J. League Associate Membership
Encyclopedia
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
. Usually clubs from the third level, Japan Football League
, applies for the membership; however, in the past clubs in the lower levels have applied for the membership. The applications are reviewed and inspected by a committee formed by the league. Since 2007 season, the Associate Membership is one of the main criteria for J2 promotion. This system allows the League to identify the such clubs, to provide necessary resources/advices, and to ease the transition to the professionalism.
games and reserve league games.
Home Stadium/Training Facility
Home Town
Others
† This indicates the participated league at the time of application, not necessary the league that the club currently belongs to.
Current members (JFL
) (JFL
) (JFL
) (JFL
)
Past members
J. League
The or is the top division of and is the top professional association football league in Japan. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football and the only league given top class 'A' ranking by the AFC. Currently, J. League Division 1 is the first level of the Japanese...
, governed in the top two levels of the Japanese football pyramid
Japanese football league system
The Japanese association football league system is organized in a pyramidal shape similar to football league systems in many other countries around the world...
. Usually clubs from the third level, 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...
, applies for the membership; however, in the past clubs in the lower levels have applied for the membership. The applications are reviewed and inspected by a committee formed by the league. Since 2007 season, the Associate Membership is one of the main criteria for J2 promotion. This system allows the League to identify the such clubs, to provide necessary resources/advices, and to ease the transition to the professionalism.
Former System (1993–1998)
Originally, when the professional league formed in 1993 with ten clubs, the league's intention was to keep the number of clubs to 10 for at least two to three years, and then gradually increase the roster to 16 by adding a club or two in year-to-year basis. However, the league had underestimated the demands; there were far more clubs seeking top-flight football then the league have anticipated. Thus, the league adopted associate membership system for the clubs in then the second-tier Japan Football League. Just like the current system, associate clubs finishing top two were allowed to be promoted to the league, given that they have passed the final inspection by the league. Associate members also had right to participate in Yamazaki Nabisco CupJ. 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...
games and reserve league games.
| Year Applied | Club Name | Year Promoted | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1993 | 1994 | ||
| 1994 | |||
| 1995 | |||
| 1994 | 1995 | ||
| 1996 | |||
| Tosu Futures Tosu Futures was a Japanese football club that played in the former Japan Football League between 1993 and 1997.-History:PJM Futures was originally founded in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka in 1987 and moved to Tosu, Saga in 1995, changing its name to Tosu Futures. This happened one year after joining the former Japan... |
1999 (J2) | Was taken over by | |
| 1995 | 1996 | ||
| 1997 | |||
| 1996 | 1998 | ||
| 1999 (J2) | |||
| 1997 | 1999 (J2) | ||
| Later withdrew the membership due to lack of support from company and community |
Criteria for Membership
Club Organization- Must be entity or organization solely devoted to football
- CompanyWorks teamA works team is a sports team that is financed and run by a manufacturer or other business. Sometimes, works teams contain or are entirely made up of employees of the supporting company.-Africa:...
and university clubs do not qualify - At least half of the shares of stock must be Japanese ownership
- Company
- Must have feasible financial status
- Must secure sponsorships of ¥ 1 million
- Must hire at least three administrative employees, one of whom must have managerial position
- Must have proper payroll system according to Japanese Law
- Must complete tax audit annually
Home Stadium/Training Facility
- Home stadium must be located in the proposed hometown
- Must have or have plans to build/reconstruct stadium with capacity of 10,000 and natural grass pitch
- Must have a press box and a conference room for pre- and post-match news conferences in the stadium
- Must secure training facilit(ies) within the proposed hometown
Home Town
- Must be approved by respective PrefecturalPrefectures of JapanThe 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...
Football Association - Must be approved by the hometown government in writing
Others
- Must currently play in JFLJapan Football LeagueThe 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...
, Regional Divisions, or Prefectural Divisions - Must have 5 players with pro A contract (see: J. League contractsJ. League contractsContracts 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...
) - Must desire eventual promotion to the J2
- Must have plans for a youth system
Advantages
- Required for J2 promotion
- The league committee will provide resources to assist the club to attain J2 promotion
- The right to label the club as a "J. League Associate Member". However, this does not allow the use of J. League logos, which would be considered copyright infringement until actual promotion is achieved.
J.League Associate Members
This chart shows when the club applied and was approved as an associate member.- Green – promoted to J. League
- Gold – current members
- Grey – membership declined
- White – planning to apply/awaiting for approval
| Date Applied | Club Name | League† | Home Town | Membership | Year Promoted | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| August 2006 | JFL 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... |
Kumamoto, Kumamoto Kumamoto, Kumamoto is the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture on the island of Kyushu, Japan. Greater Kumamoto has a population of 1,460,000, as of the 2000 census... |
Approved | 2007 | Renamed to Roasso Kumamoto upon promotion to J2. | |
| JFL 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... |
Utsunomiya, Tochigi Utsunomiya, Tochigi is the capital and most populous city of Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. In October 2010 the city had an estimated population of 510,416 and a population density of 1,224.49 people per square kilometer. The total area is 416.84 km². had a population of 888,005 in the 2000 Census... |
Declined | Reapplied in January 2007 | |||
| January 2007 | JFL 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... |
Gifu, Gifu Gifu, Gifu is a city located in the south-central portion of Gifu Prefecture, Japan, and serves as the prefectural capital. The city has played an important role in Japan's history because of its location in the middle of the country. During the Sengoku period, various warlords, including Oda Nobunaga, used... |
Approved | 2007 | Conditionally approved initially. Financial improvement required before promotion to J2. | |
| JFL 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... |
All cities/towns in Tottori Tottori Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region. The capital is the city of Tottori. It is the least populous prefecture in Japan.- History :Before the Meiji Restoration, Tottori encompassed the old provinces of Hōki and Inaba... |
Approved | 2010 | |||
| JFL 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... |
Utsunomiya, Tochigi Utsunomiya, Tochigi is the capital and most populous city of Tochigi Prefecture, Japan. In October 2010 the city had an estimated population of 510,416 and a population density of 1,224.49 people per square kilometer. The total area is 416.84 km². had a population of 888,005 in the 2000 Census... |
Approved | 2008 | |||
| Tohoku League D2 | Fukushima, Fukushima Fukushima, Fukushima is the capital city of Fukushima Prefecture in the Tōhoku Region of Japan. As of May 2011 the city has an estimated population of 290,064 and an area of 746.43 km².It lies about 250 km north of Tokyo and 80 km south of Sendai.-History:... |
Declined | Renamed to Fukushima United F.C. | |||
| July 2007 | Chugoku League | All cities/towns in Okayama Okayama Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūgoku region on Honshū island. The capital is the city of Okayama.- History :During the Meiji Restoration, the area of Okayama Prefecture was known as Bitchū Province, Bizen Province and Mimasaka Province.- Geography :... |
Approved | 2008 | First Regional league club to be approved | |
| January 2008 | JFL 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... |
Kitakyūshū | Approved | 2009 | Renamed to Giravanz Kitakyushu before promotion to J2 | |
| JFL 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... |
Toyama, Toyama Toyama, Toyama is the capital city of Toyama Prefecture, Japan, located on the coast of the Sea of Japan in the Chūbu region on central Honshū, about 200 km north of the city of Nagoya and 300 km northwest of Tokyo.... |
Approved | 2008 | |||
| JFL 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... |
All cities/towns in Okinawa Okinawa Prefecture is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island... |
Declined | Reapplied in January 2011 | |||
| January 2009 | JFL 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... |
Machida, Tokyo Machida, Tokyo is a city located in the western part of the greater metropolis of Tokyo, Japan. The city was founded on February 1, 1958.As of October 1, 2010, the city has an estimated population of 424,669 and a population density of 5,928.65 persons per km². The total area is 71.63 km²... |
Approved | |||
| JFL 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... |
All cities/towns in Nagasaki Nagasaki Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on the island of Kyūshū. The capital is the city of Nagasaki.- History :Nagasaki Prefecture was created by merging of the western half of the former province of Hizen with the island provinces of Tsushima and Iki... |
Approved | Due to toughened facility requirements, not eligible to promotion until the reconstruction of the stadium finishes (expected in 2013) | |||
| January 2010 | JFL 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... |
Matsumoto, Nagano Matsumoto, Nagano is a city located in Nagano Prefecture, Japan. Matsumoto is designated as a Special City.-Outline:The new city of Matsumoto is the city comprising the mergers of the old city of Matsumoto and four villages. Matsumoto officially absorbed those villages without creating a new municipal... |
Approved | |||
| S.C. Sagamihara S.C. Sagamihara are a Japanese association football club based in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture. In 2011 they joined Division 2 of Kanto Regional League after three years of consecutive promotions through Kanagawa Prefectural League.-External links:*... |
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... prefectural league D1 |
Sagamihara, Kanagawa Sagamihara, Kanagawa is a city located in north central Kanagawa Prefecture, bordering Tokyo, Japan. It is the third most populous city in the prefecture, after Yokohama and Kawasaki, and the fifth most populous suburb of Greater Tokyo. Its northern neighbor is Machida, with which a cross-prefectural merger has been... |
Approved | First Prefectural league club to be approved | ||
| April 2010 | JFL 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... |
Kanazawa, Ishikawa Kanazawa, Ishikawa is the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.-Geography, climate, and population:Kanazawa sits on the Sea of Japan, bordered by the Japan Alps, Hakusan National Park and Noto Peninsula National Park. The city sits between the Sai and Asano rivers. Its total area is 467.77 km².Kanazawa's... |
Not accepted | Incomplete documentation. Reapplied in January 2011. | ||
| December 2010 | JFL 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... |
All cities/towns in Kagawa Kagawa Prefecture is a prefecture of Japan located on Shikoku island. The capital is Takamatsu.- History :Kagawa was formerly known as Sanuki Province.For a brief period between August 1876 and December 1888, Kagawa was made a part of Ehime Prefecture.-Battle of Yashima:... |
Approved | |||
| January 2011 | JFL 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... |
All cities/towns in Okinawa Okinawa Prefecture is one of Japan's southern prefectures. It consists of hundreds of the Ryukyu Islands in a chain over long, which extends southwest from Kyūshū to Taiwan. Okinawa's capital, Naha, is located in the southern part of Okinawa Island... |
Pending | Further improvement needed | ||
| JFL 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... |
Kanazawa, Ishikawa Kanazawa, Ishikawa is the capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan.-Geography, climate, and population:Kanazawa sits on the Sea of Japan, bordered by the Japan Alps, Hakusan National Park and Noto Peninsula National Park. The city sits between the Sai and Asano rivers. Its total area is 467.77 km².Kanazawa's... |
Pending | Further improvement needed | |||
| 2011 (planned) | JFL 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... |
Nagano, Nagano Nagano, Nagano , the capital city of Nagano Prefecture, is located in the northern part of the prefecture near the confluence of the Chikuma and the Sai rivers, on the main Japanese island of Honshū.As of April 1, 2011 the city has a population of 387,146... |
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| 2012 (planned) | JFL 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... |
Akita, Akita Akita, Akita is the capital city of Akita Prefecture in the Tohoku region of Japan.As of June 11, 2005, with the merger of the former Kawabe District , the city has an estimated population of 323,310 and density of... (planned) |
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| Kyushu League | Kagoshima | To be renamed in 2012 |
† This indicates the participated league at the time of application, not necessary the league that the club currently belongs to.
Current members (JFL
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...
) (JFL
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...
) (JFL
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...
) (JFL
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...
)
- S.C. SagamiharaS.C. Sagamiharaare a Japanese association football club based in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture. In 2011 they joined Division 2 of Kanto Regional League after three years of consecutive promotions through Kanagawa Prefectural League.-External links:*...
(Kantō League D2)
Past members
See also
- J. LeagueJ. LeagueThe or is the top division of and is the top professional association football league in Japan. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football and the only league given top class 'A' ranking by the AFC. Currently, J. League Division 1 is the first level of the Japanese...
- Japan Football LeagueJapan Football LeagueThe 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...
- Japanese association football league system
- List of football clubs in Japan