A friction clutch wherein the distance between a clutch center member on a driven shaft side and a pressure plate, between which an alternate arrangement of clutch friction plates on a driving shaft side and clutch plates on the driven shaft side is disposed, is increased or decreased to disconnect or connect transmission of power between the driving shaft side and the driven shaft side. The driven shaft is constructed so that the clutch center member and the pressure plate are disposed for relative displacement in a direction of rotation. The friction clutch includes a conversion mechanism for converting a relative displacement in the direction of rotation caused by a countertorque inputted to the friction clutch into a relative displacement in a direction of an axis of rotation to increase the distance between the clutch center member and the pressure plate.