Japanese Non-league Football News

Forward Hideyuki Takeya's last-minute goal gave JFL champions-elect Sagawa Kyubin SC a 1-0 win over Tochigi SC in the single scheduled fixture on Friday. This means that Sagawa are now ten points clear at the top ahead of the table, with Rosso Kumamoto trailing behind them in second.

Fri 28 Sep: Sagawa Kyubin SC 1-0 Tochigi SC

1. Sagawa Kyubin SC 64 (+42)
2. Rosso Kumamoto 54 (+23)
3. YKK AP 47 (+12)
4. FC Gifu 43 (+8)
- - - - - - - - - - - -
5. Alo's Hokuriku 43 (+4)
6. JEF Reserves 42 (+3)
7. Honda FC 41 (+12)
8. Yokogawa Musashino 38 (+2)
9. Ryutsu Keizai University 38 (+1)
10. Tochigi SC 35 (+5)
11. Mitsubishi Mizushima 34 (-4)
12. Sagawa Printing 33 (-6)
13. Sony Sendai 31 (-14)
14. TDK SC 30 (+2)
15. Gainare Tottori 30 (-6)
16. FC Kariya 26 (-15)
17. FC Ryukyu 20 (-33)
18. Arte Takasaki 6 (-36)

Following on from the widely-publicised news that Toyama neighbours Alo's Hokuriku and YKK AP will merge at the end of the year in order to create a single team that will aim for a place in J2, Rosso Kumamoto have announced that they have made a formal application for membership of the J-League in 2008... meanwhile FC Gifu, still hopeful of gaining promotion at the end of this season themselves, have signed on lona forward Shinya Aikawa from J2 leaders Consadole Sapporo...

Hokushinetsu League side Zweigen Kanazawa continue their excellent run in the 2007 Emperor's Cup with the elimination of FC Kariya in the Second Round at the weekend, while three other JFL clubs were also knocked out. Sagawa Printing perhaps unsurprisingly went down 2-0 at Alo's Hokuriku and TDK SC beat Mitsubishi Mizushima in the other all-JFL tie.

But Gainare Tottori will be disappointed to have lost 3-1 at home to the side representing the National Institute of Fitness & Sports in Kanoya, the college from which Kyushu League team Osumi NIFS United get their players. And Sony Sendai were two goals up in their tie against Meiji University, only to crash to a 3-2 defeat. Here are the Second Round results in full:

Sat 22 Sep: FC Kariya 0-1 Zweigen Kanazawa

Sun 23 Sep: Alo's Hokuriku 2-0 Sagawa Printing SC
Sun 23 Sep: Banditonce Kobe 6-2 Tenri University
Sun 23 Sep: Gainare Tottori 1-3 National Institute of Fitness & Sports in Kanoya
Sun 23 Sep: Honda FC 2-0 Saitama SC
Sun 23 Sep: Meiji University 3-2 Sony Sendai
Sun 23 Sep: Mitsubishi Mizushima 0-2 TDK SC
Sun 23 Sep: Okinawa Kariyushi 3-1 Japan Soccer College
Sun 23 Sep: Osaka University of Health & Sport Sciences 1-2 FC Gifu
Sun 23 Sep: Tochigi SC 2-1 FC Mi-o Biwako Kusatsu
Sun 23 Sep: Toho Titanium 0-2 Juntendo University
Sun 23 Sep: Tsukuba University 3-0 Tokushima Vortis Amateur
Sun 23 Sep: V Varen Nagasaki 5-0 Hachinohe University

Mon 24 Sep: Honda Lock 3-1 Kinki University Wakayama HS

J2 clubs enter the club at the the Third Round stage, for which the fixtures are as follows:

Sun 07 Oct: Avispa Fukuoka - Tochigi SC
Sun 07 Oct: Cerezo Osaka - Honda Lock
Sun 07 Oct: Consadole Sapporo - TDK SC
Sun 07 Oct: Meiji University - Kyoto Sanga
Sun 07 Oct: Mito Hollyhock - Zweigen Kanazawa
Sun 07 Oct: Montedio Yamagata - National Institute of Fitness & Sports in Kanoya
Sun 07 Oct: Okinawa Kariyushi - Ehime FC
Sun 07 Oct: Sagan Tosu - Tsukuba University
Sun 07 Oct: Sagawa Kyubin SC - Banditonce Kobe
Sun 07 Oct: Shonan Bellmare - V Varen Nagasaki
Sun 07 Oct: Thespa Kusatsu - Alo's Hokuriku
Sun 07 Oct: Tokushima Vortis - FC Gifu
Sun 07 Oct: Tokyo Verdy 1969 - Honda FC
Sun 07 Oct: Vegalta Sendai - Juntendo University

There have been two fixtures played over the last few days in the Kyushu League, both postponed games from earlier in the year when the southernmost of Japan's four main islands was affected by typhoons. Fukuoka University students Nanakuma Tombies gave themselves a fighting chance of avoiding a bottom place finish after coming from two down to win 4-2 at fellow strugglers Kumamoto Teachers. But those teams will definitely occupy the final two positions in the standings, as Kaiho Bank SC moved out of reach with a 1-0 victory over Osumi NIFS United.

Mon 17 Sep: Kumamoto Teachers 2-4 Nanakuma Tombies

Sun 23 Sep: Osumi NIFS United 0-1 Kaiho Bank SC

1. Honda Lock 49 (+56)
2. New Wave Kitakyushu 48 (+43)
3. V Varen Nagasaki 47 (+61)
4. Nippon Steel Oita 34 (+13)
5. Volca Kagoshima 27 (+13)
6. Okinawa Kariyushi 27 (+2)
7. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki 22 (-22)
8. Osumi NIFS United 19 (-14)
9. Kaiho Bank SC 15 (-52)
10. Kumamoto Teachers 6 (-38)
11. Nanakuma Tombies 6 (-62)

JEF Reserves moved back into the top six of the JFL with a 2-0 win at Sagawa Printing ten days ago. This is the last JFL fixture until the second weekend in October, as teams take a break from league action for the early stages of this season's Emeperor's Cup tournament.

Wed 12 Sep: Sagawa Printing 0-2 JEF Reserves

1. Sagawa Kyubin SC 61 (+41)
2. Rosso Kumamoto 54 (+23)
3. YKK AP 47 (+12)
4. FC Gifu 43 (+8)
- - - - - - - - - - - -
5. Alo's Hokuriku 43 (+4)
6. JEF Reserves 42 (+3)
7. Honda FC 41 (+12)
8. Yokogawa Musashino 38 (+2)
9. Ryutsu Keizai University 38 (+1)
10. Tochigi SC 35 (+6)
11. Mitsubishi Mizushima 34 (-4)
12. Sagawa Printing 33 (-6)
13. Sony Sendai 31 (-14)
14. TDK SC 30 (+2)
15. Gainare Tottori 30 (-6)
16. FC Kariya 26 (-15)
17. FC Ryukyu 20 (-33)
18. Arte takasaki 6 (-36)

Here are the results from the First Round proper of the Emperor's Cup tournament for 2007:

Sun 16 Sep: Banditonce Kobe 5-0 Yamagata University
Sun 16 Sep: Barefoot Hokkaido 1-3 Osaka University of Health & Sport Sciences
Sun 16 Sep: FC Central Chugoku 2-5 Kinki University Wakayama HS
Sun 16 Sep: FC Ganju Iwate 2-3 Saitama SC
Sun 16 Sep: FC Gifu 3-1 Fukuoka University of Education
Sun 16 Sep: Gainare Tottori 2-0 Saga University
Sun 16 Sep: Hiroshima Shudo University 1-2 Japan Soccer College
Sun 16 Sep: Kamatamare Sanuki 1-4 Mitsubishi Mizushima
Sun 16 Sep: National Institute of Fitness & Sports in Kanoya 1-1 Ryutsu Keizai University (PK 4-3)
Sun 16 Sep: Nirasaki Astros 0-8 TDK SC
Sun 16 Sep: Ohara School JaSRA 4-5 Hachinohe University
Sun 16 Sep: Oita Trinita U18 0-1 Tokushima Vortis Amateur
Sun 16 Sep: Okinawa Kariyushi 7-0 Hisaeda FC
Sun 16 Sep: Sagawa Printing 6-0 Maruoka Phoenix
Sun 16 Sep: Sony Sendai 2-1 Renofa Yamaguchi
Sun 16 Sep: Tenri University 3-1 Tonan SC Gunma
Sun 16 Sep: Viancone Fukushima 0-1 V Varen Nagasaki
Sun 16 Sep: Yokkaichi University 2-3 FC Mi-o Biwako Kusatsu
Sun 16 Sep: Zweigen Kanazawa 3-2 Rosso Kumamoto (aet)

Mon 17 Sep: Kochi University 1-3 Juntendo University

Here are the fixtures for the Second Round:

Sun 23 Sep: Alo's Hokuriku - Sagawa Printing SC
Sun 23 Sep: Banditonce Kobe - Tenri University
Sat 22 Sep: FC Kariya - Zweigen Kanazawa
Sun 23 Sep: Gainare Tottori - National Institute of Fitness & Sports in Kanoya
Sun 23 Sep: Honda FC - Saitama SC
Sun 23 Sep: Meiji University - Sony Sendai
Sun 23 Sep: Mitsubishi Mizushima - TDK SC
Sun 23 Sep: Okinawa Kariyushi - Japan Soccer College
Sun 23 Sep: Osaka University of Health & Sport Sciences - FC Gifu
Sun 23 Sep: Tochigi SC - FC Mi-o Biwako Kusatsu
Sun 23 Sep: Toho Titanium - Juntendo University
Sun 23 Sep: Tsukuba University - Tokushima Vortis Amateur
Sun 23 Sep: V Varen Nagasaki - Hachinohe University

Mon 24 Sep: Honda Lock - Kinki University Wakayama HS

Shikoku League 2007 sensations Tokushima Vortis Amateur took a major step towards winning the title with a 3-0 win at home to rivals Kamatamare Sanuki. Star striker Hideo Okamoto netted three times in the final half hour to put his team three points clear at the top with just two fixtures remaining. Previous top dogs Nangoku Kochi are now out of the race, despite their 6-4 defeat of Ehime Shimanami. At the foot of the table, Sanwa Club will definitely be in the relegation play-offs after losing 4-1 to Tokushima Comprille SC, who are just about in touch with the competition after picking up three vital points.

Sat 01 Sep: Ehime Shimanami 2-0 Tokushima Comprille SC
Sat 01 Sep: Tokushima Vortis Amateur 3-0 Kamatamare Sanuki

Sun 09 Sep: Kamatamare Sanuki 6-1 Sanyo Electric Tokushima
Sun 09 Sep: Nangoku Kochi 6-4 Ehime Shimanami
Sun 09 Sep: Tokushima Comprille SC 4-1 Sanwa Club
Sun 09 Sep: Ventana AC 0-7 Tokushima Vortis Amateur

1. Tokushima Vortis Amateur 34 (+54)
2. Kamatamare Sanuki 31 (+47)
3. Nangoku Kochi 27 (+21)
4. Sanyo Electric Tokushima 15 (-12)
5. Ehime Shimanami 13 (-17)
6. Ventana AC 10 (-30)
7. Tokushima Comprille SC 6 (-25)
8. Sanwa Club 3 (-38)

The Kyushu League season is now heading for a thrilling climax in the final double header of the year in Kitakyushu at the end of the October. New Wave Kitakyushu might be in second place now, but they are arguably favourites given that their last two matches are against lower teams, whereas their nearest rivals Honda Lock and V Varen Nagasaki must play each other in the last game. And this potential advantage for New Wave came about as they beat current leaders Lock 3-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw, meaning under local rules that they pick up two points to Lock's one.

V Varen, meanwhile, were winning 2-0 at Nippon Steel Oita to close the gap in third place - and with a superior goal difference, they cannot yet be discounted. With Nippon Steel safe in fourth, Okinawa Kariyushi remain one place behind them after a local derby defeat of Kaiho Bank SC, while Volca Kagoshima are also mid-table following their 4-1 win over Kumamoto Teachers. Still rooted to the foot of the table, however, are Nanakuma Tombies, 6-0 losers to Osumi NIFS United.

Sun 09 Sep: Kaiho Bank SC 2-5 Okinawa Kariyushi
Sun 09 Sep: Kumamoto Teachers 1-4 Volca Kagoshima
Sun 09 Sep: Nanakuma Tombies 0-6 Osumi NIFS United
Sun 09 Sep: New Wave Kitakyushu 1-1 Honda Lock (PK 3-1)
Sun 09 Sep: Nippon Steel Oita 0-2 V Varen Nagasaki

1. Honda Lock 49 (+56)
2. New Wave Kitakyushu 48 (+43)
3. V Varen Nagasaki 47 (+61)
4. Nippon Steel Oita 34 (+13)
5. Okinawa Kariyushi 27 (+2)
6. Volca Kagoshima 27 (-3)
7. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki 22 (-22)
8. Osumi NIFS United 19 (-13)
9. Kaiho Bank SC 12 (-53)
10. Kumamoto Teachers 6 (-36)
11. Nanakuma Tombies 3 (-64)

Promoted from Division 2 of the Kanto League at the first attempt are Ryutsu Keizai University reserves - or Club Dragons, to give them their proper name - who celebrated their title by beating Yonoshukonkai 4-2 in the last match of the season on Sunday. Moving up with them will be MSDF Atsugi Marcus, who rounded off their year with a 4-4 draw at Hanno Bruder. Relegated back to the Prefectural Leagues are Nirasaki Astros and Ome FC, who both concluded the campaign with a win against Furukawa Electrics Chiba and Kanagawa Teachers respectively.

Sun 09 Sep: Club Dragons 4-2 Yonoshukonkai
Sun 09 Sep: Hanno Bruder 4-4 MSDF Atsugi Marcus
Sun 09 Sep: Nirasaki Astros 4-2 Furukawa Electrics Chiba
Sun 09 Sep: Ome FC 3-2 Kanagawa Teachers

1. Club Dragons 32 (+31)
2. MSDF Atsugi Marcus 27 (+14)
3. Hanno Bruder 21 (+10)
4. Furukawa Electrics Chiba 20 (-4)
5. Yonoshukonkai 16 (-6)
6. Kanagawa Teachers 14 (-5)
7. Ome FC 13 (-11)
8. Nirasaki Astros 10 (-29)

It was runners-up Hitachi Tochigi Uva who spoiled the party for Kanto League Division 1 champions FC Machida Zelvia in the final game of the season on Sunday, inflicting upon Machida their first defeat of the year with a 1-0 win. Luminozo Sayama finished third in spite of a 2-1 loss at home to last year's champions YSCC, while the relegated sides are Yaita SC - who drew at Saitama SC - and Toshiba Fuchu, 2-1 winners over Toho Titanium.

Sun 09 Sep: FC Machida Zelvia 0-1 Hitachi Tochigi Uva
Sun 09 Sep: Luminozo Sayama 1-2 YSCC
Sun 09 Sep: Saitama SC 0-0 Yaita SC
Sun 09 Sep: Toshiba Fuchu 2-1 Toho Titanium

1. FC Machida Zelvia 37 (+26)
2. Hitachi Tochigi Uva 27 (+16)
3. Luminozo Sayama 20 (-4)
4. YSCC 19 (-)
5. Toho Titanium 18 (-7)
6. Saitama SC 15 (-6)
7. Toshiba Fuchu 14 (-3)
8. Yaita SC 10 (-22)

Granscena Niigata sealed promotion from Division 2 of the Hokushinetsu League in the final round of matches on Sunday, their 2-0 defeat of Maruoka Phoenix being the team's ninth win in ten games since May. Ambitious Saurcos Fukui will take on Niigata University of Management in the play-offs, although they brought to an end their run of three consecutive losses with a 2-0 win over Teihens FC. Toyama Shinjo Club are relegated to their local Prefectural League despite drawing 2-2 with FC Antelope Shiojiri, and Ohara School JaSRA completed a good first season at Regional level with a 4-0 victory at CUPS Niigata.

Sun 09 Sep: CUPS Niigata 0-4 Ohara School JaSRA
Sun 09 Sep: Granscena Niigata 2-0 Maruoka Phoenix
Sun 09 Sep: Teihens FC 0-2 Saurcos Fukui
Sun 09 Sep: Toyama Shinjo Club 2-2 FC Antelope Shiojiri

1. Granscena Niigata 31 (+9)
2. Saurcos Fukui 28 (+13)
3. Ohara School JaSRA 26 (+11)
4. FC Antelope Shiojiri 23 (+5)
5. CUPS Niigata 20 (-1)
6. Maruoka Phoenix 15 (+2)
7. Teihens FC 12 (-14)
8. Toyama Shinjo Club 5 (-35)

Matsumoto Yamaga Club took the title in Division 1 of the Hokushinetsu League on Sunday, thanks to a 2-2 draw at reigning champions Japan Soccer College. This enabled Yamaga to pip their near neighbours AC Nagano Parceiro on goal difference, despite the latter's 4-1 defeat of Zweigen Kanazawa. Niigata University of Management did their best to stay out of the relegation play-offs with a 4-2 win over a Fervorosa side who are releasing large numbers of players at present, but the fact that Valiente Toyama beat relegated Ueda Gentian means that the students will indeed have to play off in order to remain in the top flight.

Sun 09 Sep: AC Nagano Parceiro 4-1 Zweigen Kanazawa
Sun 09 Sep: Japan Soccer College 2-2 Matsumoto Yamaga Club
Sun 09 Sep: Niigata University of Management 4-2 Fervorosa
Sun 09 Sep: Ueda Gentian 0-3 Valiente Toyama

1. Matsumoto Yamaga Club 31 (+32)
2. AC Nagano Parceiro 31 (+17)
3. Japan Soccer College 29 (+24)
4. Zweigen Kanazawa 27 (+19)
5. Fervorosa 24 (+14)
6. Valiente Toyama 10 (-16)
7. Niigata University of Management 9 (-44)
8. Ueda Gentian 2 (-46)

There was a double header of fixtures over the weekend in the Hokkaido League, the chief outcome being that local top dogs Norbritz Hokkaido have confirmed their 2007 title win. With one game remaining, the former Hokkaido Electric Power side have won all thirteen matches so far this year, including 5-0 and 4-1 wins over Sapporo Winds and Sapporo FC respectively. In fact it was a bad weekend all round for Winds, in that as well as their heavy loss to Norbritz, they also went down 4-1 to Toyota Motors Hokkaido, taking something of a shine off what has been an excellent season for them following promotion.

If everything is sorted out at the top of the table, things could scarcely be tighter, though, at the bottom. Tokachifairsky Genesis have sunk to the foot of the standings after losing to Sapporo FC and Hokushukai, although any of that trio could find themselves in the Block Leagues next year. Blackpecker Hakodate are not out of the woods yet either, despite beating Toyota Motors Hokkaido and a draw at Barefoot Hokkaido.

Sat 08 Sep: Hokushukai 1-3 Barefoot Hokkaido
Sat 08 Sep: Sapporo FC 3-1 Tokachifairsky Genesis
Sat 08 Sep: Sapporo Winds 0-5 Norbritz Hokkaido
Sat 08 Sep: Toyota Motors Hokkaido 1-4 Blackpecker Hakodate

Sun 09 Sep: Barefoot Hokkaido 3-3 Blackpecker Hakodate
Sun 09 Sep: Hokushukai 4-3 Tokachifairsky Genesis
Sun 09 Sep: Norbritz Hokkaido 4-1 Sapporo FC
Sun 09 Sep: Toyota Motors Hokkaido 4-1 Sapporo Winds

1. Norbritz Hokkaido 39 (+52)
2. Sapporo Winds 28 (+14)
3. Barefoot Hokkaido 20 (+3)
4. Toyota Motors Hokkaido 17 (-6)
5. Blackpecker Hakodate 12 (-11)
6. Hokushukai 12 (-21)
7. Sapporo FC 11 (-14)
8. Tokachifairsky Genesis 10 (-17)

In the last round of the Chugoku League season proper, Fagiano Okayama duly retained their 100% record for the whole year by beating their nearest challengers FC Central Chugoku. Sagawa Kyubin Chugoku just held on to third spot by the narrowest of margins, despite a remarkable 7-5 defeat at Renofa Yamaguchi. Hiroshima Fujita SC pulled themselves up into mid-table thanks to a win over neighbours JFE Steel Western Japan and promoted side Mazda SC will be pleased with their first season back at Regional level. They won 1-0 against Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado in the final match before the play-offs begin on 7th October.

Sun 09 Sep: FC Central Chugoku 0-2 Fagiano Okayama
Sun 09 Sep: JFE Steel Wester Japan 2-3 Hiroshima Fujita SC
Sun 09 Sep: Mazda SC 1-0 Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado
Sun 09 Sep: Renofa Yamaguchi 7-5 Sagawa Kyubin Chugoku

1. Fagiano Okayama 42 (+74)
2. FC Central Chugoku 30 (+16)
3. Sagawa Kyubin Chugoku 21 (-)
4. Renofa Yamaguchi 21 (-1)
5. Hiroshima Fujita SC 17 (-8)
6. Mazda SC 15 (-13)
7. JFE Steel Western Japan 11 (-23)
8. Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado 6 (-45)

Now seven points clear at the top of the JFL are Sagawa Kyubin SC, after two goals from leading scorer Sho Gokyu helped them to a 3-0 win at out-of-form Yokogawa Musashino. Second place Rosso Kumamoto seem assured of a place in J2 next season, but while FC Gifu are clinging on to the required top four spot, it's surely all over for another season for Tochigi SC. The J-League associate members crashed 3-0 at home to Honda FC, who notched up all their goals in eighteen blistering first half minutes, leaving Tochigi marooned in the lower half of the table. Indeed, they're only a couple of points ahead of predicted relegation candidates Sagawa Printing, who were in turn 4-1 losers to lowly Gainare Tottori.

Sun 09 Sep: Sagawa Printing 1-4 Gainare Tottori
Sun 09 Sep: Tochigi SC 0-3 Honda FC
Sun 09 Sep: Yokogawa Musashino 0-3 Sagawa Kyubin SC

1. Sagawa Kyubin SC 61 (+41)
2. Rosso Kumamoto 54 (+23)
3. YKK AP 47 (+12)
4. FC Gifu 43 (+8)
5. Alo's Hokuriku 43 (+4)
6. Honda FC 41 (+12)
7. JEF Reserves 39 (+1)
8. Yokogawa Musashino 38 (+2)
9. Ryutsu Keizai University 38 (+1)
10. Tochigi SC 35 (+6)
11. Mitsubishi Mizushima 34 (-4)
12. Sagawa Printing 33 (-5)
13. Sony Sendai 31 (-14)
14. TDK SC 30 (+2)
15. Gainare Tottori 30 (-5)
16. FC Kariya 26 (-15)
17. FC Ryukyu 20 (-33)
18. Arte Takasaki 6 (-36)

Rosso Kumamoto lost ground on JFL leaders Sagawa Kyubin SC in the big game of the day on Saturday, going down 2-1 at home to a YKK AP side who would appear to be doing their level best to impact upon the title race. Midfielder Daisuke Asahi netted the winner in the dying seconds to complete a come-from-behind win for YKK, after Kiyoshi Saito had given Rosso a seventeenth-minute lead.
And promotion hopefuls FC Gifu also threw away an early advantage, eventually losing 2-1 to lowly FC Kariya - a result that could have a serious impact upon Gifu's dreams of a top four finish and a place in J2 next year.

Indeed, they would be out of the promotion places already if Alo's Hokuriku hadn't twice failed to hold on to the lead against TDK SC. A 2-2 draw nevertheless keeps Alo's in fifth on goal difference - while one place and four points below them are JEF Reserves, for whom midfield man Taro Kawano was the scorer in a 1-0 win over an FC Ryukyu side that have now lost four games in a row. One of the teams moving further away from them in the lower half of the table are Sony Sendai, whose recent good form continued as they defeated Mitsubishi Mizushima. But Arte Takasaki are still rooted to the bottom of the division as they lost to Ryutsu Keizai University.

Sat 08 Sep: Alo's Hokuriku 2-2 TDK SC
Sat 08 Sep: Arte Takasaki 1-3 Ryutsu Keizai University
Sat 08 Sep: FC Kariya 2-1 FC Gifu
Sat 08 Sep: JEF Reserves 1-0 FC Ryukyu
Sat 08 Sep: Rosso Kumamoto 1-2 YKK AP
Sat 08 Sep: Sony Sendai 2-0 Mitsubishi Mizushima

1. Sagawa Kyubin SC 58 (+38)
2. Rosso Kumamoto 54 (+23)
3. YKK AP 47 (+12)
4. FC Gifu 43 (+8)
5. Alo's Hokuriku 43 (+4)
6. JEF Reserves 39 (+1)
7. Honda FC 38 (+9)
8. Yokogawa Musashino 38 (+5)
9. Ryutsu Keizai University 38 (+1)
10. Tochigi SC 35 (+9)
11. Mitsubishi Mizushima 34 (-4)
12. Sagawa Printing 33 (-2)
13. Sony Sendai 31 (-14)
14. TDK SC 30 (+2)
15. Gainare Tottori 27 (-8)
16. FC Kariya 26 (-15)
17. FC Ryukyu 20 (-33)
18. Arte Takasaki 6 (-36)

... Xu Xiao Fei, Shikoku League outfit Kamatamare Sanuki's ex-Consadole Sapporo midfielder, has left the team and joined JFL side Gainare Tottori. Xu wasn't a starting member for Sanuki this year...

The draw for the First Round proper of the 2007 Emperor's Cup is as follows. All ties will be played on 16 or 17 September.

Banditonce Kobe - Yamagata University
Barefoot Hokkaido - Osaka University of Health & Sport Sciences
FC Central Chugoku - Kinki University Wakayama HS
FC Ganju Iwate - Saitama SC
FC Gifu - Fukuoka University of Education
Gainare Tottori - Saga University
Hiroshima Shudo University - Japan Soccer College
Kamatamare Sanuki - Mitsubishi Mizushima
Kochi University - Juntendo University
National Institute of Fitness & Sports in Kanoya - Ryutsu Keizai University
Nirasaki Astros - TDK SC
Ohara School JaSRA - Hachinohe University
Oita Trinita U18 - Tokushima Vortis Amateur
Okinawa Kariyushi - Hisaeda FC
Sagawa Printing - Maruoka Phoenix
Sony Sendai - Renofa Yamaguchi
Tenri University - Tonan SC Gunma
Viancone Fukushima - V Varen Nagasaki
Yokkaichi University - FC Mi-o Biwako Kusatsu
Zweigen Kanazawa - Rosso Kumamoto

All the prefectural finals have now been played in this season's Emperor's Cup competition, meaning that the lower league team to represent each of Japan's 47 prefectures in the tournament proper is now known. The First Round is to be played on Sunday 16 September and JNFN will confirm the full draw shortly, but in the meantime here are the results of all the prefectural finals:

Sun 08 Jul: FC Central Chugoku 4-0 Iwami SC (Shimane)

Sun 19 Aug: Tokushima Vortis Amateur 3-1 Tokushima Comprille SC (Tokushima)

Sun 26 Aug: Barefoot Hokkaido 0-0 Hokkai Gakuen University (PK 5-4) (Hokkaido)
Sun 26 Aug: Hiroshima Shudo University 2-0 Fukuyama University (Hiroshima)
Sun 26 Aug: Honda Lock 3-1 Miyazaki Sangyo-Keiei University (Miyazaki)
Sun 26 Aug: Kamatamare Sanuki 5-1 Takamatsu University (Kagawa)
Sun 26 Aug: Kinki University Wakayama HS 4-1 Kihoku Football Group (Wakayama)
Sun 26 Aug: Kochi University 3-2 Nangoku Kochi (Kochi)
Sun 26 Aug: Mitsubishi Mizushima 3-1 Kibi International University (Okayama)
Sun 26 Aug: Nirasaki Astros 1-1 Nirasaki HS (PK 7-6) (Yamanashi)
Sun 26 Aug: Oita Trinita U18 1-0 Nippon Bunri University (Oita)
Sun 26 Aug: Saga University 3-1 Kyushu INAX (Saga)
Sun 26 Aug: Saitama SC 1-0 Omiya Ardija Youth (Saitama)

Sat 01 Sep: Juntendo University 2-1 JEF Reserves (Chiba)

Sun 02 Sep: Alo's Hokuriku 1-0 YKK AP (Toyama)
Sun 02 Sep: Banditonce Kobe 1-0 Kansai Kaguin University (Hyogo)
Sun 02 Sep: FC Ganju Iwate 3-0 Fuji University (Iwate)
Sun 02 Sep: FC Gifu 6-0 Gifu Keizai University (Gifu)
Sun 02 Sep: FC Mi-o Biwako Kusatsu 4-2 Biwako Seikei Sport College (Shiga)
Sun 02 Sep: Fukuoka University of Education 2-1 Kyushu Sangyo University (Fukuoka)
Sun 02 Sep: Gainare Tottori 4-1 Sakai HS (Tottori)
Sun 02 Sep: Hachinohe University 7-4 Aomori Yamada HS (Aomori)
Sun 02 Sep: Hisaeda FC 2-0 Matsuyama University (Ehime)
Sun 02 Sep: Honda FC 2-1 Shizuoka Sangyo University (Shizuoka)
Sun 02 Sep: Japan Soccer College 1-0 Niigata University of Management (Niigata)
Sun 02 Sep: Maruoka Phoenix 3-1aet Saurcos Fukui (Fukui)
Sun 02 Sep: Meiji University 1-0 FC Machida Zelvia (Tokyo)
Sun 02 Sep: National Institute of Fitness & Sports in Kanoya 3-1 Osumi NIFS United (Kagoshima)
Sun 02 Sep: Ohara School JaSRA 2-2aet Matsumoto Yamaga Club (Nagano) (PK 4-1)
Sun 02 Sep: Okinawa Kariyushi 3-1aet FC Ryukyu (Okinawa)
Sun 02 Sep: Osaka University of Health & Sport Sciences 5-3 Kinki University (Osaka)
Sun 02 Sep: Renofa Yamaguchi 4-0 Tokuyama University (Yamaguchi)
Sun 02 Sep: Rosso Kumamoto 7-2 Kumamoto University (Kumamoto)
Sun 02 Sep: Sagawa Printing 1-0 AS Laranja Kyoto (Kyoto)
Sun 02 Sep: Sony Sendai 1-0 NEC Tokin (Miyagi)
Sun 02 Sep: TDK SC 9-0 Saruta Industry (Akita)
Sun 02 Sep: Tenri University 4-1 Nara Sangyo University (Nara)
Sun 02 Sep: Tochigi SC 4-1 Shakushin Gakuin University (Tochigi)
Sun 02 Sep: Toho Titanium 1-0 Shoin University (Kanagawa)
Sun 02 Sep: Tonan SC Gunma 3-1 Arte Takasaki (Gunma)
Sun 02 Sep: Tsukuba University 4-3aet Club Dragons (Ibaraki)
Sun 02 Sep: V Varen Nagasaki 5-1 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki (Nagasaki)
Sun 02 Sep: Viancone Fukushima 2-0 Furukawa Battery (Fukushima)
Sun 02 Sep: Yamagata University 7-1 Haguro HS (Yamagata)
Sun 02 Sep: Yokkaichi University 2-1 Mie Chukyo University (Mie)
Sun 02 Sep: Zweigen Kanazawa 2-1 Teihens FC (Ishikawa)

There was a truly sensational result in the main Tokai League Division 1 fixture of the weekend. Shizuoka FC had the chance to put clear distance between themselves at Yazaki Valente at the top of the table, but incredibly fell to a 2-1 defeat at home to bottom side Kasugai Club. This was Kasugai's first win of the year and pulls them back into contention of avoiding the drop. There was also a rearranged game between Fujieda City Hall and Honda Suzuka, the civil servants running up the biggest win in the division so far this year by scoring six without reply.

Sun 02 Sep: Fujieda City Hall 6-0 Honda Suzuka
Sun 02 Sep: Shizuoka FC 1-2 Kasugai Club

1. Shizuoka FC 27 (+24)
2. Yazaki Valente 25 (+21)
3. Fujieda City Hall 16 (+6)
4. Maruyasu Industries 10 (-5)
5. Honda Suzuka 10 (-14)
6. Chukyo University 9 (-7)
7. Sagawa Kyubin Chukyo 7 (-12)
8. Kasugai Club 4 (-11)

Norbritz Hokkaido took another step along the road to retaining their Hokkaido League title on Sunday, a 3-1 victory at Toyota Motors Hokkaido amounting an eleventh win in eleven games this year. Their nearest challengers continue to be a team who were playing second tier Block League football last season, but Sapporo Winds' 2-1 defeat of Barefoot Hokkaido was their seventh win on the trot.

The key action, however, was perhaps at the foot of the table, where Hokushukai pulled off a shock by beating Sapporo FC to move out of the relegation zone. Sapporo FC have spent just a single season out of the Hokkaido League since the competition began in 1978, but their status now is in serious danger. Blackpecker Hakodate are in trouble as well, as they lost to Tokachifairsky Genesis.

Sun 02 Sep: Barefoot Hokkaido 1-2 Sapporo Winds
Sun 02 Sep: Sapporo FC 1-2 Hokushukai
Sun 02 Sep: Tokachifairsky Genesis 2-1 Blackpecker Hakodate
Sun 02 Sep: Toyota Motors Hokkaido 1-3 Norbritz Hokkaido

1. Norbritz Hokkaido 33 (+43)
2. Sapporo Winds 28 (+22)
3. Barefoot Hokkaido 16 (-6)
4. Toyota Motors Hokkaido 14 (-6)
5. Tokachifairsky Genesis 10 (-14)
6. Hokushukai 9 (-22)
7. Blackpecker Hakodate 8 (-6)
8. Sapporo FC 8 (-13)

FC Central Chugoku won their remaining game in hand in the Chugoku League on Sunday against Hiroshima Fujita SC. The final round of the main league season finishes next Sunday, although there will be a series of play-offs throughout October.

Sun 02 Sep: FC Central Chugoku 4-3 Hiroshima Fujita SC

1. Fagiano Okayama 39 (+72)
2. FC Central Chugoku 30 (+18)
3. Sagawa Kyubin Chugoku 21 (+2)
4. Renofa Yamaguchi 18 (-3)
5. Hiroshima Fujita SC 14 (-9)
6. Mazda SC 12 (-14)
7. JFE Steel Western Japan 11 (-22)
8. Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado 6 (-44)