The "Shakaijin", "Shakaijin Cup" or "Zensha" as it is known, was first established in 1965 to determine potential entrants to the Japan Soccer League. The winner and runner-up played off in a promotion and relegation series against the bottom two clubs of the JSL. This continued even after the JSL added a Second Division in 1972. Since 1977, however, there is a system called the "Regional Football Champions League" to promote new league entrants (to the JSL 2nd Division, the former Japan Football League, and the current Japan Football League), thus the "Shakaijin" is now effectively a non-league cup competition. The 1999 edition was the only one to feature teams from the current JFL; otherwise, all participant clubs have been from the regional leagues.
The format is a week-long elimination tournament in a host locale (originally a single city, now a major metropolitan area) chosen by the JFA beforehand, and the best clubs of the regional leagues (currently 32 entrants) qualify. The final takes place in a major stadium in the largest host city or prefectural capital. The winner automatically qualifies to the Regional Champions League (runners-up and third places may also qualify depending on berth availability).
Many former Shakaijin winners are now J.League members, so the cup, despite no longer guaranteeing promotion, is considered a crucial stepping stone by ambitious clubs.
| Year |
Winner |
Score |
Runner-up |
Location(s)
|
| 1965 |
Nippon Kokan |
3–1 |
Urawa Club |
Beppu, Ōita
|
| 1966 |
Urawa Club |
1–0 |
Nippon Kokan |
Omiya
|
| 1967 |
Nagoya Bank |
4–1 |
Toyota Motors |
Yokohama
|
| 1968 |
Toyota Motors |
1–0 |
Urawa Club |
Shimabara, Nagasaki
|
| 1969 |
Kofu Club (shared) |
1–1
(a.e.t.) |
Urawa Club (shared) |
Tōno, Iwate
|
| 1970 |
Toyota Motors |
1–0 |
Kofu Club |
Fujieda, Shizuoka
|
| 1971 |
Towa Real Estate |
1–0 |
Tanabe Pharmaceutical |
Saga
|
| 1972 |
Eidai Industries |
5–0 |
Teijin SC Matsuyama |
Ichihara, Chiba
|
| 1973 |
Sumitomo |
2–1 |
Hitachi Ibaraki SC |
Hitachi, Ibaraki
|
| 1974 |
Honda Giken |
3–0 |
Yanmar Club |
Kagoshima
|
| 1975 |
Yanmar Club |
3–1 |
Furukawa Electric Chiba |
Shizuoka
|
| 1976 |
Nissan Motors |
1–0 |
Dainichi Nippon Densen
|
| 1977 |
Toshiba Horikawa-cho |
2–0 |
NTT Kansai
|
| 1978 |
Saitama Teachers |
2–0 |
Hyōgo Teachers |
Nobeoka, Miyazaki
|
| 1979 |
Toho Titanium |
2–0 |
Mazda Auto Hiroshima
|
| 1980 |
Dainichi Nippon Cable SC |
2–0 |
Osaka Gas
|
| 1981 |
NTT Kanto |
2–1 |
Hitachi Ibaraki
|
| 1982 |
Osaka Gas |
3–1 |
Shizuoka Gas
|
| 1983 |
Matsushita |
5–0 |
NTT Kansai
|
| 1984 |
Kyoto Police Dept. |
2–1 |
Shimizu Club
|
| 1985 |
NTT Kansai (shared) |
1–1 |
Yamanashi Club (shared)
|
| 1986 |
Furukawa Electric Chiba |
4–3 |
Tokyo Gas
|
| 1987 |
Akita City Government |
1–0 |
Furukawa Electric Chiba
|
| 1988 |
Kyoto Shiko Club |
2–0 |
Mazda Auto Hiroshima
|
| 1989 |
Chuo Bohan |
2–0 |
Furukawa Electric Chiba |
Kasuga, Fukuoka
|
| 1990 |
Chuo Bohan |
3–1 |
Hitachi Ibaraki |
Kanazawa
|
| 1991 |
PJM Futures |
2–0 |
Seino Unyu |
Tsuruoka, Yamagata
|
| 1992 |
PJM Futures |
2–0 |
Nippon Denso |
Takamatsu, Kagawa
|
| 1993 |
Yokogawa Denki |
3–2 |
YKK
|
| 1994 |
Hitachi Ibaraki |
1–0 |
Hokuriku Electric Power Co.
|
| 1995 |
Prima Ham FC Tsuchiura |
1–0 |
Albireo Niigata
|
| 1996 |
F.C. Kyoto BAMB 1993 |
1–1
PK 4–3 |
Prima Ham FC Tsuchiura |
Takatsuki, Osaka
|
| 1997 |
Yokogawa Denki |
1–0
AET |
Honda Luminoso Sayama F.C. |
Fujisawa, Kanagawa
Yokohama
|
| 1998 |
NTT Kyushu |
3–0 |
Norbritz Hokkaido
|
| 1999 |
Honda Giken |
4–0 |
Sony Sendai FC |
Toyama
Takaoka, Toyama
|
| 2000 |
Sagawa Express Tokyo SC |
3–2 |
Sagawa Printing SC |
Sendai, Miyagi (final)
Naruse, Miyagi
Rifu, Miyagi
Shichigahama, Miyagi
Matsushima, Miyagi
|
| 2001 |
Sagawa Express Osaka S.C. |
2–1
AET |
Honda Luminoso Sayama F.C. |
Nankoku, Kōchi (final)
Ochi, Kōchi
Haruno, Kōchi
Hidaka, Kōchi
Noichi, Kōchi
|
| 2002 |
Okinawa Kariyushi FC (shared) |
0–0
AET |
Honda Luminoso Sayama F.C. (shared) |
Shimizu, Shizuoka
Fujieda, Shizuoka
|
| 2003 |
Honda Luminoso Sayama F.C. |
3–0 |
Shizuoka F.C. |
Saitama
Kawagoe, Saitama
|
| 2004 |
Honda Luminoso Sayama F.C. (shared) |
0–0 |
Okinawa Kariyushi FC (shared) |
Okayama (final)
Kurashiki, Okayama
Oku, Okayama
|
| 2005 |
Rosso Kumamoto (shared) |
2–2
AET |
New Nippon Steel Ōita (shared) |
Kobe, Hyōgo (final)
Goshiki, Hyōgo
Awaji, Hyōgo
Kakogawa, Hyōgo
Miki, Hyōgo
|
| 2006 |
V-Varen Nagasaki |
1–0 |
Shizuoka F.C. |
Akita (final)
Yurihonjō, Akita
Nikaho, Akita
|
| 2007 |
F.C. Mi-O Biwako Kusatsu |
3–1 |
Yazaki Valente |
Ōita
Beppu, Ōita
|
| 2008 |
A.C. Nagano Parceiro |
2–1 |
NEC Tokin |
Niigata
|
| 2009 |
Matsumoto Yamaga |
2–1 |
Zweigen Kanazawa |
Ichihara, Chiba
|
| 2010 |
Kamatamare Sanuki |
2–0 |
Nagano Parceiro |
Yamaguchi
|
| 2011 |
Tokyo 23 FC |
1–0 |
SC Sagamihara |
Ōgaki, Gifu
|
| 2012 |
F.C. Korea |
1–0
AET |
Fukushima United |
Chōfu, Tokyo
|
| 2013 |
Renofa Yamaguchi |
1–1
PK 5–4 |
Grulla Morioka |
Shimabara, Nagasaki
|
| 2014 |
FC Osaka |
2–0 |
Club Dragons |
Kamitonda, Wakayama
|
| 2015 |
Arterivo Wakayama |
1–1
PK 5–3 |
Hannan University |
Morioka, Iwate (final)
Hanamaki, Iwate
Takizawa, Iwate
Tōno, Iwate
|
| 2016 |
Mitsubishi Mizushima FC |
2–2
PK 5–3 |
Suzuka Unlimited FC |
Saijō, Ehime (final)
|
| 2017 |
Suzuka Unlimited FC |
2–1 |
Matsue City FC |
Sakai, Fukui
|
| 2018 |
Matsue City FC |
3–2 |
FC Kariya |
Kashima, Ibaraki (final)
Hitachinaka, Ibaraki
|
| 2019 |
FC Tiamo Hirakata |
1–0 |
Ococias Kyoto AC |
Kirishima, Kagoshima (final)
Minamisatsuma, Kagoshima
Shibushi, Kagoshima
|
| 2020 |
Cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic in Japan
|
| 2021
|
| 2022 |
Briobecca Urayasu |
0–0
PK 5–3 |
BTOP Thank Kuriyama |
Shibushi, Kagoshima
|
| 2023 |
FC Kariya |
1–0
PK 4–2 |
Arterivo Wakayama |
Saga, Saga
Tosu, Saga
|
| 2024 |
Japan Soccer College |
1–0 |
FC Tokushima |
Around Shiga
|
2024 All Japan Senior Football Championship