Today, on Thursday 9 July, Japan Women's Football League has reported to Japan Football Association (JFA) executive committee, their decision to appoint Ms. OKAJIMA Kikuko as chair. The decision was made at the general meeting of members held on Friday 3 July, making Ms. Okajima the first chair of Japan Women’s Empowerment Football League (“WE League”).


Comment of WE League Chair OKAJIMA Kikuko
I am OKAJIMA Kikuko and was appointed as chair of the WE League. In 1972, I started training with a junior high school men’s football club before joining FC Jinnan, Japan’s first ever women’s football club, and I was fortunate enough to be selected into Japan Women’s National Team. I was then involved with Japan Women's Football Federation as a member of the executive committee and as the executive secretary. As a person who has experienced the dawn of women’s football in Japan, I am delighted to be a part of the inauguration of the first ever professional women’s football league in Japan.

There are two missions I would like to accomplish as chair of the WE League. First mission is to make professional WE Leaguers iconic figures for young girls playing football. In the USA, many girls playing football would wear jerseys to attend women’s football matches along with their teammates and coaches, and many families with daughters playing football are often seen in the crowd as well. Starting with girls who play football, I hope to create more opportunities for wide variety of people to watch the WE league matches. .....

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