Japan Federation for Sport Cheer & Dance

The Japan Federation for Sport Cheer & Dance (一般社団法人日本スポーツチア＆ダンス連盟), commonly branded as Cheer Japan (チアジャパン), is a Japanese general incorporated association that serves as the national governing body for cheerleading and performance cheer in Japan. It was established on 18 February 2010 with the cooperation of the Japan Cheer Dance Association and USA Japan, and it is the Japanese national federation recognized by the International Cheer Union (ICU), the IOC-recognized international governing body for cheerleading. Its stated mission is to contribute to the building of sound minds through the promotion of cheerleading as a sport in which anyone can participate, sharing the integrated emotion of athletes and spectators as the core of the cheer spirit, and deepening exchange domestically and internationally to contribute to the formation of a rich society. The federation is headquartered in Yotsuya, Shinjuku, Tokyo. It organizes domestic competitions such as the Japan Open Cheerleading Championship, the Japan Student Cheerleading Championship, the Cheer Japan Group Stunts Competition, and the Performance Cheer Grand Final, and it selects and dispatches Japanese national teams to ICU world championships, including the ICU World Cheerleading Championships and the ICU World Junior Cheerleading Championships. It also runs judging courses, safety rule courses, coaching seminars, and the FLY HIGH PROJECT national team development program. Cheer Japan is affiliated with the International Cheer Union (ICU) and the Asian Cheer Union (ACU), and it is a member of the Japan Anti-Doping Agency and the Japan World Games Association. It has a cooperation agreement with Special Olympics Nippon. Its main domestic counterpart is the Japan Cheerleading Association, which is affiliated with the Japan Sports Association. The federation continues to publish annual schedules, rulebooks, and national team selection information through its official website and social media channels.

The Japan Federation for Sport Cheer & Dance was established on 18 February 2010 with the cooperation of the Japan Cheer Dance Association and USA Japan. It was created to serve as a national governing body for cheerleading in Japan and became the Japanese national federation affiliated with the International Cheer Union (ICU), the IOC-recognized international governing body for cheerleading. Until May 2019, it shared its headquarters with the Japan Cheer Dance Association at Akasaka 4-8-19, Minato-ku, Tokyo. In April 2010, the federation held its first ICU Judge Course for cheerleading and dispatched a Japanese national team in performance cheer to the ICU World Cheerleading Championships for the first time, winning one gold and two silver medals. In April 2011, it dispatched a Japanese national team in cheerleading to the ICU World Cheerleading Championships for the first time. In September 2012, it hosted the Asian Open Cheerleading Championship in Japan for the first time, with 10 countries participating. A second edition was held in September 2013 with 8 countries participating. In July 2013, it held its first ICU Judge Course for performance cheer. In September 2014, the federation held the first Japan Open Cheerleading Championship. In June 2015, it held the first Cheer Japan Judge Training. In October 2015, it joined the Japan Anti-Doping Agency and held its first ICU Safety Rule Course for performance cheer. In October 2016, it dispatched a Japanese national team in cheerleading to the Asian Cheerleading Championship, winning one gold medal. In April 2017, it dispatched Japanese national teams in cheerleading and performance cheer to the inaugural ICU World Junior Cheerleading Championships, winning one bronze medal in cheerleading (the first medal in that category) and one gold medal in performance cheer. In October 2017, it held its first ICU Safety Rule Course for cheerleading and hosted the ACU Asian Cheerleading Championship. In April 2018, it dispatched a Japanese national team in performance cheer to the GAISF/SportAccord Thailand Sport Festival 2018. In October 2018, it dispatched Japanese national teams in cheerleading and performance cheer to the FISU World University Cheerleading Championship in joint dispatch with the Japan Cheerleading Association, winning one gold and one silver in cheerleading and four gold and one silver in performance cheer. In December 2018, it held its first ICU Judge Refresh Course for performance cheer. In November 2020, the federation signed a memorandum of cooperation with Special Olympics Nippon. In January 2024, it held the first Performance Cheer Grand Final. In December 2024, it joined the Japan World Games Association. As of 2020, its main domestic counterpart was the Japan Cheerleading Association, which is affiliated with the Japan Sports Association. The federation continues to organize competitions, training courses, and national team programs, and publishes annual schedules and rulebooks on its official website.

• Japan Federation for Sport Cheer & Dance established

• First ICU Judge Course (Cheerleading) held; first dispatch of Japan national team (Performance Cheer) to ICU World Cheerleading Championships, winning 1 gold and 2 silver medals

• First dispatch of Japan national team (Cheerleading) to ICU World Cheerleading Championships

• Asian Open Cheerleading Championship held in Japan for the first time (10 countries participated)

• First ICU Judge Course (Performance Cheer) held

• Asian Open Cheerleading Championship held (8 countries participated)

• First Japan Open Cheerleading Championship held

• First Cheer Japan Judge Training held

• Joined Japan Anti-Doping Agency; first ICU Safety Rule Course (Performance Cheer) held

• Japan national team (Cheerleading) dispatched to Asian Cheerleading Championship, winning 1 gold medal

• Japan national teams (Cheerleading and Performance Cheer) dispatched to inaugural ICU World Junior Cheerleading Championships; Cheerleading won 1 bronze (first medal in category), Performance Cheer won 1 gold

• First ICU Safety Rule Course (Cheerleading) held; ACU Asian Cheerleading Championship hosted

• Japan national team (Performance Cheer) dispatched to GAISF/SportAccord Thailand Sport Festival 2018

• Japan national teams (Cheerleading and Performance Cheer) dispatched to FISU World University Cheerleading Championship in joint dispatch with Japan Cheerleading Association; Cheerleading won 1 gold and 1 silver, Performance Cheer won 4 gold and 1 silver

• First ICU Judge Refresh Course (Performance Cheer) held

• Memorandum of cooperation signed with Special Olympics Nippon

• First Performance Cheer Grand Final held

• Joined Japan World Games Association

National governing body for cheerleading and performance cheer in Japan, affiliated with the International Cheer Union.

• Japan Open Cheerleading Championship

• Japan Student Cheerleading Championship

• Cheer Japan Group Stunts Competition

• Performance Cheer Grand Final

• ICU World Cheerleading Championships national team program

• ICU World Junior Cheerleading Championships national team program

• FLY HIGH PROJECT

• ICU Judge Course (Cheerleading / Performance Cheer)

• ICU Safety Rule Course (Cheerleading / Performance Cheer)

• Rulebooks (Cheerleading / Performance Cheer)

1. 1Cheer Japan（チアジャパン） - 一般社団法人 日本スポーツチア＆ダンス連盟jfscheer.org
2. 2連盟について | Cheer Japan（チアジャパン） - 一般社団法人 日本スポーツチア＆ダンス連盟jfscheer.org
3. 3Japan Federation for Sport Cheer & Dance - Wikidatawikidata.org
4. 4日本スポーツチア&ダンス連盟 - Wikipediaja.wikipedia.org