Japan Lacrosse Association

What Japan Lacrosse Association does

Japan Lacrosse Association (公益社団法人日本ラクロス協会, JLA) is the sole nationally and internationally recognized governing body for lacrosse in Japan, operating as a Public Interest Incorporated Association under Japanese civil code. Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Tokyo, JLA standardizes competition rules, certifies coaches and referees, sanctions domestic tournaments and leagues, and manages Japan's national teams across men's, women's, BOX, and SIXES formats at senior, U-19, U-20, U-21, and U-22 age levels. The organization administers a 7-region league structure (Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Tokai, Kansai, Chushikoku, Kyushu), a junior development program with age-appropriate rules, and an event portfolio that includes the All-Japan Championships, the Akatsuki Cup student newcomer tournament, the JLA International Friendship Games (32 editions since 1989), and the upcoming 2026 World Lacrosse Women's World Championship hosted in Tokyo.

JLA's product and platform portfolio comprises the official lacrosse.gr.jp website as the central information hub, the Lacrosse Live streaming platform (lacrosselive.jp), the Lacrosse Magazine Japan publication, the SIXES 6-person format platform (formalized domestically in 2023), the JLA Academy multi-level instructor certification program, a structured referee qualification system with international dispatch credentials, the lacrosse-membership.jp registration portal, and the JLAFounders (JLF) individual sponsorship program. Member-facing technical components include dedicated microsites for major events, social channels (Facebook, Instagram, X, YouTube, TikTok), and broadcast distribution partnerships with BS Asahi and ABEMA.

JLA's revenue is generated through four primary streams: (1) multi-tiered corporate sponsorships under the JLA Partner program (title partner Nissin Foods, lead partner Cybozu, partners KNT and Pokka Sapporo, supporters Brown Advisory and TSP Taiyo), (2) the four-track JLAFounders individual sponsorship program (Representative Enhancement, Lacrosse for Everyone, Media Branding, Designated Area Support), (3) tournament entry fees (60,000–250,000 JPY per team depending on division), and (4) championship ticketing (single-day passes 1,000–4,800 JPY; event passes 20,000–30,000 JPY). The association is funded through these streams plus government sports promotion grants, and is governed by a board of directors structure rather than investor ownership. Notable international competitive milestones include Japan's first international lacrosse medal — a men's SIXES bronze at the 2022 World Games — and participation in all 10 editions of the Asia-Pacific Lacrosse Championship since 2004.

Name

Japan Lacrosse Association

Legal name

公益社団法人日本ラクロス協会

Website

https://lacrosse.gr.jp

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Japan Lacrosse Association is the sole national governing body for lacrosse in Japan, standardizing rules, certifying coaches and referees, managing national teams across multiple age groups and formats, and hosting domestic leagues, tournaments, and the 2026 Women's World Championship in Tokyo.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Federation / National Governing Body

NAICS

Spectator Sports (7112), Business Associations (813910)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Olympic & Multi-Sport Governing Bodies (IOC/IPC, Continental Games Federations) (MPAKAFAA)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sports Fundraising & Development Services (Foundations, NIL Collectives Support) (MPAKAKAK)

Keywords

• Sports federation governance
• Lacrosse national association
• Competitive tournament organization
• Coach referee certification
• Corporate sports sponsorship

Headquarters

HQ city

Tokyo

HQ country

Japan

HQ region

Asia

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Corporate Sponsorship and Partnership: JLA generates revenue through multi-tiered corporate partnerships including title partner (Nissin Foods), lead partner (Cybozu), partners (KNT, Pokka Sapporo), and supporters (Brown Advisory, TSP Taiyo). Partnerships fund national team operations, tournament organization, and sport development.
2. Individual Membership and Sponsorship: The Japan Lacrosse Founders (JLF) program allows individuals to support the sport through courses including: Representative Team Enhancement Course, Lacrosse for Everyone Course, Media Branding Course, and Designated Area Support Course. Supporting member system also generates revenue.
3. Tournament and Event Entry Fees: Revenue from tournament participation fees including National Division team entries (60,000 JPY per team for 2026 Japan Lacrosse FESTIVAL), Global Division Elite (250,000 JPY), and other categories. Individual participation fees also apply.
4. Championship Event Ticketing: Revenue from ticket sales for major international championships including the 2026 Women's World Championship. Ticket categories include event passes (20,000-30,000 JPY) and single-day passes (1,000-4,800 JPY depending on venue and category).

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Japan Lacrosse Association is the national governing body for lacrosse in Japan, providing official rulebooks, organizing national and international tournaments, certifying coaches and referees, managing national teams across multiple age groups, running regional collegiate and club leagues, and administering the six-player SIXES format. It also operates membership registration, corporate sponsorship programs, and the JLAFounders individual crowdfunding platform.

Product overview

Japan Lacrosse Association operates as a sports governing body managing lacrosse at the national level in Japan. The organization offers a portfolio of programs and services including the official website as the central information hub, Lacrosse Live streaming platform for match broadcasts, Lacrosse Magazine Japan for media coverage, SIXES (a new 6-player format), JLA Academy for coach certification, referee qualification programs, a membership registration system, corporate sponsorship through JLA Partners, individual sponsorship via JLAFounders, youth development programs, and major tournament events including the 2026 World Lacrosse Women's Championship. These offerings work together to govern the sport, develop players and officials, engage fans and sponsors, and promote lacrosse growth in Japan.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• JLAFounders (JLF): Individual sponsorship program for supporting Japanese lacrosse
• JLAacademy
• SIXES
• ジュニアラクロス (Junior Lacrosse)

Products and services

• Japan Lacrosse Association Official Website Official website providing tournament information, national team updates, rule documents, and association news in Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean.
• Lacrosse Live Streaming Platform Live streaming and archive distribution platform for lacrosse matches, providing free viewing without login for many broadcasts.
• Lacrosse Magazine Japan Official magazine publication covering lacrosse news, features, and competition coverage of the sport in Japan.
• SIXES Six-Person Lacrosse Format Six-player lacrosse format developed by World Lacrosse for faster-paced gameplay with smaller field size and shot clock rules, positioned as a frontier for the sport's growth and Olympic potential.
• JLA Academy Coach Certification Program Coach certification and training program with multiple levels (B-license and other ranks), offering instructor certification workshops and maintaining lists of excellent leaders.
• JLA Referee Certification Program Official referee qualification system including first-class referee listings, excellent referee recognition, and international competition dispatch programs.
• JLA Membership Registration System Online system for JLA membership registration and tournament applications, serving as the primary portal for member management for collegiate and club participants.
• JLA Partners Corporate Sponsorship Program Corporate sponsorship program with tiered partnership levels including title partners, lead partners, partners, and supporters.
• JLAFounders Individual Sponsorship Program Individual sponsorship platform allowing supporters to contribute to national team strengthening, lacrosse for everyone initiatives, media branding, and regional support programs through four courses.
• Junior Lacrosse Youth Development Program Youth lacrosse program with standard rules for junior players and age-appropriate formats, culminating in U-10 and U-12 categories in major festivals.
• 2026 World Lacrosse Women's Championship (Tokyo) Major international championship hosted by World Lacrosse in Tokyo, Japan, with ticketing through Ticket Pia, broadcast partnerships with BS Asahi and ABEMA, and official travel partner KNT.
• 2026 Japan Lacrosse FESTIVAL International lacrosse festival with National and Global divisions for Elite, High School, Junior High, U-12, and U-10 categories, with team entry fees ranging from 60,000 to 250,000 JPY.

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and supporting.

• Nissin Foods (日清食品株式会社)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Title partner for the 2026 WORLD LACROSSE Women's World Championship. Nissin Foods supports the championship as part of their 'Food and Sports are the Two Wheels Supporting Health' philosophy, providing optimized nutritional products to support player conditioning. The partnership aims to support Japan's first-ever medal pursuit at the women's world championship.
• Cybozu (サイボウズ株式会社)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Lead partner for the 2026 Women's World Championship. Cybozu, which develops groupware solutions, supports the championship under their corporate philosophy of 'Creating a society where teamwork flourishes.' The partnership aligns with their mission to spread the value of teamwork globally.
• Kinki Nippon Tourist / KNT (近畿日本ツーリスト株式会社)coreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Official travel agency partner for the 2026 Women's World Championship. KNT leverages their extensive experience with international sports events to provide accommodation and transportation support for athletes, officials, and fans attending from around the world.
• Pokka Sapporo (ポッカサッポロフード&ビバレッジ株式会社)supportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Beverage and food partner providing products including Chelate Lemon Citric Acid (525ml) and other beverages to support athletes and championship participants, aligned with their corporate mission of creating the future of food and contributing to Well-being.
• TSP Taiyo (TSP太陽株式会社)supportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026Event production and management company supporting the 2026 Women's World Championship. TSP Taiyo specializes in sports event planning, venue operations, and space production, bringing 'excitement and passion' through player-first venue experiences.
• Brown AdvisorysupportingGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2026International investment management firm headquartered in Baltimore, USA, serving as a supporter for the 2026 Women's World Championship. Founded in 1998 with an independent, private culture emphasizing collaboration, integrity, and long-term thinking. Offices across the US, Europe, Asia, and Middle East.
• World Lacrosse (WL)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational lacrosse governing body that recognizes JLA as the national governing body for Japan. WL publishes official rules for SIXES and traditional lacrosse formats, organizes world championships, and sets international competitive standards. JLA participates in all WL-sanctioned events including World Championships and World Games.
• Asia-Pacific Lacrosse Union (APLU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional confederation organizing Asia-Pacific championships. APLU has conducted 10 editions of the Asia-Pacific Lacrosse Championship through 2026, with Japan participating in all events since the first edition in 2004.
• International World Games Association (IWGA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganizes the World Games, a multi-sport event for Olympic non-ported disciplines held quadrennially. Lacrosse (SIXES format) has been featured as an official competition, with Japan's men's team winning bronze in 2022.
• Japan World Games Association (JWGA)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational organization promoting World Games participation in Japan. JWGA provides information about World Games events including lacrosse/SIXES competitions.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Others

• Japan Olympic Committee (JOC): JOC is the umbrella national Olympic organization coordinating Japan's Olympic sport federations. Relevant comparable as a higher-tier governance body that JLA may eventually affiliate with if lacrosse achieves Olympic inclusion.
• Japan Sports Council (JSC): JSC is the government-linked body that distributes sports promotion grants to Japanese federations. Relevant as a counterparty/funder for JLA's national team programs and youth development rather than a direct operational peer.
• World Lacrosse: World Lacrosse is the international federation that sanctions JLA's national teams and organizes the World Championships. Also develops the SIXES format that JLA adopted in 2023. Strategic counterparty rather than direct competitor.

Direct peers

• Lacrosse Canada: Lacrosse Canada is the national governing body for lacrosse in Canada (the sport's unofficial home country). Shares JLA's structure of national team management, certification programs, and league governance, with a similarly small administrative footprint relative to the sport's footprint.
• USA Lacrosse: USA Lacrosse is the national governing body for lacrosse in the United States, serving as the most direct comparator to JLA. Both organizations administer rules, certify officials and coaches, manage national teams, and run membership/leagues — though USA Lacrosse operates at far greater scale.
• England Lacrosse: England Lacrosse is the UK national governing body for lacrosse, with a comparable structure of domestic leagues, national team programs, and coach/official certification. Comparable scale to JLA in a similarly non-lacrosse-dominant market.

Broad incumbents

• Japan Football Association (JFA): JFA is the national governing body for soccer/football in Japan — a comparable Japanese sports federation with similar structure (公益社団法人), national teams, regional leagues, and certification programs. Represents a vastly more mature sport than JLA's lacrosse.
• Japan Basketball Association (JBA): JBA is the national governing body for basketball in Japan, with a similar federation structure managing national teams, leagues, and coaching/official development. Compared as a comparable Japanese sports federation for benchmarking governance scale.
• Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU): JRFU is the national governing body for rugby in Japan, offering a comparable structure of national team management, regional leagues, and certification programs. Like lacrosse, rugby was once a niche sport in Japan that achieved breakthrough visibility through international events.

Regional players

• Asia-Pacific Lacrosse Union (APLU): APLU is the regional confederation organizing Asia-Pacific championships (10 editions since 2004). JLA participates in all APLU events. Compares as a regional governance overlay rather than a direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/JapanLacrosse
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCpOxINAZ422HSX17E7T84aA
• Facebookfacebook.com/JapanLacrosseAssociation
• Instagraminstagram.com/p/CLT_OUchwTV
• TikToktiktok.com/@japan_lacrosse
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/japanlacrosseassociation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Japan Lacrosse Association