Japanese Non-league Football News

Hamamatsu University provided the shock of the round as Division 2 of the Tokai League commenced its new season on Sunday. The students, promoted from the Shizuoka Prefectural League at the end of 2007, won 3-2 at Aichi's experienced Kasugai Club... the other newcomers, KMEW Iga FC, lost at Honda Suzuka... ambitious MIE Rampole squeezed past Nagoya Club...

Sun 11 May: Honda Suzuka 3-0 KMEW Iga FC
Sun 11 May: Kasugai Club 2-3 Hamamatsu University
Sun 11 May: MIE Rampole 1-0 Nagoya Club
Sun 11 May: Toyota Football Group 2-1 Fuyo Club

Tokai League Division 1 champions Shizuoka FC began their 2008 season with a 5-1 defeat of Konica Minolta Toyokawa on Saturday... runners up Yazaki Valente by coincidence won by the same scoreline against Division 2 title holders Mind House Yokkaichi...

Sat 10 May: Shizuoka FC 5-1 Konica Minolta Toyokawa

Sun 11 May: Fujieda City Hall 6-1 Maruyasu Industries
Sun 11 May: Sagawa Kyubin Chukyo 0-4 Chukyo University
Sun 11 May: Yazaki Valente 5-1 Mind House Yokkaichi

Fukushima United FC won the early-season crunch match in Division 2 (South) of the Tohoku League. They beat newcomers Cobaltore Onagawa 2-0 to go top of the table, keeping their 100% record in the process... also making it three wins out of three were Soma SC, who triumphed 2-1 at shock strugglers Marysol Matsushima...

Sun 11 May: Cobaltore Onagawa 0-2 Fukushima United FC
Sun 11 May: Kureha 0-7 Shichigahama SC
Sun 11 May: Marysol Matsushima 1-2 Soma SC
Sun 11 May: Nakaniida SC 1-0 Bandits Iwaki

1. Fukushima United FC 9 (+7)
2. Soma SC 9 (+3)
3. Shichigahama SC 6 (+10)
4. Cobaltore Onagawa 6 (+9)
5. Nakaniida SC 3 (-)
6. Bandits Iwaki 0 (-3)
7. Marysol Matsushima 0 (-8)
8. Kureha 0 (-18)

Morioka Zebra look as if they may well be able to achieve promotion back out of Division 2 (North) of the Tohoku League at the first attempt. They won 2-0 at Saruta Industry on Sunday... Fuji Club 2003 surprisingly lost at home to Vanraure Hachinohe in the other match...

Sun 11 May: Fuji Club 2003 1-2 Vanraure Hachinohe
Sun 11 May: Saruta Industry 0-2 Morioka Zebra

1. Morioka Zebra 6 (+3)
2. Fuji Club 2003 3 (+1)
3. Nippon Steel Kamaishi 3 (-)
4. Vanraure Hachinohe 3 (-1)
5. = Mizusawa Club 0 (-)
5. = Shiwa FC 0 (-)
7. = Saruta Industry 0 (-2)
7. = Tono Club 0 (-2)

There were just two games played in Division 1 of the Tohoku League on Sunday, 2007 runners up NEC Tokin going clear at the top with a 2-1 win over FC Primeiro... ambitious promoted side Viancone Fukushima will be disappointed with a home defeat by Miyagi's Wiese Shiogama...

Sun 11 May: FC Primeiro 1-2 NEC Tokin
Sun 11 May: Viancone Fukushima 0-2 Wiese Shiogama

1. NEC Tokin 6 (+6)
2. Sendai Nakata Club 3 (+3)
3. FC Primeiro 3 (+2)
4. Viancone Fukushima 3 (-)
5. Wiese Shiogama 3 (-1)
6. Grulla Morioka 1 (-)
7. FC Akita Cambiare 1 (-5)
8. Furukawa Battery 0 (-5)

There were expected wins for frontunners Kamatamare Sanuki and Tokushima Vortis 2nd in the Shikoku league on Sunday... but Showa Club picked up three potentially vital points in the battle to avoid the relegation play-off places, beating Tokushima Comprille SC...

Sun 11 May: Nangoku Kochi 0-3 Kamatamare Sanuki
Sun 11 May: Sanyo Electric Tokushima 1-3 Tokushima Vortis 2nd
Sun 11 May: Showa Club 3-1 Tokushima Comprille SC

1. Kamatamare Sanuki 15 (+32)
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
2. Tokushima Vortis 2nd 13 (+26)
3. Sanyo Electric Tokushima 8 (+1)
4. Nangoku Kochi 7 (+6)
5. Ehime Shimanami 5 (-5)
6. Showa Club 4 (-18)
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
7. Ventana AC 1 (-12)
8. Tokushima Comprille SC 0 (-30)

The top three all won in Division 2 of the Kanto League on Sunday. Hanno Bruder and Aries FC Tokyo occupy the promotion places, but FC Korea are hot on their heels. They came back from three down to beat Kanagawa Teachers 4-3... Yonoshuyonkai and TFSC are still in the relegation places...

Sun 11 May: Aries FC Tokyo 2-1 Yonoshuyonkai
Sun 11 May: FC Korea 4-3 Kanagawa Teachers
Sun 11 May: Hanno Bruder 2-1 TFSC
Sun 11 May: SAI Ichihara SC 2-3 Vertfee Takahara Nasu

1. Hanno Bruder 14 (+4)
2. Aries FC Tokyo 13 (-)
-------------------
3. FC Korea 12 (+8)
4. Vertfee Takahara Nasu 9 (+2)
5. Kanagawa Teachers 7 (-)
6. SAI Ichihara SC 6 (-4)
-------------------
7. TFSC 4 (-)
8. Yonoshuyokonkai 4 (-10)

FC Machida Zelvia cruised to victory in the Kanto League Division 1 top of the table game over the weekend, running in five against Luminozo Sayama... one of the longest-established company sides in the country, Toho Titanium, have slumped to the bottom of the table, though - they lost 5-0 to Club Dragons in Ibaraki...

Sat 10 May: MSDF Atsugi Marcus 0-0 Saitama SC
Sat 10 May: YSCC 2-1 Hitachi Tochigi Uva

Sun 11 May: Club Dragons 5-0 Toho Titanium
Sun 11 May: Luminozo Sayama 1-5 FC Machida Zelvia

1. FC Machida Zelvia 18 (+17)
- - - - - - - - - - - -
2. Luminozo Sayama 12 (+1)
3. YSCC 9 (-2)
4. Club Dragons 8 (+4)
5. Hitachi Tochigi Uva 8 (+1)
6. MSDF Atsugi Marcus 5 (-7)
------------------
7. Saitama SC 3 (-3)
8. Toho Titanium 2 (-11)

The promoted pair of Shiga FC and Biwako SC Hira are ruling the roost in Division 2 of the Kansai League. They both won well at the weekend to go three points clear in the promotion positions... Hermano Osaka and Osaka students Riseisha FC have yet to get off the mark after five rounds...

Sat 10 May: FC Glaspo Kashiwara 3-1 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Kobe
Sat 10 May: Hermano Osaka 0-3 Biwako SC Hira

Sun 11 May: Kyoto Shiko Club P-P Renaiss Health & Medical College
Sun 11 May: Shiga FC 4-0 Riseisha FC

1. Shiga FC 12 (+12)
2. Biwako SC Hira 12 (+6)
-------------------
3. FC Glaspo Kashiwara 9 (+2)
4. Kyoto Shiko Club 9 (+2)
5. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Kobe 9 (-)
6. Renaiss Health & Medical College 6 (+6)
- - - - - - - - - - - -
7. Riseisha FC 0 (-13)
-------------------
8. Hermano Osaka 0 (-15)

The postponsement of Ain Food's match means that Banditonce Kakogawa are now five points clear at the top of the Kansai League Division 1. Last year's champions crushed AS Laranja Kyoto... at the other end of the table, Hannan University got their first point of the year in a draw with FC Kyoto BAMB 1993...

Sat 10 May: AS Laranja Kyoto 0-5 Banditonce Kakogawa
Sat 10 May: Kobe FC 1970 1-1 Sanyo Electric Sumoto

Sun 11 May: Diablossa Takada FC P-P Ain Food
Sun 11 May: Hannan University 1-1 FC Kyoto BAMB 1993

1. Banditonce Kakogawa 15 (+21)
2. Ain Food 10 (+8)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
3. FC Kyoto BAMB 1993 8 (-)
4. Sanyo Electric Sumoto 7 (-4)
5. AS Laranja Kyoto 6 (-4)
6. Kobe FC 1970 4 (-9)
---------------------
7. Diablossa Takada FC 3 (-2)
8. Hannan University 1 (-10)

The Nagano pair of FC Antelope Shiojiri and Ueda Gentian still lead the way in the Hokushinetsu League Division 2, but they swapped places at the weekend. Antelope's 3-0 defeat of Niigata University of Health & Welfare took them past their neighbours on goal difference... Maruoka Phoenix are still rock bottom with no points. They lost at Niigata University of Management... The Ohara School JaSRA match against Nissei Resin was postponed due to fog...

Sun 11 May: FC Antelope Shiojiri 3-0 Niigata U of Health & Welfare
Sun 11 May: Niigata U of Management 3-0 Maruoka Phoenix
Sun 11 May: Ohara School JaSRA P-P Nissei Resin
Sun 11 May: Ueda Gentian 1-0 CUPS Niigata

1. FC Antelope Shiojiri 9 (+6)
------------------
2. Ueda Gentian 9 (+5)
- - - - - - - - - - - -
3. Niigata U of Management 4 (-)
4. Ohara School JaSRA 3 (+1)
5. CUPS Niigata 3 (-)
6. Niigata U of Health & Welfare 3 (-1)
- - - - - - - - - - - -
7. Nissei Resin 1 (-3)
------------------
8. Maruoka Phoenix 0 (-8)

The 2008 Hokkaido League season begain on Sunday, champions Clubfields Norbritz Hokkaido kicking off with an easy win over promoted side SSS Shefield... the other newcomers, R Superb Kushiro, recorded an impressive 2-1 win over last year's runners up, Sapporo Winds...

Sun 11 May: Barefoot Hokkaido 3-3 Blackpecker Hakodate
Sun 11 May: Clubfields Norbritz Hokkaido 5-1 SSS Shefield
Sun 11 May: Sapporo FC 2-1 Toyota Motors Hokkaido
Sun 11 May: Sapporo Winds 1-2 R Superb Kushiro

1. Clubfields Norbritz Hokkaido 3 (+4)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
2. = R Superb Kushiro 3 (+1)
2. = Sapporo FC 3 (+1)
4. = Barefoot Hokkaido 1 (-)
4. = Blackpecker Hakodate 1 (-)
6. = Sapporo Winds 0 (-1)
----------------------------
6. = Toyota Motors Hokkaido 0 (-1)
8. SSS Shefield 0 (-4)

New leaders in the JFL are company side Yokogawa Musashino, as they won the big clash of the weekend against Tochigi SC... Fagiano Okayama were felled by one of the shocks of the season so far, conceding a late goal to lose at home to TDK SC... meanwhile Honda FC move into second following their 3-1 win over JEF Reserves... and climbing the table now are FC Ryukyu, after the well-backed Okinawans cruised to victory against Mitsubishi Mizushima...

Sat 10 May: Mio Biwako Kusatsu 0-0 FC Kariya
Sat 10 May: Yokogawa Musashino 1-0 Tochigi SC

Sun 11 May: Fagiano Okayama 1-2 TDK SC
Sun 11 May: FC Ryukyu 4-1 Mitsubishi Mizushima
Sun 11 May: Honda FC 3-1 JEF Reserves
Sun 11 May: Kataller Toyama 3-2 Ryutsu Keizai University
Sun 11 May: New Wave Kitakyushu 1-1 Sagawa Printing
Sun 11 May: Sagawa Shiga FC 2-1 Sony Sendai

Mon 12 May: Arte Takasaki 1-1 Gainare Tottori

1. Yokogawa Musashino 29 (+11)
2. Honda FC 27 (+14)
3. Fagiano Okayama 26 (+11)
4. Tochigi SC 25 (+14)
5. FC Kariya 18 (+6)
6. Mio Biwako Kusatsu 18 (+2)
7. Sagawa Shiga FC 17 (+3)
8. New Wave Kitakyushu 17 (+1)
9. Kataller Toyama 15 (+2)
10. Ryutsu Keizai University 15 (-1)
11. Sony Sendai 13 (+3)
12. Gainare Tottori 11 (-)
13. FC Ryukyu 11 (-6)
14. Sagawa Printing 8 (-12)
15. JEF Reserves 8 (-12)
16. Mitsubishi Mizushima 8 (-15)
17. TDK SC 6 (-9)
18. Arte Takasaki 3 (-12)

Honda Lock kept going their perfect start to the Kyushu League season, beating bottom side Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki comfortably... Mitsubishi's rivals V Varen Nagasaki dropped vital points in the race for the championship, drawing with Okinawa Kariyushi but then losing on penalties... still third despite a shoot-out defeat of their own are Volca Kagoshima... Kyushu INAX got a critical win in the battle to avoid relegation, 2-1 at Osumi NIFS United...

Sun 11 May: Honda Lock 5-0 Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki
Sun 11 May: Kaiho Bank SC 2-1 Vainqueur Kumamoto
Sun 11 May: Nippon Steel Oita 1-1 Volca Kagoshima (PK 4-2)
Sun 11 May: Osumi NIFS United 1-2 Kyushu INAX
Sun 11 May: V Varen Nagasaki 0-0 Okinawa Kariyushi (PK 8-9)

1. Honda Lock 15 (+26)
2. V Varen Nagasaki 13 (+19)
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
3. Volca Kagoshima 13 (+5)
4. Nippon Steel Oita 11 (+10)
5. Okinawa Kariyushi 11 (+8)
6. Kaiho Bank SC 6 (-7)
7. Kyushu INAX 3 (-11)
8. Vainqueur Kumamoto 3 (-17)
9. Osumi NIFS United 0 (-12)
10. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Nagasaki 0 (-21)

A major shock hit Division 1 of the Hokushinetsu League on Sunday, as promoted side Granscena Niigata hit five to beat neighbours Japan Soccer College... that result enabled Zweigen Kanazawa and AC Nagano Parceiro to go clear at the top, after crushing wins over Saurcos Fukui and Fervorosa Ishikawa Hakusan respectively...

Sun 11 May: AC Nagano Parceiro 8-0 Fervorosa Ishikawa Hakusan
Sun 11 May: Japan Soccer College 3-5 Granscena Niigata
Sun 11 May: Matsumoto Yamaga Club 3-2 Valiente Toyama
Sun 11 May: Zweigen Kanazawa 5-1 Saurcos Fukui

1. Zweigen Kanazawa 9 (+15)
- - - - - - - - - - - -
2. AC Nagano Parceiro 9 (+11)
3. Japan Soccer College 6 (+6)
4. Matsumoto Yamaga Club 5 (+1)
5. Granscena Niigata 4 (-)
6. Saurcos Fukui 1 (-5)
- - - - - - - - - - - -
7. Valiente Toyama 0 (-7)
-------------------
8. Fervorosa Ishikawa Hakusan 0 (-21)

It was draws all round for the top teams in the Chugoku League. Renofa Yamaguchi were surprisingly held at home by NTN Okayama, but they're still three points clear as Sagawa Kyubin Chugoku and Dezzolla Shimane finished their match goalless... now second on goal difference are last season's Yamaguchi Prefectural League champions FC Ube Yahhh-man after they won at Hiroshima Fujita SC...

Sun 11 May: Hiroshima Fujita SC 1-2 FC Ube Yahhh-man
Sun 11 May: Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado 4-2 JFE Steel Western Japan Fukuyama
Sun 11 May: Renofa Yamaguchi 2-2 NTN Okayama
Sun 11 May: Sagawa Kyubin Chugoku 0-0 Dezzolla Shimane

1. Renofa Yamaguchi 11 (+6)
2. FC Ube Yahhh-man 8 (+6)
3. Dezzolla Shimane 8 (+1)
4. Sagawa Kyubin Chugoku 7 (+7)
5. NTN Okayama 7 (+2)
6. Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado 6 (-2)
7. Hiroshima Fujita SC 3 (-2)
8. Mazda SC 3 (-8)
9. JFE Steel Western Japan Fukuyama 0 (-10)

Holiday Wednesday saw a full programme of JFL fixtures and the title race is shaping up to be an exciting one, with the top four teams having broken away from the chasing pack... Fagiano Okayama just held on to top spot with a last-minute winner at Gainare Tottori, but Yokogawa Musashino are hot on their heels after beating JEF Reserves... also involved are Honda FC and J-League hopefuls Tochigi SC, who won the match of the round 4-3 against Mio Biwako Kusatsu... Mitsubishi Mizushima took all three points in the big game with Arte Takasaki at the bottom of the table...

Wed 06 May: FC Kariya 4-1 FC Ryukyu
Wed 06 May: Gainare Tottori 2-3 Fagiano Okayama
Wed 06 May: JEF Reserves 1-2 Yokogawa Musashino
Wed 06 May: Mitsubishi Mizushima 3-1 Arte Takasaki
Wed 06 May: Ryutsu Keizai University 0-2 Honda FC
Wed 06 May: Sagawa Printing 0-1 Sagawa Shiga FC
Wed 06 May: Sony Sendai 2-0 Kataller Toyama
Wed 06 May: TDK SC 2-3 New Wave Kitakyushu
Wed 06 May: Tochigi SC 4-3 Mio Biwako Kusatsu

1. Fagiano Okayama 26 (+12)
2. Yokogawa Musashino 26 (+10)
3. Tochigi SC 25 (+15)
4. Honda FC 24 (+12)
5. FC Kariya 17 (+6)
6. Mio Biwako Kusatsu 17 (+2)
7. New Wave Kitakyushu 16 (+1)
8. Ryutsu Keizai University 15 (-)
9. Sagawa Shiga FC 14 (+2)
10. Sony Sendai 13 (+4)
11. Kataller Toyama 12 (+1)
12. Gainare Tottori 10 (-)
13. FC Ryukyu 8 (-9)
14. JEF Reserves 8 (-10)
15. Mitsubishi Mizushima 8 (-12)
16. Sagawa Printing 7 (-12)
17. TDK SC 3 (-10)
18. Arte Takasaki 2 (-12)

Newcomers Cobaltore Onagawa have stamped their mark on Division 2 (South) of the Tohoku League - they crushed Kureha 7-0 to go top of the early-season table. Favourites are arguably still Fukushima United FC, who also have maximum points following their defeat of Bandits Iwaki...

Sun 04 May: Cobaltore Onagawa 7-0 Kureha
Sun 04 May: Fukushima United FC 2-1 Bandits Iwaki
Sun 04 May: Marysol Matsushima 1-4 Shichigahama SC
Sun 04 May: Soma SC 1-0 Nakaniida SC

1. Cobaltore Onagawa 6 (+11)
2. Fukushima United FC 6 (+5)
3. Soma SC 6 (+2)
4. Shichigahama SC 3 (+3)
5. Nakaniida SC 0 (-1)
6. Bandits Iwaki 0 (-2)
7. Marysol Matsushima 0 (-7)
8. Kureha 0 (-11)

Five games in and FC Machida Zelvia have yet to drop a point as they forge ahead at the top of Division 1 of the Kanto League, their latest win coming against Yokohama's YSCC... Luminozo Sayama are their closest challengers after a crucial victory over Hitachi Tochigi Uva... MSDF Atsugi Marcus won the key game at the bottom of the table, 1-0 at the expense of Toho Titanium...

Sun 04 May: FC Machida Zelvia 5-1 YSCC
Sun 04 May: Saitama SC 1-1 Club Dragons

Mon 05 May: Hitachi Tochigi Uva 1-2 Luminozo Sayama
Mon 05 May: MSDF Atsugi Marcus 1-0 Toho Titanium

1. FC Machida Zelvia 15 (+13)
- - - - - - - - - - - -
2. Luminozo Sayama 12 (+5)
3. Hitachi Tochigi Uva 8 (+2)
4. YSCC 6 (-3)
5. Club Dragons 5 (-1)
6. Toho Titanium 2 (-6)
------------------
7. Saitama SC 2 (-3)
8. MSDF Atsugi Marcus 4 (-7)

A Prefectural League side last year, FC Korea are proving competitive in Division 2 of the Kanto League this season, underlining their ability to cope with the higher level of football over the holiday weekend with a 7-0 away thrashing of Saitama's Yonoshuyukonkai... Hanno Bruder are still stop, though, after they beat Vertfee Takahara Nasu... Aries FC Tokyo hold on to second thanks to their 2-1 defeat of Kanagawa Teachers...

Sun 04 May: TFSC 1-2 SAI Ichihara SC
Sun 04 May: Vertfee Takahara Nasu 0-1 Hanno Bruder
Sun 04 May: Yonoshuyonkai 0-7 FC Korea

Mon 05 May: Kanagawa Teachers 1-2 Aries FC Tokyo

1. Hanno Bruder 11 (+3)
2. Aries FC Tokyo 10 (-1)
-------------------
3. FC Korea 9 (+7)
4. Kanagawa Teachers 7 (+1)
5. Vertfee Takahara Nasu 6 (+1)
6. SAI Ichihara SC 6 (-3)
-------------------
7. TFSC 4 (+1)
8. Yonoshuyokonkai 4 (-9)

There was just one game in the infuriatingly-scheduled Tohoku League Division 2 (North) over the weekend, relegated side Morioka Zebra winning their first match of the new season against Vanraure Hachinohe...

Sun 04 May: Morioka Zebra 3-2 Vanraure Hachinohe

Newly-promoted Viancone Fukushima got a terrific start to life in Division 1 of the Tohoku League, winning their first match 2-0 against Furukawa Battery... but the shock of the Japanese Regional League season so far came at Grulla Morioka, where the hot favourites to retain their championship were held 1-1 by last season's Division 2 (North) title winners, FC Akita Cambiare...

Sun 04 May: Furukawa Battery 0-2 Viancone Fukushima
Sun 04 May: Grulla Morioka 1-1 FC Akita Cambiare

1. NEC Tokin 3 (+5)
2. FC Primeiro 3 (+3)
3. Sendai Nakata Club 3 (+3)
4. Viancone Fukushima 3 (+2)
5. Grulla Morioka 1 (-)
6. FC Akita Cambiare 1 (-5)
7. Wiese Shiogama 0 (-3)
8. Furukawa Battery 0 (-5)

In the only Shikoku League match of the weekend, Kamatamare Sanuki won their game in hand against Ehime Shimanami to storm back to the top of the standings...

Sun 04 May: Ehime Shimanami 0-6 Kamatamare Sanuki

1. Kamatamare Sanuki 12 (+29)
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
2. Tokushima Vortis 2nd 10 (+24)
3. Sanyo Electric Tokushima 8 (+3)
4. Nangoku Kochi 7 (+9)
5. Ehime Shimanami 5 (-5)
6. Ventana AC 1 (-12)
- - - - - - - - - - - - -
7. Showa Club 1 (-20)
8. Tokushima Comprille SC 0 (-28)

Ain Food cracked first in the battle at the top of the Kansai League Division 1. They only drew at FC Kyoto BAMB 1993 and so have fallen two points behind leaders Banditonce Kakogawa, 6-1 winners over Sanyo Electric Sumoto... Kobe FC 1970 won the clash between the bottom two teams to leapfrog Hannan University...

Sat 03 May: Diablossa Takada FC 1-2 AS Laranja Kyoto
Sat 03 May: FC Kyoto BAMB 1993 1-1 Ain Food
Sat 03 May: Kobe FC 1970 2-0 Hannan University
Sat 03 May: Sanyo Electric Sumoto 1-6 Banditonce Kakogawa

1. Banditonce Kakogawa 12 (+16)
2. Ain Food 10 (+8)
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
3. FC Kyoto BAMB 1993 7 (-)
4. AS Laranja Kyoto 6 (+1)
5. Sanyo Electric Sumoto 6 (-4)
6. Diablossa Takada FC 3 (-2)
---------------------
7. Kobe FC 1970 3 (-9)
8. Hannan University 0 (-10)

The Kansai League Division 2 continues to look as if it will be one of the closest-fought of all the Regional Leagues this year... ex-Shiga Prefectural League sides Shiga FC and Biwako SC Hira now occupy the automatic promotion places, although only on goal difference from both Kyoto Shiko Club and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Kobe... at the other end of the table, Hermano Osaka and Riseisha FC have yet to get off the mark...

Sat 03 May: Biwako SC Hira 3-1 Kyoto Shiko Club
Sat 03 May: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Kobe 4-3 Renaiss Health & Medical College

Sun 04 May: Hermano Osaka 1-5 Shiga FC
Sun 04 May: Riseisha FC 1-3 FC Glaspo Kashiwara

1. Shiga FC 9 (+8)
2. Biwako SC Hira 9 (+3)
-------------------
3. = Kyoto Shiko Club 9 (+2)
3. = Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Kobe 9 (+2)
5. Renaiss Health & Medical College 6 (+6)
6. FC Glaspo Kashiwara 6 (-)
- - - - - - - - - - - -
7. Riseisha FC 0 (-9)
-------------------
8. Hermano Osaka 0 (-12)

There was a double-header of fixtures over Saturday and Sunday of the holiday weekend in the Chugoku League. Previous front-runners Sagawa Kyubin Chugoku were without a game and Renofa Yamaguchi took full advantage to move top, following wins over Mazda SC and Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado... Dezzolla Shimane - the former FC Central Chugoku - are second, despite having only drawn with newcomers FC Ube Yahhh-man... in fact Yamaguchi's Ube and the other team promoted from the Prefectural Leagues, NTN Okayama, are both putting up a good showing in their first ever Regional League campaign...

Sat 03 May: FC Ube Yahhh-man 5-0 JFE Steel Western Japan Fukuyama
Sat 03 May: Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado 1-2 Dezzolla Shimane
Sat 03 May: Mazda SC 1-2 Renofa Yamaguchi
Sat 03 May: NTN Okayama 1-0 Hiroshima Fujita SC

Sun 04 May: FC Ube Yahhh-man 1-1 Dezzolla Shimane
Sun 04 May: Hiroshima Fujita SC 3-0 Mazda SC
Sun 04 May: Renofa Yamaguchi 6-2 Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado

1. Renofa Yamaguchi 10 (+6)
2. Dezzolla Shimane 7 (+1)
3. Sagawa Kyubin Chugoku 6 (+7)
4. NTN Okayama 6 (+2)
5. FC Ube Yahhh-man 5 (+5)
6. Hiroshima Fujita SC 3 (-1)
7. Hitachi Manufacturing Kasado 3 (-4)
8. Mazda SC 3 (-8)
9. JFE Steel Western Japan Fukuyama 0 (-8)

Moving back to the top of the JFL are Fagiano Okayama, 2-0 winners over near neighbours Mitsubishi Mizushima, while previous front-runners Yokogawa Musashino were held at home by Ryutsu Keizai University... Tochigi SC cruised past JEF Reserves with two goals from Satoshi Yokoyama, and are a point off the pace... credit to Mio Biwako Kusatsu and New Wave Kitakyushu, both coping well with their first seasons in the JFL. Mio are fifth after beating FC Ryukyu, New Wave in mid-table following their draw with Gainare Tottori... also catching the eye are FC Kariya, whose win over Arte Takasaki takes them up to seventh...

Fri 02 May: Kataller Toyama 1-1 Sagawa Printing

Sat 03 May: Arte Takasaki 1-2 FC Kariya
Sat 03 May: Fagiano Okayama 2-0 Mitsubishi Mizushima
Sat 03 May: Honda FC 1-0 Sony Sendai
Sat 03 May: Mio Biwako Kusatsu 1-0 FC Ryukyu
Sat 03 May: New Wave Kitakyushu 1-1 Gainare Tottori
Sat 03 May: Sagawa Shiga FC 1-0 TDK SC
Sat 03 May: Tochigi SC 4-0 JEF Reserves
Sat 03 May: Yokogawa Musashino 0-0 Ryutsu Keizai University

1. Fagiano Okayama 23 (+11)
2. Yokogawa Musashino 23 (+9)
3. Tochigi SC 22 (+14)
4. Honda FC 21 (+10)
5. Mio Biwako Kusatsu 17 (+3)
6. Ryutsu Keizai University 15 (+2)
7. FC Kariya 14 (+3)
8. New Wave Kitakyushu 13 (-)
9. Kataller Toyama 12 (+3)
10. Sagawa Shiga FC 11 (+1)
11. Sony Sendai 10 (+2)
12. Gainare Tottori 10 (+1)
13. FC Ryukyu 8 (-6)
14. JEF Reserves 8 (-9)
15. Sagawa Printing 7 (-11)
16. Mitsubishi Mizushima 5 (-14)
17. TDK SC 3 (-9)
18. Arte Takasaki 2 (-10)