JFL History: 1993

In 1993, The JFL commenced play under its new format, as a semi-official "second division" to the J.League. Although the requirements for promotion and relegation were deliberately left vague, the idea was that the JFL would continue to generate at least one or two teams a year that could be effective challengers in the J.League itself. At the time, there was no real plan for how many teams would be added the the J.League. In the end, the league began to face both logistical and monetary difficulties when the number reached18 teams in 1998, and a restructuring of the league would reduce the number to 16 (see the information on the creation of J2).

As was the case with the J.League itself, the league was forced to perform a balancing act between its need to obtain corporate sponsorship for teams and its desire to create local support. Teams that were too closely associated with the companies that formed them were often unable to attract local grassroots supporters. The most successful teams, however, recognised this fact early on, and one by one the teams in the JFL began to follow the example of their J.League counterparts by adopting new names, based on their home town. Regardless of whether they did so voluntarily, teams were required to abandon their corporate name and take a new name when they entered the J.League. Thus, when Fujita and Yamaha FC were promoted at the end of the 1993 season, they became Bellmare Hiratsuka, and Jubilo Iwata, respectively.

JFL League Table
. Rank Team Destination in 1994 Season
Div.
One 1 Fujita
Bellmare Hiratsuka
J.League
2 Yamaha FC
Jubilo Iwata
J.League
3 Toshiba . . New JFL
4 Otsuka Pharmaceutical . . New JFL
5 Hitachi Kashiwa Reysol New JFL
6 Fujitsu . . New JFL
7 Yanmar Cerezo Osaka New JFL
8 Tokyo Gas . . New JFL
9 Chuo Security Fujiki Brooks New JFL
10 Kyoto UV Tech Kyoto Purple Sanga New JFL
Div.
Two 1 Honda Motor . . New JFL
2 PJM Futures . . New JFL
3 NKK disbanded
4 Cosmo Oil . . New JFL
5 Kawasaki Steel . . New JFL
6 Toyota Fuji disbanded
7 NTT Kanto . . New JFL
8 Seino Transport . . New JFL
9 Kofu Soccer Club . . New JFL
10 Togo Titanium . . New JFL