Japan Soccer League
　The Japan Soccer League opened its fifth? season with the promise of greater success than previous years.　On April 6th　the opening game between Mitsubishi F. C. of Tokyo and Yanmar of Osaka attracted about 35,000　spectators.　To the　National Olympic Stadium in Tokyo.　Although the crowd included many young school　boys who are admitted free. Mr.Yoshinori Shigematsu, General Secretary of the League, is optimistic regarding the financial prospect and said that the League will spend more money　for　the　development　of　young players this year.

　Another Fair Play Trophy
　Besides　receiving　the　FIFA　Fair　Play Trophy for its performances at the Mexican Olympic Games, the Japan team has also been awarded the Pierre de Coubertin Fair Play Trophy by an international committee composed of UNESCO, AIPS (lnternational Sports Press Association) and　other sports organizations. The　official　ceremony　of conferment will be held at UNESCO House in Paris on April 13th. Mr.Ken Naganuma, non-playing captain of the team，will recieve the Trophy on behalf of the Japan Football Association.

　Obituary
　On March 25th Mr, Miki Shiozawa, who was an executive member of the Japan Football Association and General Secretary of the Japan Amateur Sports Association, died in Tokyo at the age　of　62. For　the past 40 years, since his days　as a football player at college,　Mr. Shinozawa　made a great contribution to sports in Japan, especiallly at the time of the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo

　History of Japanese Football
　The　Japan　Football　Association　will celebrate its 50th anniversary on September 10th next year.　It is planning a special cerebration program including an international invitational tournament, publication of its history, and an exhibition on Football in Japan.
　Although football was first introduced into Japan more than 90 years ago, it is only recently that it has become recognized as a major spectator sport.　In 1877 the Physical Training Institute of the Government adopted football as one of　its　courses, and　at the end of the 19th century several teachers from England introduced the Laws of　the Game　and began to teach the game in many normal schools.
　In 1919 the　English Football　Association presented a silver　trophy　to　the　Japan Sports　Association　in　order　to　accelerate the development of　football　here.　This led to the founding on September 10th 1921 of　the　Japan　Football　Association,　and soon afterwards the first National Championship Tournament was held for the F.A. Cup. The silver trophy was lost during World War II, and the Championship was superseded by the Emperor's Cup.
　It took Japanese football　many　years to　recover after the　War. The revival began in 1960, when　Mr. Dettmar　Cramer　of West Germany, now working　for FIFA, was invited to coach the　national team. Remarkable progress has since　been seen, both in popularisation of the sport at　all levels, and in the playing standard of　the national team.
　The Japanese team won the bronze medal at the Mexico Olympic Games in 1968, as well as the FIFA Fair Play Trophy.　　The sport is now experiencing a boom here, and the future for Japanese football appears at this time to be exceedingly bright.　　

■