About The J.League

Japan's professional football league -- the J.League -- was formed in 1992, and the first season of match play took place in 1993. The league has developed and metamorphosized over the years, but after a number of rule changes and adjustments, the current format, rules and structure have been in place since 2005, and seem to have gained the approval of fans and league officials alike. More details on the history of the J.League, including past awards, won-loss records and standings can be accessed by clicking the "History" link in the right hand column.

The J.League is divided into two divisions -- the "J1" and "J2". The second division (J2) was formed in 1999, and since that time there has been a system of promotion and relegation between the J1 and J2. Initially, the top two teams in the J2 were automatically promoted and the bottom two teams in the J1 were relegated at the end of each year. In 2004, however, the J1 expanded from 16 teams to 18. To accomplish this, the top two J2 teams were promoted, and no teams were relegated. Since then, the promotion and relegation system has taken its current form. Two teams are promoted each year and two teams are relegated, with the third-placed J2 team taking part in a promotion / relegation playoff series (home and away) with the 16th-placed J1 team.

Below the J.League is a semi-professional third division in the form of the JFL. Further down the food chain are a number of fully-amateur leagues in each region and prefecture. Teams that finish first or second in the JFL are eligible for promotion to the J2, but there are also a number of organizational, financial and other requirements that teams must meet. Therefore, promotion from the JFL is not automatic (and indeed, some teams deliberately choose to remain in the JFL, rather than adopt a professional club structure). Further information about the structure of the JFL and the regional and prefectural leagues can be found in the JFL section.

The J.League season runs from late February or early March through December. In addition to league play, which usually concludes the first week of December, there are two Cup competitions, as well as a number of exhibition matches that are held every year. Below is a description of the league format, and an overview of the two cup tournaments and some of the exhibition contests. For further details, such as past winners and historical results, please click on the links at the top of each section, below.

J. League Division One (J1)

As noted above, the J.League first division was formed in 1992, with the first season running from April through December 1993. Initially the competition was played in two stages, with the winner of each stage meeting at the end of the year in a home-and-away playoff, known as the "Suntory Championship Series" (assuming the same team did not win both stages). However, after a few years of success in this format, some people began calling for a unified season with the top team over the course of the year claiming the title. Beginning in 2005, the J1 adopted a single-stage format, making the league format identical to that of most European leagues.

The season runs from early March through early December, with a one-month break usually taking place in June or July. Since 2005, when the leauge expanded to 18 teams, promotion and relegation took its current format. The teams that are ranked 17th and 18th at the end of the season are automatically relegated to the second division (J2), and replaced by the top two teams in the J2. The 16th placed team in the J1 plays a promotion/relegation series (in a home-and-away format) against the third place team in the J2, with the winner joining the J1 and the loser returning to the J2.

J. League Division Two (J2)

The J. League Division Two championship is also played over a single stage that generally runs from March through December. At present, there are just 13 teams in the league, so the format is a quadruple-round robin schedule. That is to say, each team meets every other team in the league four times -- twice at home and twice away. Eventually, this format may be changed to a two-round format, as the league expands and the number of teams (and matches) increases. Theoretically, the J2 will continue to grow as teams earn promotion from the JFL until the number of teams reaches 18. At that point, the league format will become identical to that of the J1.

Emperor's Cup

The Emperor's Cup has the longest tradition of any football tournament in Japan. It predates both the J.League and the JFL, and was the original cup competition to decide the "best team in Japan." In addition to J1 and J2 teams, the competition includes teams from the JFL, amateur company leagues, as well as the top college and high school teams in the country The teams play off in a single elimination format which begins in early fall. The J.League teams receive byes until the later rounds (usually early December). Although the final match of the Emperor's Cup is played on January 1 -- the first day of the new year -- it is viewed as the traditional closing match of the season.

Yamazaki Nabisco Cup

The second cup competition -- the Nabisco Cup -- is a strictly J.League affair, with all teams in the J1 taking part. The preliminary competition usually starts in the late spring or early summer, and the final match generally takes place on November 3 (Culture Day -- a national holiday in Japan). Games that are tied at the end of 90 minutes are declared a draw. The "away goals" rule is in effect, meaning that if the two teams are tied on aggregate score after the second match, the team that scored the most away goals advances to the next round. Extra time is played only if the two teams are tied on aggregate at the end of the second match, and both teams have the same number of "away goals". If no winner is decided even at the end of extra time, the result is determined by penalty kicks. In the past, the winners were decided on simple aggregate., but the J.League adopted the "away goals" rule starting in 2006.

The final of the Nabisco Cup is a single match, with extra time if the score is level after 90 minutes, and a penalty shoot-out if there is no winner at the end of extra time.

Xerox Super Cup

The Xerox Super Cup is the traditional kick-off match to the season. It takes place in late February or early March, one week before the start of the J1 league matches, and pits the champion of the J. League against the winner of the Emperor's Cup. In cases where the same team wins both events, the Emperor's Cup runner up takes part in the match. For example, in 2000, the Kashima Antlers won both the league title and the Emperor's Cup, so the Xerox Super Cup for 2001 pitted Kashima Antlers against the runner-up team in the Emperor's Cup , Shimizu S-Pulse. In 2005, the Xerox Super Cup pits the Yokohama Marinos against Tokyo Verdy.

Japan Energy (JOMO) All-Star Soccer Match

This All-Star match usually takes place in the summer, around mid-June. Teams are selected by dividing J. League clubs into eastern and western regions(J-EAST and J-WEST). Due to the changing makeup of the league, the JFA makes the decision on which teams are "West" and which are "East" some time in March, and the participating players and managers for each team are then chosen by fan ballot.

J.League Organization and Team Requirements

The conditions for membership in J1 and J2 are outlined below. The rules are intended to promote financially stable clubs with strong ties to their local community, while at the same time encouraging the development of football in Japan

1. Incorporation

Each club must be a registered corporation specializing in football. This condition is stipulated to ensure that each club provides a secure management base.

2. Hometown

Each club must designate a particular locality as its home town. It must cooperate in sports activities conducted in the area to grow as a club that takes part in activities in the community and promotes sports in the region.

3. Players and Coaching Licenses

First division teams must have at least 15 players who have concluded the standard professional contract approved by the Japan Football Association (JFA), while second division teams must have at least five such players. Coaches must possess the appropriate coaching license approved by the JFA. Managers of top teams must posses the JFA's Grade S license, managers of satellite teams must possess a Grade B license or higher, and managers of U-18 (youth), U-15 (junior youth) and U-12 (junior) teams must possess a Grade C license or higher.

4. Team Structure

Each J1 club must have at least a satellite team, an U-18 team, an U-15 team and an U-12 team. Each J2 club must have at least a satellite team and an U-18 team. J2 clubs without an U-15 and/or U-12 team must organize soccer schools and conduct other activities targeting children of these age groups and organize these teams within three years of joining the J. League. When a J2 club is promoted to J1, the conditions for a J1 club will apply even if the J2 club has held J. League membership for less than three years.

5. Stadium Facilities

For both J1 and J2 clubs, stadiums must possess an evergreen natural grass field with, in principle, a size of 105 meters by 68 meters. The stadiums must also have floodlights of an average 1,500 lux or more. Stadiums for J1 clubs must hold 15,000 spectators or more. Stadiums for J2 clubs must hold 12,000 spectators or more.

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J1 (Division 1)

Information
Match Results
Standings
Schedule
History
J1 Teams
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Hall of Fame

J2 (Division 2)

Information
Match Results
Standings
Schedule
History
J2 Teams
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National Team