AFL Toyota Premiership 2011

Australian football was first introduced to Japan in 1910, by Mr. A. W. McLean, from Melbourne, but for the next 75 years the further development of the game seems to be unknown. Then in 1986, Australian Football was re-introduced to Japan when Hawthorn and Carlton played at Yokohama Stadium in front of 25,000 people. The first match in Japan was named "Aussie Bowl '86" and was broadcast to Australia. This led to the first Japanese club being formed in 1987 at Keio University. Aussie Bowl '87 pitted Hawthorn against Essendon and featured the first match between Japanese teams as the curtain raiser.  The Keio Hawks defeated the Waseda Bombers and this was the start of Australian football competition in Japan.

In 1988, the Japan Australian Football Association was formed; the Keio Hawks made the first football tour to Melbourne in September.  Keio boys watched several Victorian Football League (VFL) finals matches including the Hawthorn and Melbourne Grand Final. In 1989, Senshu University formed the Senshu Bombers and since then the university teams have combined together for the tour to Melbourne.

In 1991, the Tokyo Goannas were formed and started to play regulary with the university combined team. In 1993, the university combined team was named the “Samurais” which later became the name for the Japan national team.The “Samurais” competed in their first Darwin Arafura Games in 1995; and in 2005 thanks to their speed and slick hand skills they won the silver medal.

In 2000, Japan began a sister club relationship with Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) side Box Hill North. Every year Japan sends a player for 1 year to live and play with Box Hill North to learn about grass roots footy.

The Japan Australian Football Association (JAFA) launched a 3 team competition in 2001; the Samurais, the Go-Kong and the Tokyo Goannas. That year also saw Troy Beard take over as coach of the Japan National team. Troy’s 3 year goal was to make a team that would be not only a force over the next few years in international football, but show the football world that you don’t have to be 6 feet to play our great game. Troy took the Samurai to the International Cup in 2002 and showed the crowds that the Japanese although not tall in stature could mix it with the best.

In 2004, with the growth of JAFA, Japan affiliated with the AFL to become ‘Japan AFL’ (JAFL).That year, the Samurai defeated 4 quality sides during their annual international tour to Melbourne and Singapore.

Japan defeated Spain in its opening game of the 2005 International Cup to finish 9^th overall. Michito Sakaki impressed many with his courageous play and ball winning ability. Sakaki, along with the Captain Tsuyoshi Kase were later invited to join the AFL/AIS academy camp in Canberra and in late 2005 they were both invited to Essendon Football Club to train under coach Kevin Sheedy.

In late February 2006, Sakaki was named in the Essendon side to play in a 16-a-side exhibition match against the Sydney Swans. Although not an official AFL match, Sakaki became the first non-Irish international player to learn the game overseas and play at the elite AFL level.

From 2006, Japan AFL (JAFL) started to reform the league as the JAFL Top League. The University Samurais split into 3 university teams: the Senshu Power, the Komazawa Magpies and the Tokyo Leopards. Along with the university teams, the Tokyo Goannas, the Eastern Hawks and the Osaka Dingoes all joined the JAFL by 2007.

In the 2008 International Cup, the Samurais showed excellent performance beating Samoa and India. Although they were beaten comfortably by Canada and the USA, the Samurais finished 8^th out of 16 teams.

In 2009, the Nagoya Redbacks also joined the JAFL Top League and the game is still expanding to local areas such as Hiroshima and Okayama.

Current Japan AFL Top League Teams

• Tokyo Goannas
• Eastern Hawks
• Senshu Power
• Komazawa Magpies
• Tokyo Leopards
• Osaka Dingoes
• Nagoya Redbacks

For further information visit the JAFL website