The 2009 J. League Division 1 season is the 45th season of the top-flight club football in Japan and the 17th season since the establishment of J1 League. The season started on March 7, 2009 and ended on December 5, 2009.

A total of eighteen clubs participated in double round-robin format. At the end of the season, top three clubs received automatic qualification to the following years' 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...

. Also starting this season, the bottom three clubs were relegated to J2 League by default.

became the first Japanese club win J. League Championship in three straight seasons.

Participating Clubs

The following eighteen clubs will play in J. League Division 1 during the 2009 season. Of these clubs, Sanfrecce Hiroshima and Montedio Yamagata are the newly promoted clubs.

Club Name	Home Town(s)	Note(s)
	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 :...
	Tokyo Tokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
	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 :...	2009 ACL Participant
	Chiba Chiba, Chiba is the capital city of Chiba Prefecture, Japan. It is located approximately 40 km east of the center of Tokyo on Tokyo Bay. Chiba City became a government designated city in 1992. Its population as of 2008 is approximately 960,000....  & Ichihara Ichihara Ichihara may refer to:* Ichihara, Chiba*JEF United Ichihara Chiba, the city's football club* Ichihara Takayuki, sumo wrestler* Yūko Ichihara, manga character... , 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...
	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...
	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...	2009 ACL Participant Two-time Defending Champions
	Kashiwa, 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...
	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...	2009 ACL Participant
	Southwestern cities/town in Kyoto Kyoto Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kansai region of the island of Honshu. The capital is the city of Kyoto.- History :Until the Meiji Restoration, the area of Kyoto prefecture was known as Yamashiro....
	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 :...	Promoted from J2 League in 2008 2008 J. League Division 2 The 2008 J. League Division 2 season is the 37th season of the second-tier club football in Japan and the 10th season since the establishment of J2 League. The season started on March 8 and ended on December 6....
	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 :...	2009 ACL Participant
	All cities/towns in Oita Oita -Companies:*Oita Asahi Broadcasting, a Japanese broadcast network in Oita Prefecture, Japan*Oita Broadcasting System, a television company based in Ōita Prefecture, Japan-Education:*Oita Junior College, a private junior college in Ōita, Ōita Prefecture, Japan...
	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...
	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...	Promoted from J2 League in 2008 2008 J. League Division 2 The 2008 J. League Division 2 season is the 37th season of the second-tier club football in Japan and the 10th season since the establishment of J2 League. The season started on March 8 and ended on December 6....
	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...
	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...
	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 :...
	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...

League Format

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 at the first place, both clubs will be declared as the champions. The bottom three clubs will be relegated to J2. The top three clubs will qualify to 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...

 in the following year.
Changes from Previous Year

• Bottom three clubs are relegated by default; during 2004-2008 season, the 16th-place club needed to win 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...
  
   to avoid relegation.
• The fourth foreign player slot (AFC player slot) is introduced

Final League Table

Final Results

Top scorers

Rank	Scorer	Club	Goals
1	Ryoichi Maeda Ryoichi Maeda is a Japanese football player who currently plays for Jubilo Iwata of the J. League Division 1.-Club career:Maeda was born in Kobe, Japan but spent his childhood in the United States. He was educated at and played for Gyosei Junior High and Ghosei High School in Tokyo. While he was a high school...		20
2	Juninho Carlos Alberto Carvalho dos Anjos Junior Carlos Alberto Carvalho dos Anjos Junior "Juninho" is a Brazilian professional football striker who currently plays for Japan's J. League club Kawasaki Frontale. He played as an offensive midfielder in Brazil. But after moving to Japan from Palmeiras, he was converted to a striker. In the 2007...		17
	Edmilson Edmilson dos Santos Silva Edmilson dos Santos Silva, or simply Edmilson , is a Brazilian striker. He currently plays for Qatari Premier League side Al-Gharafa Sports Club.-Club career:...		17
4	Naohiro Ishikawa Naohiro Ishikawa Naohiro Ishikawa is a Japanese footballer who plays for F.C. Tokyo.He was part of the Japanese 2004 Olympic football team, who exited in the first round, having finished fourth in group B, below group winners Paraguay, Italy and Ghana.-Club career:...		15
	Hisato Satō Hisato Sato is a Japanese football player who currently plays for Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the J. League. He is a left-footed forward.-Playing career:Sato is a product of JEF United Ichiahra's youth system. He was promoted to JEF's top team in 2000. His first league appearance came on April 15, 2000 against...		15
6	Chong Tese Chong Tese Jong Tae-Se born March 2, 1984 in Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Japan) is a North Korean football player currently playing for Bochum. He is a member of the North Korea national team...		14
	Shinji Okazaki Shinji Okazaki Shinji Okazaki is a Japanese football player currently playing for VfB Stuttgart of the German Bundesliga.-Career:...		14
8	Marquinhos Marcos Gomes de Araujo Marcos Gomes de Araujo, better known as Marquinhos , is a Brazilian striker who currently plays for Clube Atlético Mineiro. He has spent his career playing mostly in the J. League.-Biography:...		13
	Pedro Júnior	Transferred from after 24th week	13
	Kazuma Watanabe Kazuma Watanabe Kazuma Watanabe born 10 August 1986 is a Japanese footballer who plays for Yokohama F. Marinos.He made his J-League debut against Sanfrecce Hiroshima on 7 March 2009 scoring his first league goal. He kept scoring constantly up to 13 goals in the league this season, and broke the previous season...		13

Notes:

Attendance Figures