Japanese football league system
Encyclopedia
The Japan
ese association football league system is organized in a pyramidal shape similar to football league systems in many other countries around the world. The leagues are bound by the principle of promotion and relegation
; however, there are stringent criteria for promotion from the JFL to J2, which demands a club being backed by the town itself including the local government, a community of fans, corporate sponsors rather than a parent company or a corporation
. There is no relegation provision from J2 to the JFL at the moment, since J2 is currently in the process of expansion, thus promotion to it is partially economic in nature. However, once the J2 reaches 22 clubs, relegation between J2 and JFL will start.
, which consists of J. League Division 1 (J1) and J. League Division 2
. All of the clubs in J. League are professional.
The third level, Japan Football League
(JFL) is a semi-professional league consisting of amateur, professional, and university clubs from all over Japan.
At the fourth and fifth levels, nine parallel regional leagues are operated by nine different regional football associations. Some have multiple divisions. The regional associations are divided by political or geographical boundaries.
At the sixth level and below, parallel prefectural leagues are hosted by each of the 46 different prefectural football associations, again divided by political or geographical boundaries. Some have multiple divisions.
. Division 2 has 20 clubs; however, this number is expected to increase to 22 in the near future.
Relegation (to J2)
Relegation (to JFL)
(JFL) is the third level in the Japanese football pyramid, and is known as the highest level for amateur club football. Prior to 2010 JFL was governed by Japan Football Association
(JFA), since 2010, the JFL became independent from the Japan FA with its own status and governing body. It consists of amateur clubs such as university teams and company football clubs. Some professional clubs do exist as well. Usually these professional clubs are eyeing promotion to the professional league, J. League. Due to presence of these professional clubs, in reality the league has the semi-professional status.
Promotion (to J2):
Relegation (to Regional Leagues)
, Touhoku
, Kantou
, Tokai
, Hokushin-etsu (Hokuriku
+Shin-etsu
), Kansai, Shikoku
, Chugoku
, and Kyushu
. Each region has its own football league, and they make up 9 parallel football leagues governed by designated regional FAs. Hokkaido, Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu Regional Leagues have only one division, whereas others have two divisions. On top of that, Touhoku Division 2 is divided into Division 2 North and Division 2 South. Because of difference in the structures, each region has its own promotion and relegation regulation between the divisions.
Promotion (to JFL)
Relegation (to Prefectural Leagues)
Promotion (to Regional League)
Relegation (to Municipal Leagues)
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...
ese association football league system is organized in a pyramidal shape similar to football league systems in many other countries around the world. The leagues are bound by the principle of promotion and relegation
Promotion and relegation
In many sports leagues around the world, promotion and relegation is a process that takes place at the end of each season. Through it, teams are transferred between divisions based on their performance that season...
; however, there are stringent criteria for promotion from the JFL to J2, which demands a club being backed by the town itself including the local government, a community of fans, corporate sponsors rather than a parent company or a corporation
Corporation
A corporation is created under the laws of a state as a separate legal entity that has privileges and liabilities that are distinct from those of its members. There are many different forms of corporations, most of which are used to conduct business. Early corporations were established by charter...
. There is no relegation provision from J2 to the JFL at the moment, since J2 is currently in the process of expansion, thus promotion to it is partially economic in nature. However, once the J2 reaches 22 clubs, relegation between J2 and JFL will start.
Overview
The top two levels of the Japanese football league system are operated by J. LeagueJ. 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...
, which consists of J. League Division 1 (J1) and 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...
. All of the clubs in J. League are professional.
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...
(JFL) is a semi-professional league consisting of amateur, professional, and university clubs from all over Japan.
At the fourth and fifth levels, nine parallel regional leagues are operated by nine different regional football associations. Some have multiple divisions. The regional associations are divided by political or geographical boundaries.
At the sixth level and below, parallel prefectural leagues are hosted by each of the 46 different prefectural football associations, again divided by political or geographical boundaries. Some have multiple divisions.
| 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... 125 clubs (2011 season) Hokkaido (8clubs) Tohoku 1st (8clubs) > Tohoku 2nd north (8 clubs) | Tohoku 2nd south (8 clubs) Kanto 1st (8clubs) | Kanto 2nd (8 clubs) Tokai 1st (8clubs) | Tokai 2nd (9 clubs) Hokushin'etsu 1st (8clubs) | Hokushin'etsu 2nd (8 clubs) Kansai 1st (8clubs) | Kansai 2nd (8 clubs) Chugoku (10 clubs) Shikoku (8 clubs) Kyushu (10 clubs) |
| V+/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 Dōhoku block (north) > Dōtō block (east) | Dōō block (central) | Dōnan block (south) Aomori | Iwate | Miyagi | Akita | Yamagata | Fukushima Ibaraki | Tochigi | Gunma | Saitama | Chiba | Tokyo | Kanagawa Gifu | Shizuoka | Aichi | Mie Niigata | Toyama | Ishikawa | Fukui | Yamanashi | Nagano Shiga | Kyoto | Osaka | Hyogo | Nara | Wakayama Tottori | Shimane | Okayama | Hiroshima | Yamaguchi Tokushima | Kagawa | Ehime | Kochi Fukuoka | Saga | Nagasaki | Kumamoto | Ōita | Miyazaki | Kagoshima | Okinawa |
Level I & II: J. League
J. League governs the top two level of Japanese football pyramid and it consists of a total of 38 football clubs. All 38 clubs in J. League are fully professional and are divided into two divisions, J. League Division 1 (J1) and J. League Division 2 (J2). Eighteen (18) clubs make up the top flight and have access to the Asian premier football competition, AFC Champions LeagueAFC 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...
. Division 2 has 20 clubs; however, this number is expected to increase to 22 in the near future.
J. League Division 1 (18 Clubs)
Asian Qualification- Currently through the league games, the J. League champions, runner-ups, and third-places are allowed to qualify to the AFC Champions LeagueAFC Champions LeagueThe 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 other means of qualification is the Emperor's CupEmperor'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...
; however this also gives clubs below level I the possibility of qualification. If one of the top three finishers also wins the Emperor's Cup title, the 4th-placed club receives the final qualification spot.
Relegation (to J2)
- Currently, bottom three clubs (16th, 17th and 18th places) are automatically relegated to J.League Division 2.
J. League Division 2 (20 Clubs)
Promotion (to J1)- Three clubs have access to promotion. The champions, runners-up, and third-place finishers of the Division 2 are guaranteed, given that they meet all the Division 1 criteria (In the past, no club have been denied promotion due to this).
Relegation (to JFL)
- None (As of 2011 season)
- Relegation to JFL is planned after J2 have the upper-limited number (22) of clubs.
Level III: Japan Football League (18 Clubs)
The Japan Football LeagueJapan 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) is the third level in the Japanese football pyramid, and is known as the highest level for amateur club football. Prior to 2010 JFL was governed by 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), since 2010, the JFL became independent from the Japan FA with its own status and governing body. It consists of amateur clubs such as university teams and company football clubs. Some professional clubs do exist as well. Usually these professional clubs are eyeing promotion to the professional league, J. League. Due to presence of these professional clubs, in reality the league has the semi-professional status.
Promotion (to J2):
- Clubs in JFL must meet following criteria to receive promotion to the professional league.
- Have J. League Associate MembershipJ. League Associate MembershipJ. 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...
- Finish in the top four 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...
. - Pass the final inspection by the J. League professional committee
- Have J. League Associate Membership
Relegation (to Regional Leagues)
- The number varies from 0 to 3 depending on number of clubs promoted to the J. League Division 2 and/or number of club disbanded. Depending on the number, the teams ranked 17th and 18th at the end of the season are automatically relegated to Regional Leagues. The team ranked 16th may have to face promotion/relegation series to survive the relegation. Clubs will be relegated to their designated Regional League (i.e. a club from Tokyo will relegate to Kanto League, even if the promoted club is not from Kanto League).
Level IV/V: 9 Japanese Regional Leagues
In modern Japan, the country is divided into 9 different regions. From North to South they are HokkaidoHokkaido
, formerly known as Ezo, Yezo, Yeso, or Yesso, is Japan's second largest island; it is also the largest and northernmost of Japan's 47 prefectural-level subdivisions. The Tsugaru Strait separates Hokkaido from Honshu, although the two islands are connected by the underwater railway Seikan Tunnel...
, Touhoku
Tohoku region
The is a geographical area of Japan. The region occupies the northeastern portion of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region consists of six prefectures : Akita, Aomori, Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi and Yamagata....
, Kantou
Kanto region
The is a geographical area of Honshu, the largest island of Japan. The region includes the Greater Tokyo Area and encompasses seven prefectures: Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, Saitama, Tokyo, Chiba, and Kanagawa. Within its boundaries, slightly more than 40 percent of the land area is the Kantō Plain....
, Tokai
Tokai region
The is a sub-region of the Chūbu region in Japan that runs along the Pacific Ocean. The name means "East sea" and comes from the Tōkaidō, one of the Edo Five Routes...
, Hokushin-etsu (Hokuriku
Hokuriku region
The is located in the northwestern part of Honshū, the main island of Japan. It lies along the Sea of Japan within the Chūbu region. It is almost equivalent to Koshi Province and Hokurikudō area in pre-modern Japan....
+Shin-etsu
Shin'etsu Region
is a geographical region of Japan.The area encompasses the old provinces of Shinano and Echigo. Though the name is a combination of those two provinces, the region also contains Sado Island from Sado Province...
), Kansai, Shikoku
Shikoku
is the smallest and least populous of the four main islands of Japan, located south of Honshū and east of the island of Kyūshū. Its ancient names include Iyo-no-futana-shima , Iyo-shima , and Futana-shima...
, Chugoku
Chugoku region
The , also known as the , is the westernmost region of Honshū, the largest island of Japan. It consists of the prefectures of Hiroshima, Okayama, Shimane, Tottori and Yamaguchi. It has a population of about 7.8 million.- History :...
, and Kyushu
Kyushu
is the third largest island of Japan and most southwesterly of its four main islands. Its alternate ancient names include , , and . The historical regional name is referred to Kyushu and its surrounding islands....
. Each region has its own football league, and they make up 9 parallel football leagues governed by designated regional FAs. Hokkaido, Chugoku, Shikoku, and Kyushu Regional Leagues have only one division, whereas others have two divisions. On top of that, Touhoku Division 2 is divided into Division 2 North and Division 2 South. Because of difference in the structures, each region has its own promotion and relegation regulation between the divisions.
Promotion (to JFL)
- At the end of the year, champions and some runners-up from the 9 Regional Leagues qualify to the All Japan Regional Football Promotion League SeriesAll Japan Regional Football Promotion League SeriesThe All Japan Regional Promotion League Series is a play-off tournament meant as a transition for Japanese football clubs competing in regional leagues to the bottom national tier .-History:Until 1976, the main entrance route for regional clubs to the Japan Soccer League was...
. The winners of the tournament and runners-up receive promotion to JFL. The 3rd-placed club receives promotion/relegation series match against JFL club ranked 16th or direct promotion depending on number of clubs promoted to J2 and clubs disbanded.
Relegation (to Prefectural Leagues)
- Different regulations for each Regional Leagues
Level V+/VI+: 46 Prefectural Leagues & Hokkaido Blocks
Under the 9 regions, there are 47 prefectures. Hokkaido is by itself is a prefecture, thus the leagues in Hokkaido does not have a prefectural league and rather divided into 4 blocks (North, Central, East, and South); however, all other 46 prefectures has Prefectural leagues. Most if not all, of these leagues have multi-divisions.Promotion (to Regional League)
- Different regulations for each Regional Leagues.
Relegation (to Municipal Leagues)
- Different regulations for each Regional Leagues.
External links
- Japan Football League page
- Structure (in English)
- Japanese Non-League news (in English)
- 2008 Japan Regional Promotion Playoff Series
- Regional Leagues (all in Japanese):