of tension and a mixture of emotions.

All Japan Youth (U-15) Women's Futsal Tournament

Sun. 11 January 2015 - Mon. 12 January 2015
Toyoda City, Aichi／Skyhall Toyoda

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