Iwaki SC was established in 2015. The catalyst was the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. Satoshi OKURA, the current President of Iwaki SC, who was then serving as President of Shonan Bellmare, founded the club with Shuichi YASUDA, founder of Dome—the Japanese master licensee of Under Armour—who had built a logistics centre in Iwaki City to support earthquake recovery. “To become a light that illuminates the coast.” Their starting point was a desire to contribute to reconstruction and to develop people and communities through sport.

Starting in the Fukushima Prefecture League Division 2, Iwaki FC rose rapidly through the ranks, winning the Japan Football League (JFL) in 2021 and the J3 title in 2022, and has competed in J2 since 2023. As the team progressed, the construction of a new stadium became an unavoidable reality that could no longer be postponed.

The club’s current home stadium, Hawaiians Stadium Iwaki (capacity: 5,066), does not meet J1 and J2 licensing standards. In 2022, the club received its licence under an “exception provision” on the condition that it submit a new stadium development plan to J.LEAGUE within three years.

With a concrete deadline set, the construction of a new stadium became a realistic prospect. A location also needed to be determined. President Okura has said he recalls thinking at the time “For a club that has said it will develop people and communities through sport, it would be strange to build a stadium just to get into J1 or stay in J2. The stadium must be an extension of the club’s vision.” To discuss what the stadium should be, with “the region” as the subject rather than “Iwaki FC,” Iwaki SC established the New Stadium Study Committee “IWAKI GROWING UP PROJECT” (hereinafter, the Committee) in 2023.

The Committee was a unique body comprising members from various local backgrounds, including business executives, educators, lawyers, and creators. A “Youth Project” was also organised to hear from the children who will shape the region’s future.

The Committee was chaired by Isao UEBAYASHI, then an Associate Professor at Faculty of Physical Education, Japan Women’s College of Physical Education, who had been involved in numerous sports facility construction projects. When approached about participating in the Committee, Mr. Uebayashi felt that “this committee could achieve a first step in stadium construction that has never been taken before” and agreed to join. He had witnessed cases in various locations where gaps developed between local sentiment and the stadium construction process, leading to opposition movements. “From the very beginning, I had been thinking about whether we could build a stadium while listening to everyone’s opinions.”

Discussions within the Committee covered a wide range of topics: “What challenges could be solved if the stadium is built?” “What would be fun to have?” “How can we make the area more liveable?” Opinions were exchanged with the premise of addressing regional challenges such as population decline. However, participants’ views were extremely diverse and “completely chaotic” (President Okura). Just when those involved were at a loss as to how to bring things together, an opportunity was arranged for the children in the “Youth Project” to present to the adults. The children’s earnest presentations silenced the room. “The atmosphere shifted to one where adults absolutely had to make this concept a reality for the children. The children’s statements became a turning point, and discussions progressed,” says President Okura.

After many twists and turns, the Committee compiled four visions: “A stadium that transforms the structure of the city,” “A flexible stadium that stays ahead of the times,” “A stadium that supports education and learning,” and “A stadium where people gather and ‘chance encounters’ occur.” Mr. Uebayashi, who brought together these visions, reflected on the discussions “I felt that the people of Iwaki and the Hamadori region, who overcame the earthquake together, have a culture and spirit of creating things together as a community.”

Building the stadium also required meeting J.LEAGUE requirements. One of these was “access”—not merely convenient transport but selecting a location that integrates the stadium with surrounding regional resources, such as tourist facilities, to create a positive cycle for the local economy.

Considering the Committee’s discussions and J.LEAGUE’s requirements, the club selected Onahama Port, one of Fukushima Prefecture’s leading tourism and exchange hubs. The area is home to high-profile facilities, including the aquarium Aquamarine Fukushima, the roadside station Iwaki La La Mew, and AEON Mall Iwaki Onahama, and synergies with the stadium are expected. The club submitted a plan to J.LEAGUE to build a stadium with a capacity of 8,000 to 10,000 on approximately 2.8 hectares of prefectural land facing the sea, currently used as a car park. Construction is targeted to begin by November 2027, with completion aimed for the start of the 2031 season.

There are approximately 345 days per year without football matches. What features are needed to draw people to the stadium on these days as well? Concrete discussions based on the Committee’s deliberations are currently underway. A building wing is planned for a corner of the stadium facing the pitch, and President Okura expresses his enthusiasm “I want to make it a place for solving regional challenges. For example, a health-focused space, facilities based on the concept of wellbeing (physical and mental health and happiness), or places for children to learn. In Iwaki, the outflow of young people from the city is a major problem causing population decline, so we could also consider incorporating features that support child-rearing to help make the city more liveable for young people.”

President Okura consults with subcommittee members when he struggles with stadium planning. “Recently, when I consulted them, they gave me the keyword ‘a stadium that raises your body temperature.’ The concept is that even when it’s not a match day, coming to the stadium raises your body temperature, gives you energy, and gives you the power to live. I want to refine the concept with the members’ help.”

On the other hand, numerous challenges must be overcome for stadium construction. One is funding. While there are various formats for football stadium construction, such as “publicly built, privately operated,” President Okura says Iwaki SC is currently pursuing a “private-sector-led, public-private partnership” approach. “The club will raise funds and own the stadium. However, since it’s not just for football but also a facility for creating regional value, we want the government to collaborate. We need to consider how to partner with the government in managing the stadium.” While various financing schemes are being considered, there is a strong desire for the club to own the stadium. “Ownership gives more freedom. We can open the pitch to the public at the club’s discretion, and owning the stadium is important in terms of increasing the club’s value.”

The second challenge is disaster prevention and tsunami countermeasures. The candidate stadium development site was severely damaged by the tsunami during the earthquake. The club plans to include evacuation spaces within the stadium for emergencies.

There are also significant transport challenges. As the stadium will be built on land currently used as a car park, securing parking and developing new public transport are required. In response to these issues, Fukushima Rinkai Tetsudo, which operates freight services connecting JR Joban Line’s Izumi Station to the Onahama Port area, is considering whether passenger services could be provided on the same route. If realised, this would not only improve access to the stadium but also revitalise tourism across the Onahama area. This is one example of how the stadium project’s impact could transform the city’s very structure.

In their third season in J2, Iwaki FC finished with 15 wins, 11 draws, and 12 losses, placing 9th—the same as last season. This season, they went nine matches without a win after the opening, dropping to last place at one point, but fought back with two three-match winning streaks in April and August–September, and a four-match winning streak in October–November. This season’s cumulative home match attendance was 83,063, a record high. The excitement generated by the team is growing year by year.

Creating social value through sport, people development, and community building. This philosophy, unchanged since the club’s founding, will be deployed on a larger scale in the near future on the new stage of the stadium.

Written by: Junichi SUDA (Fukushima Minyu Shimbun)

Appendix: US Stadium Study Tour

J.LEAGUE has conducted multiple European stadium study tours since 2008 to understand the latest trends in overseas stadium construction concepts and technology. In 2024 and 2025, tours were conducted to the United States to study the stadiums of MLS (Major League Soccer), which has seen remarkable growth in recent years.

Study Topics
・Latest trends in construction concepts and stadium construction technology ・Integration with urban development, multi-use facilities ・Various initiatives for stable stadium management ・Initiatives that consider the environment and sustainability

Locations Visited
2025: San Jose, Los Angeles, Austin, Miami (Reference: 2024: Columbus, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Nashville, St. Louis, Minnesota)

Study Content
Stadium tours, training facility tours, stakeholder interviews (questions to executives, including CEOs)

Publication of Study Reports
The results of the 2024 tour have been made publicly available in a report since 2025 (available in Japanese only) J.LEAGUE US Stadium Tour 2024 Report

2025 Tour Topics

・Many MLS stadiums are designed with the future in mind, leaving space for expansion throughout the stadium to accommodate changes over time, allowing updates to concourses, VIP seating, premium lounges, and other areas to meet future customer needs. ・BMO Stadium and Q2 Stadium are convertible stadia adapted for concerts. By incorporating dismantlable side stands for stage installation and permanent roof grids (for hanging audio, lighting, and video equipment), they have achieved concert-ready stadia with short setup times and minimal impact on the natural grass, enabling high utilisation and high revenue. ・Miami Freedom Park, currently under construction, is a stadium at the centre of ongoing integrated regional development, featuring a hotel, office building, arena, commercial facilities, and a large park. During the construction period, the “Miami Freedom Park Experience Centre” (an exhibition hall) has opened in the city, offering advance showings and sales of premium areas, while also providing numerous attractions that allow visitors to experience the new stadium. ※A report similar to the 2024 version is planned for publication in the future.

Future Outlook
To promote the development of stadiums across Japan going forward, we will consider overseas stadium study tours that allow other stakeholders besides club officials to participate.

※The information published is current as of December 22, 2025.