Japan Rugby Football Union
5F Shin-Aoyama Building East, 1-1-1 Minami-Aoyama,
Minato-Ku
Tokyo, 107-0062
President: Masato Tsuchida
Established: November 30, 1926
Phone: 03-3401-3321
Fax: 03-3401-6610
Business hours: 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.
History of Japan Rugby Football Union
| Year | History |
|---|---|
| 1926 | The Japan Rugby Kickball Association, the predecessor of the JRFU, is established as Japan's national governing body for rugby through the merger of the Japan East Rugby Football Union (established in 1924) and the Seibu Rugby Football Union (established in 1925). |
| 1928 | Yoshihiro Takagi becomes the first JRFU President. |
| The inaugural East-West Rugby Match takes place at Koshien Stadium, with the Prince Chichibu Trophy awarded to the winners. | |
| 1930 | The Japan national team embarks on its first tour of Canada. |
| 1932 | The Japan national team plays test matches against Canada at Hanazono Rugby Stadium and Meiji Jingu Stadium. |
| 1942 | The JRFU changes its name to the Rugby Football Division of the Dai-Nippon Sports Association (1942-1945). |
| 1943 | The inaugural East-West Student Select Match is held at Meiji Jingu Stadium. |
| 1947 | His Imperial Highness Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu, assumes the role of JRFU Patron. |
| Tokyo Rugby Stadium, now Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium, is completed. | |
| The inaugural East-West Student Match is held at Meiji Jingu Baseball Stadium. | |
| 1949 | The inaugural Japan Company Rugby Championship, the predecessor of the All-Japan Corporate Rugby Championship, is held at Tokyo Rugby Stadium. |
| 1951 | The inaugural Japan University Inter-Region Rugby Tournament is held at Mizuho Rugby Stadium. |
| The first issue of the JRFU's official bulletin, Rugby Football, is published. | |
| 1953 | His Imperial Highness Yasuhito, Prince Chichibu, passes away. |
| Tokyo Rugby Stadium is renamed Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium. | |
| Her Imperial Highness Setsuko, Princess Chichibu, assumes the role of JRFU Patron. | |
| Kumazo Tanabe becomes the second JRFU President. | |
| 1955 | Shigeru Kayama becomes the third JRFU President. |
| 1961 | The inaugural JRFU Invitational NHK Cup, the predecessor of today's Japan Rugby Championship, is held at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium. |
| 1962 | Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium is transferred to the National Stadium authority (now the Japan Sport Council). |
| 1964 | The inaugural Japan Rugby Championship takes place at Hanazono Rugby Stadium. |
| 1965 | The inaugural Japan University Rugby Championship is held at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium. |
| 1968 | The Japan national team tours New Zealand. |
| 1969 | Masao Yukawa becomes the fourth JRFU President. |
| Japan hosts the inaugural Asia Rugby Championship at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium. | |
| Michio Yokoyama becomes the fifth JRFU President. | |
| 1971 | The Japan National High School Team embarks on its first tour of Canada. |
| The Japan national team plays test matches against England at Hanazono Rugby Stadium and Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium. | |
| The inaugural Japan Institute of Technology Rugby Tournament is held at Tenri High School Ground. | |
| 1973 | Tokishiro Shiina becomes the sixth JRFU President. |
| The Japan national team tours Wales, England and France. | |
| The inaugural Japan High School East-West Match is held at Japan National Stadium. | |
| 1975 | The Japan national team tours Australia. |
| The Japan national team plays test matches against Wales at Hanazono Rugby Stadium and Japan National Stadium. | |
| 1976 | The Japan national team tours Scotland, Wales, England and Italy. |
| 1977 | The Japan national team plays test matches against Scotland at Japan National Stadium. |
| 1978 | The Japan national team plays test matches against France at Japan National Stadium. |
| 1979 | Yuzuru Abe becomes the seventh JRFU President. |
| 1982 | The international cap system is introduced for the Japan national team. |
| 1985 | The Japan national team plays test matches against Ireland at Nagai Stadium and Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium. |
| 1987 | The JRFU joins the International Rugby Football Board (IRFB), now World Rugby. |
| The Japan national team competes at the inaugural Rugby World Cup in New Zealand and Australia, finishing the tournament in the pool stage with three losses. | |
| The Japan national team plays test matches against New Zealand at Hanazono Rugby Stadium and Japan National Stadium. | |
| 1989 | The Japan national team records its first-ever victory over Scotland at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium. |
| 1990 | Ichiro Isoda becomes the eighth JRFU President. |
| 1991 | His Imperial Highness Prince Tomohito of Mikasa assumes the role of JRFU Honorary Patron. |
| The Japan women's national team competes at the inaugural Women's Rugby World Cup in Wales, finishing 11th with two losses in the pool stage and one loss in the placement match. | |
| The Japan national team competes at Rugby World Cup 1991 in Europe, recording one win and two losses in the pool stage and securing its first-ever Rugby World Cup victory over Zimbabwe. | |
| 1992 | Toichiro Kawagoe becomes the ninth JRFU President. |
| 1993 | The inaugural Japan Sevens is held at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium. |
| The inaugural Japan Club Rugby Championship is held at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium. | |
| The Japan Sevens national team competes at the inaugural Rugby World Cup Sevens in Scotland and wins the Bowl competition. | |
| 1994 | The Japan women's national team competes at Rugby World Cup 1994 in Scotland, recording its first-ever Rugby World Cup victory over Sweden and finishing eighth with one win and one loss in the pool stage and three losses in the placement matches. |
| 1995 | Shigeru "Shiggy" Konno becomes the tenth JRFU President. |
| The Japan national team competes at Rugby World Cup 1995 in South Africa, finishing the tournament in the pool stage with three losses. | |
| The inaugural Japan Junior Rugby Tournament is held at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium. | |
| 1997 | The Japan Men's Sevens national team competes at Rugby World Cup Sevens 1997 in Hong Kong, finishing as Bowl runners-up. |
| The Japan Women's Rugby Football Federation, established in 1988, is recognised as an affiliated organisation of the JRFU. | |
| 1999 | The Japan national team competes at Rugby World Cup 1999 in Wales, finishing the tournament in the pool stage with three losses. |
| The Japan Men's Sevens national team competes at the Sevens World Series, the predecessor of today's SVNS. | |
| 2000 | The JRFU hosts the Tokyo leg of the Sevens World Series at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium. |
| The inaugural Japan Invitational High School Rugby Tournament is held at Kumagaya Rugby Stadium and Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium. | |
| 2001 | Tetsuo Machii becomes the eleventh JRFU President. |
| The Japan men's sevens team competes at Rugby World Cup Sevens 2001 in Argentina, reaching the Plate quarterfinals. | |
| 2002 | The Japan Women's Rugby Football Federation becomes a full member of the JRFU. |
| The Japan women's national team competes at Rugby World Cup 2002 in Spain, finishing 14th with two losses in the pool stage and one win and one loss in the placement matches. | |
| The inaugural East-West Student Inter-Club Match is held at Hanazono Rugby Stadium. | |
| 2003 | Japan Rugby Top League is launched. |
| The Japan national team competes at Rugby World Cup 2003 in Australia, finishing the tournament in the pool stage with four losses. | |
| 2004 | Hiroshi Hibino becomes Acting JRFU President. |
| 2005 | Yoshiro Mori becomes the twelfth JRFU President. |
| The inaugural Japan Kids’ Tag Rugby Championship is held at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium. | |
| The Japan men's sevens team competes at Rugby World Cup Sevens 2005 in Hong Kong, finishing in the Plate quarterfinals. | |
| 2007 | The Japan national team competes at Rugby World Cup 2007 in France, finishing the tournament in the pool stage with three losses and one draw. |
| 2009 | The JRFU hosts the Junior World Championship (venues: Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium, Mizuho Rugby Stadium, Hanazono Rugby Stadium, Level Five Stadium, and Tosu Stadium). |
| Japan is selected as the host union for Rugby World Cup 2019. | |
| The Japan Men's and Women's Sevens National teams compete at Rugby World Cup Sevens 2009 in the UAE, with both teams reaching the Bowl quarterfinals. | |
| 2010 | The inaugural Japan Junior High School Rugby Tournament is held at Sugadaira Sports Land. |
| 2011 | The Japan national team competes at Rugby World Cup 2011 in New Zealand, finishing the tournament in the pool stage with three losses and one draw. |
| 2013 | JRFU becomes a public interest incorporated foundation. |
| The Japan national team records its first-ever victory over Wales at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Stadium. | |
| The Japan Women's Sevens national team competes at the Sevens World Series, the predecessor of today's SVNS. | |
| The Japan Men's and Women's Sevens national teams compete at Rugby World Cup Sevens 2013 in Russia, with the Men's team finishing as Bowl runners-up and the Women's team reaching the Bowl quarterfinals. | |
| 2014 | The inaugural Women's Sevens Series takes place (venues: Ryutsu Keizai University Ryugasaki Campus Rugby Fields, Barbarians Jozankei Ground, and Yokohama YC&AC Ground). |
| The inaugural Japan Women's Rugby Championship is held at Edogawa Athletic Field. | |
| 2015 | Tadashi Okamura becomes the thirteenth JRFU President. |
| The Japan national team competes at Rugby World Cup 2015 in England, recording three wins and one loss in the pool stage and securing a historic victory over South Africa. | |
| 2016 | The Japan Men's and Women's Sevens national teams compete at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, finishing fourth and 10th respectively, with the Men's team defeating New Zealand in the pool stage. |
| 2017 | The Japan women's national team competes at the Women's Rugby World Cup 2017 in Ireland, finishing 11th after recording three losses in the pool stage and one win and one loss in the placement matches. |
| 2018 | The Japan Men's and Women's Sevens national teams compete at Rugby World Cup Sevens 2018 in the United States, finishing 15th and 10th, respectively. |
| 2019 | Her Imperial Highness Princess Akiko assumes the role of JRFU Honorary Patron. |
| Shigetaka Mori becomes the fourteenth JRFU President. | |
| The Japan national team plays test matches against South Africa at Kumagaya Stadium. | |
| The Japan national team reaches the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals for the first time at Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan, recording four pool-stage victories and securing a historic first win over Ireland. | |
| 2020 | The 100th Japan High School Rugby Championship takes place at Hanazono Rugby Stadium. |
| 2021 | The Japan Men's and Women's Sevens national teams compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, finishing 11th and 12th, respectively. |
| 2022 | Japan Rugby League One is launched. |
| Masato Tsuchida becomes the fifteenth JRFU President. | |
| The Japan Women's Sevens national team competes at Rugby World Cup Sevens 2022 in South Africa, finishing ninth. | |
| The Japan women's national team competes at Rugby World Cup 2021 in New Zealand, finishing the tournament in the pool stage with three losses. | |
| 2023 | World Rugby recognises the JRFU as a High Performance Union, placing Japan among the world's leading rugby nations. |
| JAPAN BASE, the JRFU's rugby training centre, opens in Fukuoka. | |
| The Japan women's national team competes in the WXV Tournament. | |
| The Japan national team competes at Rugby World Cup 2023 in France, finishing the tournament in the pool stage with two wins and two losses. | |
| 2024 | The Japan Men's and Women's Sevens national teams compete at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, finishing 12th and 9th, respectively. |
| 2025 | The Japan women's national team competes at Rugby World Cup 2025 in England, finishing the tournament in the pool stage with one win and two losses. |
| 2026 | The Japan national team competes at inaugural Nations Championship 2026. |