The start of the J.League
In May 1993, the first match of Japan's first professional football league kicked off in Tokyo. The "J.League" was seen as a way of eventually hosting a World Cup.
On 15th May 1993, the first match of Japan's first professional football league kicked off at the National Stadium in Tokyo. This new "J.League" replaced the previous version, which was composed of corporate teams of amateur and semi-professional players, and was seen by the Japanese Football Asociation as a means of qualifying for and eventually hosting a World Cup. Former Yokohama Marinos manager Hidehiko Shimizu tells Kurt Brookes about that first match and how it changed Japan's views on football. This is a Made in Manchester production for BBC World Service.
(Photo: Nagoya Grampus Eight play Yokohama Marinos in a J.League match. L-R Junji Koizumi, Gary Lineker and Masami Ihara. Credit: Getty)
Last on
More episodes
Broadcasts
- Sat 6 May 202304:50GMTBBC World Service Europe and the Middle East & East and Southern Africa only
- Sat 6 May 202317:50GMTBBC World Service except East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Sat 6 May 202323:50GMTBBC World Service except Americas and the Caribbean, East and Southern Africa & West and Central Africa
- Sun 7 May 202303:50GMTBBC World Service except East and Southern Africa, Europe and the Middle East & West and Central Africa
- Sun 7 May 202323:50GMTBBC World Service West and Central Africa
- Mon 8 May 202302:50GMTBBC World Service East and Southern Africa
Olympic history
The inside and personal story of the key moments from sporting history
Sporting Witness Films
Watch sporting heroes tell their stories of astonishing achievement
Podcast
![]()
Sporting Witness
Personal stories of amazing moments from sporting history told by people who were there
