The or is the top division of and is the top professional association football league in Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football and the only league given top class 'A' ranking by the AFC

Asian Football Confederation

The Asian Football Confederation is the governing body of association football in Asia. It has 46 member countries, mostly located on the Asian continent. However, due to the disputed boundary of Europe and Asia, nations such as Russia and Turkey which are located mostly in geographic Asia are...

. Currently, J. League Division 1 is the first level of the Japanese association football league system. The second tier is represented by J. League Division 2

J. League Division 2

The or is the second division of and is the second-tier professional association football league in Japan. Currently, J. League Division 2 is the second level of the Japanese association football league system. The first tier is represented by J...

.

History

For history of Japanese club association football before the inception of the professional league in 1993, see Japan Soccer League

Japan Soccer League

, or JSL, was the top flight soccer league in Japan between 1965 and 1992, and was the precursor to the current professional league, the J. League. JSL was the second national league of a team sport in Japan after the professional Japanese Baseball League that was founded in 1936...

.

For detailed history of J. League Division 2, see J. League Division 2#History.

Phases of J1

Year	J1 Champions	No. J1 titles [from JSL Era]
1993		1 [6]
1994		2 [7]
1995		1 [3]
1996		1 [1]
1997		1 [2]
1998		2 [2]
1999		2 [3]
2000		3 [3]
2001		4 [4]
2002		3 [4]
2003		2 [4]
2004		3 [5]
2005		1 [1]
2006		1 [5]
2007		5 [5]
2008		6 [6]
2009		7 [7]
2010 2010 J. League Division 1 The 2010 J. League Division 1 season was the 46th season of the top-flight club football in Japan and the 18th season since the establishment of J1 League. The season began on March 6 and ended on December 4....		1 [1]

Before the professional league (—1992)

Before the inception of the J. League, the highest level of club football was the Japan Soccer League

Japan Soccer League

, or JSL, was the top flight soccer league in Japan between 1965 and 1992, and was the precursor to the current professional league, the J. League. JSL was the second national league of a team sport in Japan after the professional Japanese Baseball League that was founded in 1936...

 (JSL), which consisted of amateur clubs. Fans were few, the grounds were not of the highest quality, and the Japanese national team was not on a par with the Asian powerhouses. To raise the level of play domestically, to attempt to garner more fans, and to strengthen the national team, the Japan Football Association

Japan Football Association

The Japan Football Association, sometimes known as the Japan Soccer Association , is the governing body responsible for the administration of association football in Japan. It is responsible for the national team as well as club competitions....

 (JFA) decided to form a professional league.

The professional association football league, J. League was formed in 1992, with eight clubs drawn from the JSL First Division, one from the Second Division, and the newly formed Shimizu S-Pulse

Shimizu S-Pulse

is a professional Japanese association football club. Located in Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, S-Pulse currently competes in the J. League Division 1 . Formed as recently as 1991, S-Pulse are one of the youngest professional teams in Japan, but are among only five to have competed in...

. At the same time, JSL changed its name and became the Japan Football League

Japan Football League (former)

The former was an association football league that existed from 1992 to 1998. Also known as the JFL, it was the 2nd tier of the Japanese football hierarchy following J...

, a semi-professional league. Although the J. League did not officially launch until 1993, the Yamazaki Nabisco Cup

J. League Cup

J. League Cup is a Japanese football competition organized by J. League. It is also known as Yamazaki Nabisco Cup or Nabisco Cup because confectionery/bakery company Yamazaki Nabisco have sponsored the competition since its inception in 1992.It is generally regarded as the Japanese equivalent to...

 competition was held between the ten clubs in 1992 to prepare for the inaugural season.

Inaugural season and J. League boom (1993–1995)

J. League officially kicked-off its first season with ten clubs on May 15, 1993 as (current, Tokyo Verdy) played host to (current, Yokohama F. Marinos) at the Kasumigaoka National Stadium

Olympic Stadium (Tokyo)

or National Stadium is a stadium in Kasumigaoka, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan that served as the main stadium for the 1964 Summer Olympics. It currently serves as the stadium where the Japan national football teams home matches and major football club cup finals are held.-History:The stadium was...

. It made a huge impact on the Japanese sports culture as professional baseball

Baseball

Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...

, golf

Golf

Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....

, and sumo

Sumo

is a competitive full-contact sport where a wrestler attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or to touch the ground with anything other than the soles of the feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally...

 were the only well-supported and widely-watched sports in the country. Many famous and post-peak foreign players were brought into the clubs and the stadiums were filling in. On every match day, at least one game was broadcast live on national TV, and it seemed the league was a huge success. In the second season (1994), the league recorded its highest average attendance of 19,598, which is yet to be broken.

Because of such popularity, clubs in the (former) JFL

Japan Football League (former)

The former was an association football league that existed from 1992 to 1998. Also known as the JFL, it was the 2nd tier of the Japanese football hierarchy following J...

 that failed to join "the original ten" in the inaugural season tried to join the league. Clubs like and (current, Shonan Bellmare) joined the league in 1994, six more clubs followed in next four years.

After the boom (1996–1999)

Despite the success in the first three years, many experts anticipate that "the boom" would soon dissipate, and the league would be in terrible shape financially as the clubs continued paying high wages to the foreign players. In fact, the phenomenon began in early 1996 as the league attendance declined rapidly. In 1997 the average attendance was 10,131, compared to more than 19,000 in 1994. Many claimed that the sudden decline in popularity was also due to rapid expansions; A total of eight clubs were added in the four year span from 1994 to 1998. With high paychecks and low attendance, money was bleeding from the clubs, and the league sponsors were becoming very worried. It seemed that there was no way out from the losses.

Although J. League clubs were no longer corporate-owned, they still depended heavily on support from sponsors, who were thus de facto parent companies. When the Japanese economy took a turn for the worse, clubs suffered as their sponsors were affected. In 1998, Sato Kogyo, a general contractor and primary co-sponsor of , announced that it was experiencing financial difficulties, and it would be pulling its support from the club. The other primary co-sponsor, All Nippon Airways

All Nippon Airways

, also known as or ANA, is one of the largest airlines in Japan. It is headquartered at the Shiodome City Center in the Shiodome area in Minato, Tokyo, Japan. It operates services to 49 destinations in Japan and 35 international routes and employed over 14,000 employees as of May 2009...

, who could not support the club on its own, met with Nissan Motors

Nissan Motors

, usually shortened to Nissan , is a multinational automaker headquartered in Japan. It was a core member of the Nissan Group, but has become more independent after its restructuring under Carlos Ghosn ....

, the primary sponsor of , the Flügels' cross-town rival, and decided to merge their clubs. Under the agreement, the Flügels were dissolved, and the Marinos were renamed Yokohama F. Marinos, the "F." representing the Flügels. To many, this incident signified and symbolized as "the fall of the league" as many other clubs across the league were having similar financial difficulties. Another great example is Fujita

Fujita

Fujita is a common family name in Japan. It may also refer to the following.*Atsushi Fujita , a Japanese long-distance runner*Emi Fujita , a Japanese singer*Fujita zaibatsu, a Japanese Osaka-based zaibatsu...

 canceling a major sponsorship deal with Bellmare Hiratsuka, which ultimately lead to the relegation of the club in 2000. Without a change, it would be just a matter of time before the league collapsed.

Change of infrastructure and game formats (1999–2004)

The league's management finally realized that they were heading in the wrong direction. In order to solve the problem, the management came out with two solutions.

First, they announced the J. League Hundred Year Vision, in which they aim to make 100 professional association football clubs in the nation of Japan by 2092, the hundredth season. The league also encouraged the clubs to promote football or non-football related sports and health activities, to acquire local sponsorships, and to build good relationship with their hometowns at the grass-root level. The league believed that this will allow the clubs to bond with their respective cities and towns and get support from local government, companies, and citizens. In other words, clubs will be able to rely on the locals, rather than major national sponsors.

Second, the infrastructure of the league was heavily changed in 1999. The league acquired nine clubs from the semi-professional JFL

Japan Football League (former)

The former was an association football league that existed from 1992 to 1998. Also known as the JFL, it was the 2nd tier of the Japanese football hierarchy following J...

 and one club from J. League to create a two division system. The top flight became the J. League Division 1 (J1) with 16 clubs while J. League Division 2 (J2) was launched with ten clubs in 1999. The second-tier Japan Football League (former)

Japan Football League (former)

The former was an association football league that existed from 1992 to 1998. Also known as the JFL, it was the 2nd tier of the Japanese football hierarchy following J...

, now became third-tier Japan Football League

Japan Football League

The is the 3rd tier of the Japanese association football league system, following J. League Division 1 and J. League Division 2. Also known as the JFL, it is generally considered as the top amateur league in Japan although in reality it is a semi-professional league as many full-time footballers...

.

The league also began to follow European game formats as time went on. Originally, due to the cultural unease of neither side coming out as the winner of a game, extra time, golden goal rules

Golden goal

The golden goal is a method used in association football, field hockey, ice hockey and korfball to decide the winner of games in elimination matches which end in a draw after the end of regulation time. It is a type of sudden death. Golden goal rules allow the team that scores the first goal during...

, and penalty shoot-outs

Penalty shootout (football)

A penalty shoot-out, referred to as kicks from the penalty mark in the Laws of the Game, is the FIFA official term for a method used in association football to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament following a tied game...

 were employed for regular league matches. Penalty shoot-outs were abolished in the beginning of the 1999 season, and extra time was abolished in 2002 for J2 and 2003 for J1.

Also, until 2004 (with the exception of 1996 season), the J1 season was divided into two

Apertura and Clausura

The Apertura and Clausura tournaments are a relatively recent innovation for many Latin American football leagues in which the traditional European football season from August to May is divided in two sections per season, each with its own champion. Apertura and Clausura are the Spanish words for...

. At the end of each full season, the champion from each half played a two-legged series

J. League Championship

The J. League Championship was a two-legged championship series which determined the season champion for the first 12 J. League seasons excluding the 1996 season. In the early years, the J.League seasons were divided into two halves, the first and second stages, and the champions of each stage...

 to determine the overall season winner and runners-up. in 2002, and in 2003, won both "halves" of the respective seasons, thus eliminating the need for the playoff series. This was the part of the reason the league abolished the split-season system starting from 2005.

European League Format & AFC Champions League (2005–2008)

Since the 2005 season, J. League Division 1 consisted of 18 clubs (from 16 in 2004) and the season format became similar to the European club football. The number of relegated clubs also increased from 2 to 2.5, with the third-from-bottom club going into promotion/relegation playoffs

J. League Promotion/Relegation Series

In 2004, J. League introduced a series of two test matches called League between the sixteenth-place J. Division 1 club and third-place J.league Division 2 club...

 with the third-placed J2 club. Since then, other than minor adjustments, the top flight has stayed consistent.

Japanese association football clubs have been participating in the AFC Champions League

AFC Champions League

The AFC Champions League is the premier Asian club football competition hosted annually by Asian Football Confederation . The tournament is contested among the top thirty-two clubs from the top 10 Asian leagues, two of which must qualify through the playoffs...

 since the 1980s, but for the most part, the Japanese clubs took the Asian competition as an extra burden that took their attention away from the domestic competition. A good example is the 2005 season, where ACL participants Yokohama and Iwata went through 13 consecutive Asian and domestic matches in a span of 44 days, averaging 1 game per 3.66 days. The league declined to ease the fixture pressure from the clubs, whereas Chinese and Korean league moved their domestic games to help their clubs in continental competition. The issue of fixture congestion was finally addressed by the 2006 season.

However in the recent years, with inclusion of A-League

A-League

The A-League is the top Australasian professional football league. Run by Australian governing body Football Federation Australia , it was founded in 2004 following the folding of the National Soccer League and staged its inaugural season in 2005–06. It is sponsored by Hyundai Motor Company...

 in Eastern Asia, introduction of FIFA Club World Cup

FIFA Club World Cup

The FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000...

, and increased marketability in the Asian continent, both the league and the clubs paid more attention to Asian competition. For example, built up a notable fan base in Hong Kong

Hong Kong

Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...

, owing to their participation in the Asian Champions League during the 2007 season. Continuous effort led to the success of in 2007 and in 2008. Thanks to excellent league management and competitiveness in Asian competition, the AFC awarded J. League the highest league ranking and a total of 4 slots starting from the 2009 season. The league took this as an opportunity to sell TV broadcasting rights to foreign countries, especially in Asia.

Also starting the 2008 season, Emperor's Cup Winner was allowed to participate in the upcoming Champions League season, rather than waiting a whole year (i.e. 2005 Emperor's Cup

2005 Emperor's Cup

The 85th Emperor's Cup was held between September 17, 2005 and January 1, 2006. The tournament was won by Urawa Red Diamonds. The J. League Division 2 clubs qualified automatically to the third round, while the J...

 winner, , participated in the 2007 ACL season, instead of the 2006 season). In order to fix this one-year lag issue, the 2007 Emperor's Cup winner, ', turn was waived. Nonetheless, Kashima Antlers ended up participating in the 2009 ACL season by winning the J. League title in the 2008 season.

Modern phase (2009–present)

Three major changes were seen starting in the 2009 season. First, starting this season, four clubs entered the AFC Champions League. Secondly, the number of relegation slots increased to three. Finally, the AFC Player slot was implemented starting this season. Each club will be allowed to have a total of four foreign players; however, one slot is reserved for a player that derives from an AFC country other than Japan.

Future plans (2012—)

There are currently no major plans for J. League Division 1. The number of clubs will most likely stay at 18. Recently, in the Japanese media there has been a rumor of an implementation for a playoff system for J1 Championship or creating new Japanese Premier League with fewer clubs.

Timetable

Year	Important Events	# J Clubs	# ACL Clubs
1989	JFA Japan Football Association The Japan Football Association, sometimes known as the Japan Soccer Association , is the governing body responsible for the administration of association football in Japan. It is responsible for the national team as well as club competitions....  forms a professional league assessment committee.
1990	The committee decides the criteria for professional clubs Fifteen to twenty clubs from Japan Soccer League Japan Soccer League , or JSL, was the top flight soccer league in Japan between 1965 and 1992, and was the precursor to the current professional league, the J. League. JSL was the second national league of a team sport in Japan after the professional Japanese Baseball League that was founded in 1936...  applies for the professional league membership
1992	The professional league, J. League is formed with the following 10 clubs: Gamba Osaka, JEF United Ichihara, Nagoya Grampus Eight, Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Urawa Red Diamonds, Verdy Kawasaki, Yokohama Flügels, and Yokohama Marinos (pre-existing from the old JSL First Division) Kashima Antlers (promoted from the old Second Division) Shimizu S-Pulse (newly formed, non-company club). Japan Soccer League Japan Soccer League , or JSL, was the top flight soccer league in Japan between 1965 and 1992, and was the precursor to the current professional league, the J. League. JSL was the second national league of a team sport in Japan after the professional Japanese Baseball League that was founded in 1936...  becomes second-tier Japan Football League (former) J. League hosts the first domestic league cup competition J. League Cup J. League Cup is a Japanese football competition organized by J. League. It is also known as Yamazaki Nabisco Cup or Nabisco Cup because confectionery/bakery company Yamazaki Nabisco have sponsored the competition since its inception in 1992.It is generally regarded as the Japanese equivalent to...  with the ten clubs
1993	The J. League officially kicks off its first season	10
1994	Following clubs are promoted from Japan Football League: Júbilo Iwata and Bellmare Hiratsuka	12
1995	Following clubs are promoted from Japan Football League: Cerezo Osaka and Kashiwa Reysol The points system is introduced for the first time: a club receives 3pts for any win, 1pts for PK loss, and 0pts for regulation or extra time loss.	14
1996	Following clubs are promoted from Japan Football League: Kyoto Purple Sanga and Avispa Fukuoka The league adopts single season format J. League average attendance hits the record low 10,131	16
1997	Following club is promoted from Japan Football League: Vissel Kobe The league goes back to split-season format The points system changes: a club receives 3pts for regulation win, 2pts for extra-time win, 1pt for PK win, and 0pts for any loss.	17
1998	Following club is promoted from Japan Football League: Consadole Sapporo Yokohama Flügels announces that they will be dissolved into crosstown rivals Yokohama Marinos for the 1999 season The league announces the J. League Hundred Year Vision The league announces incorporation of two-division system starting 1999 season The league hosts J. League Promotion Tournament to decide promoting and/or relegating clubs. As a result, Consadole Sapporo becomes the first club be to relegated.	18
1999	Yokohama Marinos merges with Yokohama Flügels and becomes Yokohama F. Marinos Penalties Penalty shootout (football) A penalty shoot-out, referred to as kicks from the penalty mark in the Laws of the Game, is the FIFA official term for a method used in association football to decide which team progresses to the next stage of a tournament following a tied game...  are abolished in both divisions; however, golden goal extra-time rules stayed The points system changes: a club receives 3pts for a regulation win, 2pts for an extra time win, and 1pt for a tie Japan Football League (former) is also restructured, as it becomes the 3rd-tier Japan Football League Japan Football League The is the 3rd tier of the Japanese association football league system, following J. League Division 1 and J. League Division 2. Also known as the JFL, it is generally considered as the top amateur league in Japan although in reality it is a semi-professional league as many full-time footballers... . Note: To distinguish between the former and the current JFL, the new JFL is pronounced Nihon Football League in Japanese.	16		2
2000		16		2
2001		16		2
2002		16	2	2
2003	Extra time is abolished in Division 1 and traditional 3-1-0 points system is adopted	16		2
2004	No automatic relegation this season, as the top flight expands to 18 clubs in the following season Inception of the two-legged Promotion/Relegation Series J. League Promotion/Relegation Series In 2004, J. League introduced a series of two test matches called League between the sixteenth-place J. Division 1 club and third-place J.league Division 2 club...	16	2	0.5
2005	J. League Division 1 expands to 18 clubs J. League Division 1 adopts singles-season format	18	2	2.5
2006	Away goals rule Away goals rule The away goals rule is a method of breaking ties in association football and other sports when teams play each other twice, once at each team's home ground. By the away goals rule, the team that has scored more goals "away from home" will win if scores are otherwise equal...  is adopted in Yamazaki Nabisco Cup and Promotion/Relegation Series J. League Promotion/Relegation Series In 2004, J. League introduced a series of two test matches called League between the sixteenth-place J. Division 1 club and third-place J.league Division 2 club... The league forms J. League expansion committee The league reintroduces J. League Associate Membership J. League Associate Membership J. League Associate Membership　 is a status given to Japanese non-league football clubs. The applicant must have an intention to become a professional club and to join the professional league, J. League, governed in the top two levels of the Japanese football pyramid...	18	2	2.5
2007	J. League champions qualifies to the FIFA Club World Cup FIFA Club World Cup The FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000...  as the host for next two season Note: If a Japanese club wins the AFC Champions League AFC Champions League The AFC Champions League is the premier Asian club football competition hosted annually by Asian Football Confederation . The tournament is contested among the top thirty-two clubs from the top 10 Asian leagues, two of which must qualify through the playoffs... , the host loses its right. Urawa Red Diamonds becomes the first Japanese club to win the AFC Champions League AFC Champions League The AFC Champions League is the premier Asian club football competition hosted annually by Asian Football Confederation . The tournament is contested among the top thirty-two clubs from the top 10 Asian leagues, two of which must qualify through the playoffs...  since its rebranding in 2002.	18	2	2.5
2008	Gamba Osaka wins the 2008 AFC Champions League, the second straight championship by a J.League club.	18	2 + 1	2.5
2009	Four clubs enter AFC Champion League. Implementation of 4th foreign player slot, a.k.a AFC player slot Promotion/Relegation Series J. League Promotion/Relegation Series In 2004, J. League introduced a series of two test matches called League between the sixteenth-place J. Division 1 club and third-place J.league Division 2 club...  is eliminated and 16th place-club is now relegated by default.	18	4	3
2010		18	4	3
2011	J. League champions qualifies to the FIFA Club World Cup FIFA Club World Cup The FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000...  as the host for next two seasons again	18	4	3

Stance in the Japanese football pyramid

Level(s)	League(s)/Division(s)
I	J. League Division 1 (J1) 18 clubs
II	J. League Division 2 J. League Division 2 The or is the second division of and is the second-tier professional association football league in Japan. Currently, J. League Division 2 is the second level of the Japanese association football league system. The first tier is represented by J... (J2) 20 clubs
III	Japan Football League Japan Football League The is the 3rd tier of the Japanese association football league system, following J. League Division 1 and J. League Division 2. Also known as the JFL, it is generally considered as the top amateur league in Japan although in reality it is a semi-professional league as many full-time footballers... 18 clubs
IV/V	9 Regional Leagues Japanese Regional Leagues Japanese Regional Leagues are a group of parallel association football leagues in Japan that are organized on the regional basis... 122 clubs
VI+	46 Prefectural Prefectures of Japan The prefectures of Japan are the country's 47 subnational jurisdictions: one "metropolis" , Tokyo; one "circuit" , Hokkaidō; two urban prefectures , Osaka and Kyoto; and 43 other prefectures . In Japanese, they are commonly referred to as...  Leagues & 4 Block Leagues of Hokkaido many clubs

Since the inception of the second division in 1999, promotion and relegation follow a pattern similar to European leagues, where the two bottom clubs of J1 and the top two clubs of J2 are guaranteed to move. From 2004 to 2008 season, the third-placed J2 club entered Promotion/Relegation Series

J. League Promotion/Relegation Series

In 2004, J. League introduced a series of two test matches called League between the sixteenth-place J. Division 1 club and third-place J.league Division 2 club...

 against the sixteenth-placed J1 club and the winner had right to play in the top flight in the following year. Starting 2009 season, top three J2 clubs receives J1 promotion by default in place of three bottom J1 clubs. However, promotion or right to play the now-defunct pro/rele series relies on the J2 clubs meeting the requirements for J1 franchise status set by the league. This has generally not been a hindrance, in fact, no club is yet to be denied promotion due to not meeting the J1 criteria.

Until 2004 season, the J1 season was divided into two halves

Apertura and Clausura

The Apertura and Clausura tournaments are a relatively recent innovation for many Latin American football leagues in which the traditional European football season from August to May is divided in two sections per season, each with its own champion. Apertura and Clausura are the Spanish words for...

, with an annual championship series

J. League Championship

The J. League Championship was a two-legged championship series which determined the season champion for the first 12 J. League seasons excluding the 1996 season. In the early years, the J.League seasons were divided into two halves, the first and second stages, and the champions of each stage...

 involving the champions from each halves (with exception of the 1996 season). However, from 2005 season, the single-season format is adopted as the top flight was expanded to eighteen clubs. Currently, 18 clubs competes in double round robin, home and away. Starting 2008 season, the top three clubs, along with the Emperor's Cup winner receive ACL

AFC Champions League

The AFC Champions League is the premier Asian club football competition hosted annually by Asian Football Confederation . The tournament is contested among the top thirty-two clubs from the top 10 Asian leagues, two of which must qualify through the playoffs...

 berths for the following season. If the Emperor's Cup winner happens to be one of the top three J1 finisher, the 4th-place club receives the final berth. Starting 2009 season, three bottom club are relegated to Division 2 at the end of the year.

League Format (2011)

Eighteen clubs will play in double round-robin (home and away) format, a total of 34 games each. A club receives 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, and 0 points for a loss. The clubs are ranked by points, and tie breakers are, in the following order:

• Goal differential
• Goals scored
• Head-to-head results
• Disciplinary points

A draw would be conducted, if necessary. However, if two clubs are tied for first place, both clubs will be declared as co-champions. The top three clubs will qualify to the following year's AFC Champions League, while the bottom three clubs will be relegated to J2. Further, the J. League Champions gain automatic entry to the 2011 FIFA Club World Cup

2011 FIFA Club World Cup

-Play-off for Quarter-finals:-Quarter-finals:-Match for fifth place:-Semi-finals:-Match for third place:-Final:-External links:...

 as a host, if a Japanese Club does not win the 2011 AFC Champions League

2011 AFC Champions League

The 2011 AFC Champions League was the 30th edition of the top-level Asian club football tournament organized by the Asian Football Confederation , and the 9th under the current AFC Champions League title...

.

Prize Money

• First Place: 200,000,000 Yen
• Second Place: 100,000,000 Yen
• Third Place: 80,000,000 Yen
• Fourth Place: 60,000,000 Yen
• Fifth Place: 40,000,000 Yen
• Six Place: 20,000,000 Yen
• Seventh Place: 10,000,000 Yen

Participating clubs (2011)

Club	Year joined	Hometown(s)	First Season in Top Flight	Current Spell in Top Flight
	1999 (J2)	Niigata Niigata, Niigata is the capital and the most populous city of Niigata Prefecture, Japan. It lies on the northwest coast of Honshu, the largest island of Japan, and faces the Sea of Japan and Sado Island....  & Seiro Seiro, Niigata is a town located in Kitakanbara District, Niigata, Japan.As of 2003, the town has an estimated population of 13,474 and a density of 354.67 persons per km². The total area is 37.99 km².-External links:*... , Niigata Niigata Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Honshū on the coast of the Sea of Japan. The capital is the city of Niigata. The name "Niigata" literally means "new lagoon".- History :...	2004	2004–
	1996	Fukuoka Fukuoka, Fukuoka is the capital city of Fukuoka Prefecture and is situated on the northern shore of the island of Kyushu in Japan.Voted number 14 in a 2010 poll of the World's Most Livable Cities, Fukuoka is praised for its green spaces in a metropolitan setting. It is the most populous city in Kyushu, followed by... , Fukuoka Fukuoka Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on Kyūshū Island. The capital is the city of Fukuoka.- History :Fukuoka Prefecture includes the former provinces of Chikugo, Chikuzen, and Buzen....	1996	2011–
	1995	Osaka, Osaka Osaka Prefecture is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.- History :...	1965	2010–
	1993	Suita Suita, Osaka is a city located in northern Osaka, Japan. As of August 1, 2011, the city has an estimated population of 356,751 and the density of 9,880 persons per km². The total area is 36.11 km².... , Osaka Osaka Prefecture is a prefecture located in the Kansai region on Honshū, the main island of Japan. The capital is the city of Osaka. It is the center of Osaka-Kobe-Kyoto area.- History :...	1986/87	1988/89–
	1994	Iwata Iwata, Shizuoka is a city located in Shizuoka, Japan and is known for being the headquarters of the Yamaha Motor Corporation. Iwata is also home to Júbilo Iwata, a J. League soccer team, as well as Yamaha Jubilo, a rugby team. The population was 170,779 as of March 1, 2010... , Shizuoka Shizuoka Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...	1980	1994–
	1995	Kashiwa Kashiwa, Chiba is a city located in northern Chiba Prefecture, Japan. As of February 2011, the city had an estimated population of 404,820 and a population density of 3520 persons per km²... , Chiba Chiba Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area. Its capital is Chiba City.- History :Chiba Prefecture was established on June 15, 1873 with the merger of Kisarazu Prefecture and Inba Prefecture...	1965	2011–
	1993	Southwestern cities/towns of Ibaraki Ibaraki Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan, located in the Kantō region on the main island of Honshu. The capital is Mito.-History:Ibaraki Prefecture was previously known as Hitachi Province...	1985	1993–
	1999 (J2)	Kawasaki Kawasaki, Kanagawa is a city located in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, between Tokyo and Yokohama. It is the 9th most populated city in Japan and one of the main cities forming the Greater Tokyo Area and Keihin Industrial Area.... , Kanagawa Kanagawa Prefecture is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...	1977	2005–
	1999 (J2)	All cities/towns in Yamagata Yamagata Prefecture -Fruit:Yamagata Prefecture is the largest producer of cherries and pears in Japan. A large quantity of other kinds of fruits such as grapes, apples, peaches, melons, persimmons and watermelons are also produced.- Demographics :...	2009	2009–
	1993	Nagoya Nagoya, Aichi is the third-largest incorporated city and the fourth most populous urban area in Japan.Located on the Pacific coast in the Chūbu region on central Honshu, it is the capital of Aichi Prefecture and is one of Japan's major ports along with those of Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe, Yokohama, Chiba, and Moji... , Aichi Aichi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region. The region of Aichi is also known as the Tōkai region. The capital is Nagoya. It is the focus of the Chūkyō Metropolitan Area.- History :...	1973	1990/91–
	1999 (J2)	Saitama Saitama, Saitama ' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance... , Saitama Saitama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...	2005	2005–
	1993	Hiroshima, Hiroshima Hiroshima Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Hiroshima.- History :The area around Hiroshima was formerly divided into Bingo Province and Aki Province. This location has been a center of trade and culture since the beginning of Japan's recorded...	1965	2009–
	1993	Shizuoka Shizuoka, Shizuoka is the capital city of Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, and the prefecture's second-largest city in terms of both population and area. It became one of Japan's 19 "designated cities" in 2005.-Geography:... , Shizuoka Shizuoka Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...	1993	1993–
	1993	Saitama Saitama, Saitama ' is the capital and the most populous city of Saitama Prefecture in Japan, situated in the south-east of the prefecture. Its area incorporates the former cities of Urawa, Ōmiya, Yono and Iwatsuki. It is a city designated by government ordinance... , Saitama Saitama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Saitama.This prefecture is part of the Greater Tokyo Area, and most of Saitama's cities can be described as suburbs of Tokyo, to which a large amount of residents commute each day.- History...	1965	2001–
	1999 (J2)	Sendai, Miyagi Miyagi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan in the Tōhoku Region on Honshu island. The capital is Sendai.- History :Miyagi Prefecture was formerly part of the province of Mutsu. Mutsu Province, on northern Honshu, was one of the last provinces to be formed as land was taken from the indigenous Emishi, and became the...	2002	2010–
	1999 (J2)	All cities/towns in Yamanashi Yamanashi Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region of the island of Honshū. The capital is the city of Kōfu.-Pre-history to the 14th century:People have been living in the Yamanashi area for about 30,000 years...	2006	2011–
	1997	Kobe Kobe , pronounced , is the fifth-largest city in Japan and is the capital city of Hyōgo Prefecture on the southern side of the main island of Honshū, approximately west of Osaka... , Hyōgo Hyogo Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region on Honshū island. The capital is Kobe.The prefecture's name was previously alternately spelled as Hiogo.- History :...	1997	2007–
	1993	Yokohama & Yokosuka Yokosuka, Kanagawa is a city located in Kanagawa, Japan. As of 2010, the city had an estimated population of 419,067 and a population density of 4,160 people per km². It covered an area of 100.62 km²... , Kanagawa Kanagawa Prefecture is a prefecture located in the southern Kantō region of Japan. The capital is Yokohama. Kanagawa is part of the Greater Tokyo Area.-History:The prefecture has some archaeological sites going back to the Jōmon period...	1979	1982–

• Pink background denotes club was most recently promoted from J. League Division 2.
• "Year joined" is the year the club joined the J. League (Division 1 unless otherwise indicated).
• "First season in top flight" and "Current spell in top flight" includes seasons in the old Japan Soccer League
  Japan Soccer League
  , or JSL, was the top flight soccer league in Japan between 1965 and 1992, and was the precursor to the current professional league, the J. League. JSL was the second national league of a team sport in Japan after the professional Japanese Baseball League that was founded in 1936...
  
   First Division.

Stadiums J.League Division 1 (2011)

Primary venues used in the J. League:

>

>

Albirex Niigata Albirex Niigata is a Japanese J. League Division 1 association football team. Despite the club's relative youth, only joining the J. League in 1999, Albirex are one of Japan's best supported teams. In 2003, while still playing in the second tier of Japanese football , Albirex attracted the best average crowd in...	Avispa Fukuoka Avispa Fukuoka For the record label, see Avispa. is a Japanese professional football club, currently playing in the J. League Division 1 having been promoted from J. League Division 2 in the 2010 season. The team is located in Hakata, Fukuoka. "Avispa" means "wasp" in Spanish.-In Fujieda:The club was founded as...	Cerezo Osaka Cerezo Osaka is a J. League Division 1 association football team. The team name Cerezo means cherry tree in Spanish, which is also the flower of Ōsaka city....	Gamba Osaka Gamba Osaka is a Japanese professional association football club, currently playing in the J. League Division 1. The team's name comes from the Italian word "gamba" meaning "leg" and the Japanese , meaning "to do your best" or "to stand firm". Located in Suita, Osaka, the team's home stadium is Osaka Expo '70...	Júbilo Iwata Júbilo Iwata is a professional Japanese association football team currently playing in the J. League Division 1 . The team name Júbilo means 'joy' in Portuguese and Spanish. The team's home town is Iwata, Shizuoka prefecture and they play at Yamaha Stadium...	Kashima Antlers Kashima Antlers are a Japanese professional association football club playing in the J. League Division 1. Antlers is derived from the city name, Kashima, which literally means "deer island"....
Tohoku Denryoku Big Swan Stadium Tohoku Denryoku Big Swan Stadium is an athletic stadium in Niigata, Japan. The stadium's capacity is 42,300. Because of the naming rights by Tohoku Electric Power Co., Inc., the name of the stadium is from March 11, 2007 until 2009. It is the home field of the J...	Level-5 Stadium Level-5 Stadium Level-5 Stadium , located in the Hakata ward of Fukuoka city is the home ground of Avispa Fukuoka football club....	Kincho Stadium Nagai Ball Gall Field , named for J. League association football games, Top League rugby football games, and X-League American football games, is a football and rugby union stadium located in Nagai Park, Higashisumiyoshi-ku, Osaka, Japan...	Osaka Expo '70 Stadium Osaka Expo '70 Stadium is an athletic stadium in Suita, Osaka Prefecture, Japan. It is in the Expo Commemoration Park, the site of Expo '70. The stadium is the home ground of J. League club Gamba Osaka.The stadium's north end is terraced and is used by Gamba's most vocal supporters....	Yamaha Stadium Yamaha Stadium is a football stadium located in Iwata City, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, owned by Yamaha Motors, next to whose plant it is located, and was purpose-designed for use with soccer or rugby....	Kashima Soccer Stadium
Capacity: 42,300	Capacity: 22,563	Capacity: 20,000	Capacity: 23,000	Capacity: 16,893	Capacity: 40,728
Kashiwa Reysol Kashiwa Reysol is a J. League Division 1 team. Its home town is Kashiwa, Chiba, about an hour northeast of Tokyo.-History:Founded in 1940 as Hitachi, Ltd. Soccer Club in Koganei, Tokyo, the team was a founding member of the Japan Soccer League...	Kawasaki Frontale Kawasaki Frontale is a J. League Division 1 association football club. The team is located in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo. Their home stadium is Todoroki Athletics Stadium, in Nakahara Ward, in the central area of Kawasaki.-History:...	Montedio Yamagata Montedio Yamagata Montedio Yamagata is a professional association football club based in Yamagata Prefecture in Japan. The club plays in J. League Division 1.Montedio is a coined word combining two Italian words Monte and Dio .-History:...	Nagoya Grampus Nagoya Grampus are a Japanese association football club that play in the J. League. Based in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture and originally founded as the company team of the Toyota Motor Corp...	Omiya Ardija Omiya Ardija is a professional football club which play in the J. League Division 1, and are based in Ōmiya-ku in Saitama, Japan. Its "hometown" as designated by the league is the whole of Saitama city, which is shared with neighbours Urawa Red Diamonds...	Sanfrecce Hiroshima Sanfrecce Hiroshima is a Japanese association football club in the J. League Division 1.-Club name:The club name is a portmanteau of the Japanese numeral for three, San and an Italian word frecce or 'arrows'...
Hitachi Kashiwa Soccer Stadium Hitachi Kashiwa Soccer Stadium Hitachi Kashiwa Soccer Stadium is a football stadium in Kashiwa, Chiba, Japan.It serves as a home ground of Kashiwa Reysol. The stadium holds 15,900 people and was built in 1985.- External links :*...	Todoroki Athletics Stadium Todoroki Athletics Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium located in Todoroki ryokuchi in Kawasaki, Japan. It is currently used mostly for football matches and is the home stadium of Kawasaki Frontale. Until the early 2000s it also hosted major clubs in the city, such as Verdy Kawasaki , Toshiba and NKK F.C.. The stadium...	Yamagata Park Stadium Yamagata Park Stadium ND Soft Stadium Yamagata is a multi-purpose stadium in Tendo, Yamagata, Japan. It is currently used mostly for football matches. It serves as a home ground of Montedio Yamagata. The stadium holds 20,315 people and was built in 1991.-External links:*...	Toyota Stadium Toyota Stadium is a 45,000 seat retractable roof stadium in Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, Japan. It was built in 2001 and is often used as home to the J. League club Nagoya Grampus...	Ōmiya Park Soccer Stadium Omiya Park Soccer Stadium is a football stadium located in Ōmiya-ku, Saitama city, Saitama Prefecture, Japan. It is the home stadium of a J.League club Omiya Ardija.Since May 14, 2007 it has been called for the naming rights.-History:...	Hiroshima Big Arch Hiroshima Big Arch is a multi-purpose stadium in Hiroshima, Japan. It is the home ground of J. League club Sanfrecce Hiroshima. It has a capacity of 50,000. It is an all-seater.-History:Hiroshima Big Arch was opened in 1992, as the venue of 1992 AFC Asian Cup...
Capacity: 15,900	Capacity: 25,000	Capacity: 20,315	Capacity: 45,000	Capacity: 15,500	Capacity: 50,000
Shimizu S-Pulse Shimizu S-Pulse is a professional Japanese association football club. Located in Shimizu-ku, Shizuoka, Shizuoka Prefecture, S-Pulse currently competes in the J. League Division 1 . Formed as recently as 1991, S-Pulse are one of the youngest professional teams in Japan, but are among only five to have competed in...	Urawa Red Diamonds Urawa Red Diamonds are a professional association football club playing in Japan's football league, J. League Division 1. One of Japan and Asia's best supported teams, the club has been able to boast the highest average crowds for thirteen of the J-League's twenty season history...	Vegalta Sendai Vegalta Sendai is a Japanese professional football club, currently playing in J. League Division 1. The team is located in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture. Their home stadium is Yurtec Stadium Sendai, in Izumi-ku, Sendai, although a few home games have also been played at nearby Miyagi Stadium.-History:Founded in 1988...	Ventforet Kofu Ventforet Kofu are a Japanese football club from Kofu. They compete in the J. League Division 1, and their home ground is the Kose Sports Stadium.The word "Ventforet" is coined combining two French words Vent and Forêt...	Vissel Kobe Vissel Kobe is a Japanese professional football club, currently playing in the J. League Division 1. The team is located in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture. The home stadium is Kobe Wing Stadium, in Hyōgo-ku, though some home matches are played at Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium in Suma-ku.-History:The club was...	Yokohama F. Marinos Yokohama F. Marinos is a Japanese association football team that participates in the fully professional J. League Division 1; the top Japanese professional football league. Having won the J-League title three times and finished second twice, they are one of the most successful J-League clubs. The team are based in...
Nihondaira Sports Stadium	Saitama Stadium	Sendai Stadium Sendai Stadium Yurtec Stadium Sendai is a football stadium in the Nanakita Park, Izumi-ku, Sendai City, Miyagi Prefecture, Japan. It was built in 1997 and is home to the J. League club Vegalta Sendai and the Japan Football League club Sony Sendai F.C.. The stadium was specifically designed for football, and the...	Kose Sports Stadium Kose Sports Stadium Yamanashi Chuo Bank Stadium is a multi-purpose stadium in Kofu, Japan. It is currently used mostly for football matches. It serves as a home ground of Ventforet Kofu. The stadium holds 17,000 people and was built in 1985....	Home's Stadium Kobe	Nissan Stadium Nissan Stadium The is a sports venue in Yokohama, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan.The Yokohama City Office planned multi purpose about the rest place for flood by the Tsurumi River, which included the construction of the main stadium of major sport events - the 53rd National Sports Festival of Japan in Kanagawa...
Capacity: 20,339	Capacity: 63,700	Capacity: 19,694	Capacity: 17,000	Capacity: 30,132	Capacity: 72,370

Championship History

Split-Season Era (1993-2004) Year 1st Stage 2nd Stage 1993 1994 1995 1996 † 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 ‡ 2003 ‡ 2004 * Bold designates champions; † Single season; ‡ Same club won both stages

Single Season Era (2005—) Year Champion Runners-Up 3rd Place 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2010 J. League Division 1 The 2010 J. League Division 1 season was the 46th season of the top-flight club football in Japan and the 18th season since the establishment of J1 League. The season began on March 6 and ended on December 4....

Most successful clubs

Club	Champions	Runners-Up	Winning Seasons	Runners-Up Seasons
	7	2	1996, 1998, 2000, 2001, 2007, 2008, 2009	1993, 1997
	3	3	1997, 1999, 2002	1998, 2001, 2003
	3	2	1995, 2003, 2004	2000, 2002
	2	1	1993, 1994	1995
	1	3	2006	2004, 2005, 2007
	1	1	2010	1996
	1	1	2005	2010
	0	3		2006, 2008, 2009
	0	1		1994
	0	1		1999

Relegation history

The 1998 season
When the league introduced the two-division system in 1999, they also reduced number of Division 1 club from 18 to 16. At the end of 1998 season, they hosted the J. League Promotion Tournament to determine two relegating clubs. Originally, tournament was supposed to have six participants; Kawasaki Frontale

Kawasaki Frontale

is a J. League Division 1 association football club. The team is located in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo. Their home stadium is Todoroki Athletics Stadium, in Nakahara Ward, in the central area of Kawasaki.-History:...

 from former JFL and five bottom clubs from the very-complex combined ranking of 1997 and 1998 J. League seasons. However, the merger of Yokohama Flügels

Yokohama Flügels

was a Japanese football club that played in the J. League between 1993 and 1998. In 1999 the club was officially merged with local rivals Yokohama Marinos and the two teams became known together as Yokohama F. Marinos.- History :...

 with Yokohama Marinos reduced the number J. League club to 17. Thus, the league brought four bottom clubs from J. League together with Kawasaki Frontale

Kawasaki Frontale

is a J. League Division 1 association football club. The team is located in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo. Their home stadium is Todoroki Athletics Stadium, in Nakahara Ward, in the central area of Kawasaki.-History:...

 and decided that three survivors will join J. League Division 1 and two other teams will be sent into Division 2. As a result, Kawasaki Frontale

Kawasaki Frontale

is a J. League Division 1 association football club. The team is located in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, south of Tokyo. Their home stadium is Todoroki Athletics Stadium, in Nakahara Ward, in the central area of Kawasaki.-History:...

 failed to win J1 promotion and Consadole Sapporo

Consadole Sapporo

is a Japanese professional football club, currently playing in the J. League Division 2. The team is located in Sapporo, on the island of Hokkaidō....

 became the first club in J. League history to relegate to J2. These two clubs and eight other former JFL participants were brought up to create the second division.

Split-season era (1999–2004)
Throughout 1999 to 2003 seasons, two bottom clubs clubs were relegated to Division 2. To accommodate for split-season format, combined overall standings were used to determine the relegating clubs. This created a confusing situation, where for championship race stage standing were used, while overall standing was used for relegation survival.

At end of the 2004 season, Division 1 again expanded from 16 to 18 clubs. No clubs were relegated; however, last-placed (16th) club had to play Promotion/Relegation Series

J. League Promotion/Relegation Series

In 2004, J. League introduced a series of two test matches called League between the sixteenth-place J. Division 1 club and third-place J.league Division 2 club...

 against 3rd placed club from J2. Again, to determined 16th placed club, overall standing was used instead of stage standing.

Single season era (2005–present)
For the next four seasons, 2005 to 2008, the number of relegating club was increased to 2.5, with two clubs from each division being promoted and relegated directly, and two more (15th in J1 and 3rd in J2) playing in Promotion/Relegation Series

J. League Promotion/Relegation Series

In 2004, J. League introduced a series of two test matches called League between the sixteenth-place J. Division 1 club and third-place J.league Division 2 club...

.

Since 2009, the pro/rele series were abandoned and three teams will be relegated from and promoted to J1 by default.

Summary

Year	15th Place	16th Place	17th Place	18th Place
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
2004		†
2005		‡
2006		‡
2007		‡
2008		†
2009
2010 2010 J. League Division 1 The 2010 J. League Division 1 season was the 46th season of the top-flight club football in Japan and the 18th season since the establishment of J1 League. The season began on March 6 and ended on December 4....

* Bold designates relegated clubs; † Won the Pro/Rele Series

J. League Promotion/Relegation Series

In 2004, J. League introduced a series of two test matches called League between the sixteenth-place J. Division 1 club and third-place J.league Division 2 club...

; ‡ Lost the Pro/Rele Series

J. League Promotion/Relegation Series

In 2004, J. League introduced a series of two test matches called League between the sixteenth-place J. Division 1 club and third-place J.league Division 2 club...

 and relegated

Other tournaments

Domestic Tournaments

• Emperor's Cup
  Emperor's Cup
  , commonly known as or , is a Japanese association football competition. It has the longest tradition of any football tournament in Japan, dating back to 1921, before the formation of the J. League, Japan Football League and their predecessor, Japan Soccer League...
  
   (1921–present)
• JOMO All-Stars Soccer (1993–present)
• XEROX Super Cup
  Japanese Super Cup
  The Japanese Super Cup or is an annual one-match football competition in Japan organised by J. League and the Japan Football Association . This competition serves as the season opener and is played between the J. League Champions and the Emperor's Cup Winners of the previous season...
  
   (1994–present)
• Yamazaki Nabisco Cup
  J. League Cup
  J. League Cup is a Japanese football competition organized by J. League. It is also known as Yamazaki Nabisco Cup or Nabisco Cup because confectionery/bakery company Yamazaki Nabisco have sponsored the competition since its inception in 1992.It is generally regarded as the Japanese equivalent to...
  
   (1992–present, excluding 1995)

International Tournaments

• FIFA Club World Cup
  FIFA Club World Cup
  The FIFA Club World Cup is a football competition between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations.The first FIFA Club World Championship took place in Brazil in January 2000...
  
   (2007–2008, 2011–2012)
• AFC Champions League
  AFC Champions League
  The AFC Champions League is the premier Asian club football competition hosted annually by Asian Football Confederation . The tournament is contested among the top thirty-two clubs from the top 10 Asian leagues, two of which must qualify through the playoffs...
  
   (1969, 1986/87-2002/03, 2004–present)
• Suruga Bank Championship
  Suruga Bank Championship
  The J.League Cup / Copa Sudamericana Championship Final, officially called the Suruga Bank Championship , is an annual intercontinental football match contested by the reigning champions of the J. League Cup and the Copa Sudamericana.-History:...
  
   (2008–present)

Defunct Tournament

• A3 Champions Cup
  A3 Champions Cup
  A3 Champions Cup was an annual football tournament sanctioned by the East Asian Football Federation. It began in 2003, involving the league champions of China, Japan and South Korea. The host nation also invited an additional team, making this a four team tournament. South Korea was the most...
  
   (2003–2007)
• Pan-Pacific Championship
  Pan-Pacific Championship
  The Pan-Pacific Football Championship was an inter-confederation football tournament between teams from A-League , Chinese Super League , J...
  
   (2008, 2009)
• Promotion/Relegation Series
  J. League Promotion/Relegation Series
  In 2004, J. League introduced a series of two test matches called League between the sixteenth-place J. Division 1 club and third-place J.league Division 2 club...
  
   (2004–2008)
• Sanwa Bank Cup
  Sanwa Bank Cup
  The Sanwa Bank Cup was a one-match friendly competition officially organised by J. League and sponsored by Sanwa Bank . The competition was held between 1994 and 1997 and played two weeks before the opening of J. League . The teams invited were the J...
  
   (1994–1997)
• Suntory Championship
  J. League Championship
  The J. League Championship was a two-legged championship series which determined the season champion for the first 12 J. League seasons excluding the 1996 season. In the early years, the J.League seasons were divided into two halves, the first and second stages, and the champions of each stage...
  
   (1993–2004, excluding 1996)

J. League awards

• Manager of the Year Award
  J. League Manager of the Year
  J. League Manager of the Year is an annual award given to one manager by the J. League based on their performance during the season. The award does not necessarily go to the manager of the champions, although for the last seven years that has been the case....
  
  
• Most Valuable Player Award
  J. League Most Valuable Player
  The J-League Player of the Year is awarded by the J.League.-Wins By Club:...
  
  
• Rookie of the Year Award
  J. League Rookie of the Year
  The J. League Rookie of the Year is awarded by the J. League to the most outstanding rookie of the season. To be considered a rookie, a player must be in his first professional year of football ....
  
  
• The Best XI
• Top Scorer Award
  J. League Top Scorer
  The J. League Top Scorer is awarded by the J.League to the top scoring player of the season.-Wins By Club:-See also:*Japanese football champions, for Japan Soccer League predecessors....
  
  

Players

• List of J. League players
• List of J-League players from AFC
• List of J-League players from CAF
• List of J-League players from CONCACAF
• List of J-League players from CONMEBOL
• List of J-League players from Japan
• List of J-League players from OFC
• List of J-League players from UEFA

Media coverage

In Australia

Australia

Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...

 the J-League is broadcast by Setanta Sports

Setanta Sports Australia

Setanta Sports Australia is a sports television channel operating in Australia and is available to homes and businesses across all of Australia...

.

In the U.S the J-League is broadcast by One World Sports.

See also

• J. League contracts
  J. League contracts
  Contracts in Japan's professional soccer league are subject to certain rules and regulations. Mainly, there are three types of contracts, as described below:-Professional A:Base Salary: ¥4.8 million and up...
  
  
• J. League records
  J. League records
  -Individual:*Most career goals : 157 goals*Most career hat-tricks : 8 times*Most career appearances : 412 appearances*Most goals in a season : 36 goals*Most hat-tricks in a season : 5 times*Most goals in a game : 5 goals**Kashima Antlers *Longest uninterrupted spell in J1: 17 years **Kashima...
  
  
• Winning Eleven (Official video game)

External links

Official Website Official Website Official YouTube Channel