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The , or , is the top professional soccer league in Japan, and the most successful professional football league in Asia.
League History
J. League was created in 1992, and kicked off its inaugural season on May 15, 1993. Initially, the professional football league consisted of 10 teams, taken from the former Japan Soccer League formed in post-war Japan. The success of that inaugural season saw rapid expansion follow, with two teams joining the league nearly every year until 1996, then a single team was added in 1997 and 1998.
The years when each team joined are as follows:
- 1993
- Kashima Antlers, Urawa Red Diamonds (also known as Urawa Reds), JEF United Ichihara (later JEF United Ichihara Chiba), Verdy Kawasaki (later Tokyo Verdy 1969), Yokohama Marinos (later merged with Yokohama Flügels to form Yokohama F. Marinos), Yokohama Flügels, Shimizu S-Pulse, Nagoya Grampus Eight, Gamba Osaka, Sanfrecce Hiroshima
- 1994
- Júbilo Iwata, Bellmare Hiratsuka (later Shonan Bellmare)
During this initial phase of J. League, several noted players and coaches came from Europe and South America to play, raising the overall quality of the league to rival that of the more established play overseas. However, with rising quality came rising cost, and many of the smaller teams could not sustain a viable product. Many J. League teams folded or were on the verge of folding.
In response, the league was divided from the 1999 season. The bottom two teams from J. League were matched with 10 teams from the semi-professional Japan Football League (JFL) to create J2, or J. League Division 2. The requirements for maintaining a J2 franchise were not as stringent for those as the original J. League (now often called J1), thus ensuring smaller cities could successfully maintain a franchise.
- 1999
- With the merger of the two Yokohama franchises, the J-League was reduced to 17 teams. Consadole Sapporo is also dropped from the top division at this time (to make 16) due to losing games against Vissel Kobe and Avispa Fukuoka during the "J1 Qualifying Tournament" and joined 9 new teams in J2.
- Montedio Yamagata, Vegalta Sendai, Omiya Ardija, Kawasaki Frontale, Ventforet Kofu, Sagan Tosu, FC Tokyo, Albirex Niigata, Oita Trinita
- 2000
- Mito HollyHock (J2)
- 2001
- Yokohama FC (J2)
- 2005
- THE SPA Kusatsu (J2), Tokushima VORTIS (J2)
League Structure
Promotion and relegation follow a pattern familiar to European club football, where the two bottom clubs of J1 and the top two clubs of J2 are guaranteed to move. However, promotion relies on the J2 clubs meeting the requirements for J1 franchise status, in terms of revenue, player contracts, youth academy, and stadium capacity. This has generally not been a concern, so a 2-team promotion is the norm.
Promotion to J2 from the JFL has tended to be more ad-hoc in nature, given the disparity in nature between the two leagues. In 2000, 2001, and 2006 the JFL league champion was promoted to J2; in 2005 two teams were promoted (as explained below). There is no provision as of 2006 for relegation from J2 to the JFL.
In 2005, the J. League expanded to 18 J1 teams once again, promoting the top two J2 teams automatically. A playoff was also held between the 16th place team in the J1 and the 3rd placed J2 team; however Kashiwa Reysol defeated Avispa Fukuoka both home and away to hold on to their place in the upper division. The two teams lost to J1 were replaced by promotion of two teams from the JFL.
For the 2006 season, the top two J2 teams and bottom two J1 teams in 2005 again were automatically promoted/relegated. In the playoff, the third place J2 team Ventforet Kofu defeated Kashiwa Reysol, the third-worst J1 team, sending three J1 teams down to J2 for the first time.
Expansion
At the beginning of the 2006 season the J. League announced its plan to expand J2 from 16 to 18 clubs by 2010, and 22 clubs by 2016. There are no plans to create a third division.
The Season
Until 2004 season, the J1 season was divided into two halves, with a separate championship for each half. Each half was 15 games long and each team played each other once, then again in the second half; playing away games against all the teams they had played at home in the first half of the season and vice versa . When a single team won both half seasons (ie. posted the best record over each 15-game half), then that team was declared the overall champion of the J1. If different teams had won each half, then a single playoff game between the half champions was held to determine the overall winner. Due to change in the number of the teams from 16 to 18, J1 moved to a single-season format from 2005 season, with each club playing the other twice.
J2 plays a single season of 44 games until 2005, but will be increased to 48 games in 2006 season due to a newly participating club, Ehime FC. All teams playing each other 4 times, much like some other smaller sized leagues such as the Scottish Premier League. Also see Japanese Football League Teams.
Clubs in 2006 season
J. League Division 1
J. League Division 2
| Teams Relegated from J1 | |||||
| 2005 J2 teams (in order of final standings) | |||||
| Promoted from JFL | Ehime FC | ||||
Championship History
J.League Division 1
| Year | The Season Champion | 1st Stage | 2nd Stage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | Verdy Kawasaki | Kashima Antlers | Verdy Kawasaki |
| 1994 | Verdy Kawasaki | Sanfreece Hiroshima | Verdy Kawasaki |
| 1995 | Yokohama Marinos | Yokohama Marinos | Verdy Kawasaki |
| 1996 | Kashima Antlers (Unified Season) | ||
| 1997 | Jubilo Iwata | Kashima Antlers | Jubilo Iwata |
| 1998 | Kashima Antlers | Jubilo Iwata | Kashima Antlers |
| 1999 | Jubilo Iwata | Jubilo Iwata | Shimizu S-Pulse |
| 2000 | Kashima Antlers | Yokohama F.Marinos | Kashima Antlers |
| 2001 | Kashima Antlers | Jubilo Iwata | Kashima Antlers |
| 2002 | Jubilo Iwata | Jubilo Iwata | Jubilo Iwata |
| 2003 | Yokohama F.Marinos | Yokohama F.Marinos | Yokohama F.Marinos |
| 2004 | Yokohama F.Marinos | Yokohama F.Marinos | Urawa Red Diamonds |
| 2005 | Gamba Osaka (Unified Season) | ||
J.League Division 2
| Year | Champion | Runner-Up | 3rd Place |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1999 | Kawasaki Frontale | F.C. Tokyo | Oita Trinita |
| 2000 | Consandole Sapporo | Urawa Red Diamonds | Oita Trinita |
| 2001 | Kyoto Purple Sanga | Vegalta Sendai | Montedio Yamagata |
| 2002 | Oita Trinita | Cerezo Osaka | Albirex Niigata |
| 2003 | Albirex Niigata | Sanfreece Hiroshima | Kawasaki Frontale |
| 2004 | Kawasaki Frontale | Omiya Ardija | Avispa Fukuoka |
| 2005 | Kyoto Purple Sanga | Avispa Fukuoka | Ventforet Kofu |
J. League attendance (2005)
Notable players
- (Chiba)
- (G Osaka)
- (Urawa)
- (Kofu)
- (FC Tokyo)
- (G Osaka)
- (Kashiwa Reysol)
- (Iwata)
- (Iwata)
- (Omiya)
- (Shimizu)
- (Iwata)
- (G Osaka)
- (Iwata)
- (Hiroshima)
- (FC Tokyo)
- (Chiba)
- (FC Tokyo)
- (Shimizu)
- (Kashima)
- (Yokohama FC)
- (G Osaka)
- (Iwata)
- (Yokohama FM)
- (Kashima)
- (Urawa)
- (FC Tokyo)
- (Hiroshima)
- (Iwata)
- (Urawa)
- (Nagoya)
- (Iwata)
- (Urawa)
- (Urawa)
- (Kashima)
- (Nagoya)
Notable former players
- - Shimizu S-Pulse (2002-2003), Yokohama F. Marinos (2004-2005)
- - Verdy Kawasaki (1992-1993)
- - Gamba Osaka (2005)
- - Kashima Antlers (2000)
- - Verdy Kawasaki (1993-1996), Kashima Antlers (1997-2001), Vissel Kobe (2003)
- - Urawa Reds (1997-1999)
- - Urawa Reds (1994-1997)
- - Yokohama Marinos (1993-1997), Avispa Fukuoka (2000-2002), Sagan Tosu (2002)
- - Urawa Reds (1994-1997)
- - Kashiwa Reysol (1993-1996)
- - JEF United Ichihara (2001-2003), Kyoto Purple Sanga(2004), Júbilo Iwata (2005)
- - Yokohama Marinos (1993-1994)
- - Jubilo Iwata (1995-1998)
- - Tokyo Verdy 1969 (2001-2002), Urawa Reds (2003)
- - Consadole Sapporo (2000), Kawasaki Frontale (2001), Urawa Reds (2001-2005)
- - Kashima Antlers (2004)
- - Sanfrecce Hiroshima (1994-1995), JEF United Ichihara (1996-1997)
- - Bellmare Hiratsuka (1997-1998), Kashiwa Reysol (1999-2002)
- - Cerezo Osaka (1998-1999), Kashiwa Reysol (2000-2002)
- - Kashima Antlers (1995-1998)
- - Vissel Kobe (1996-1997)
- - Kashima Antlers (1994-1996)
- - Nagoya Grampus Eight (1993-1994)
- - JEF United Ichihara (1993-1995)
- - Vissel Kobe (2004)
- - Avispa Fukuoka (1995-1996), Consadole Sapporo (1997-1998)
- - Yokohama Flügels (1993-1994)
- - Gamba Osaka (1997-1998), Tokyo Verdy 1969 (2003-2004), Vissel Kobe (2004-2005)
- - Yokohama Flügels (1993-1995), Yokohama FC (2002-2003)
- - Yokohama F. Marinos (1997-2002)
- - Bellmare Hiratsuka (1995-1998)
- - Kashima Antlers (1998-2004)
- - Cerezo Osaka (1999-2000), Avispa Fukuoka (2001-2002)
- - JEF United Ichihara (1993-1994), Vegalta Sendai (1996)
- - Gamba Osaka (1999-2000, 2002-2005), Consadole Sapporo (2001)
- - Urawa Reds (2004-2005)
- - Kyoto Purple Sanga (2000-2002)
- - Gamba Osaka (1994-1995)
- - Urawa Reds (1993-1994)
- - Verdy Kawasaki (1993-1996, 1997-1998), Kyoto Purple Sanga (1996-1997)
- - Urawa Reds (1993-1995)
- - Yokohama Flügels (1995-1998), Kashiwa Reysol (2002), Sanfrecce Hiroshima (2003-2004)
- - Kashima Antlers (1993-1994), Verdy Kawasaki (1995, 1997), Consadole Sapporo (1996)
- - Jubilo Iwata (1994-1997)
- - Oita Trinita (2001)
- - Kashiwa Reysol (1998-1999)
- - Nagoya Grampus Eight (1994-2001)
- - Jubilo Iwata (1998-2001, 2002)
- - Avispa Fukuoka (1994-1997)
- - Cerezo Osaka (1995), Consadole Sapporo (1997-1998)
- - Jubilo Iwata (1993-1996)
- - Oita Trinita (2004)
- - Yokohama F Marinos (1999-2000), Kashiwa Reysol (2001-2002)
- - Kashima Antlers (1993-1994)
- - Oita Trinita (2004-2005)
Famous Coaches
- -Kashima Antlers
- -Vissel Kobe
- Former coach of Vissel Kobe for 1995-97, and Sanfrecce Hiroshima for 1992-93
- -Urawa Red Diamonds
- -Oita Trinita
- -FC Tokyo
- -Gamba Osaka
- Former coach of Kashiwa Reysol for 1998-2001, and U-23 Japan national football team for Football at the 1996 Summer Olympics
- -Yokohama F. Marinos
- Former coach of Consadole Sapporo for 1999-2001, and Japan national football team for 1997-98
- -JEF United Ichihara Chiba
- -Tokyo Verdy 1969
- -Vegalta Sendai
- -Nagoya Grampus Eight
- -Júbilo Iwata
- Former coach of U-23 Japan national football team for Football at the 2004 Summer Olympics
Former coaches
- - Shimizu S-Pulse (1996-1998), Yokohama F. Marinos (2000-2001), Tokyo Verdy 1969 (2003-2005)
- - Verdy Kawasaki (1994-1995), Nagoya Grampus Eight (2003-2005)
- - Kashima Antlers (1996-1998), Nagoya Grampus Eight (1999-2001), Cerezo Osaka (2001), Consadole Sapporo (2003)
- - Kashima Antlers (2000-2005)
- - Cerezo Osaka (1997)
- - Consadole Sapporo (1997-1998)
- - Vissel Kobe (2004)
- - Sanfrecce Hiroshima (1995-1996)
- - Gamba Osaka (1991-1994)
- - Urawa Red Diamonds (1997)
- - Gamba Osaka (1996-1997)
- - Shimizu S-Pulse (1992-1994), Verdy Kawasaki (1996), Vissel Kobe (2005)
- - Yokohama FC (1998-1999, 2003-2004)
- - Júbilo Iwata (1994-1996), Kyoto Purple Sanga (1998), Urawa Red Diamonds (2002-2003)
- - Urawa Red Diamonds (1995-1996)
- - Vissel Kobe (2005)
- - Shimizu S-Pulse (1994)
- - Shimizu S-Pulse (1998-2000), Kashiwa Reysol (2001-2002)
- - Yokohama Flügels (1998)
- - Júbilo Iwata (1997)
- - Sanfrecce Hiroshima (1997-2000)
- - JEF United Ichihara (2002)
- - Omiya Ardija (1998-1999), Kyoto Purple Sanga (2003)
- - JEF United Ichihara (2001), Nagoya Grampus Eight (2002-2003), Vegalta Sendai (2003-2004)
- - Nagoya Grampus Eight (1995-1996)
See also
- Winning Eleven - the official video game of J-League.
- Sports league attendances
External links
Japanese football competitions | National football (soccer) premier leagues
J. League | J. League | Championnat du Japon de football | J-League | J-League | 日本プロサッカーリーグ | J. League | J. League | 日本職業足球聯賽
"J. League"
