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The , or , is the top professional football (soccer) league in Japan and one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football.
{| class="infobox football" style="width: 16em; text-align: center;"
|-
! style="font-size: 16px;" | J.LEAGUE
|-
| style="font-size: 12px;" | ''J. League 2007''
|-
| style="font-size: 11px; line-height: 15px;" |
|-
| style="font-size: 12px; background: #BFD7FF;" | 'Founded'
|-
| style="font-size: 12px;" | 1992
|-
| style="font-size: 12px; background: #BFD7FF;" | 'Inaugural season'
|-
| style="font-size: 12px;" | 1993
|-
| style="font-size: 12px; background: #BFD7FF;" | 'Nation'
|-
| style="font-size: 12px;" |
|-
| style="font-size: 12px; background: #BFD7FF;" | 'Relegation To'
|-
| style="font-size: 12px;" | Japan Football League
Only Promotion
|-
| style="font-size: 12px; background: #BFD7FF;" | 'Number of Teams'
|-
| style="font-size: 12px;" | J1: 18 clubs
J2: 13 clubs
|-
| style="font-size: 12px; background: #BFD7FF;" | 'Asian Qualification'
|-
| style="font-size: 12px;" | Asian Champions League
A3 Champions Cup
|-
| style="font-size: 12px; background: #BFD7FF;" | 'Domestic Cups'
|-
| style="font-size: 12px;" | Yamazaki Nabisco Cup
Emperor's Cup
|-
| style="font-size: 12px; background: #BFD7FF;" | 'Defending Champions (2006)'
|-
| style="font-size: 12px;" | J1: Urawa Reds
J2: Yokohama F.C.
|-
| style="font-size: 12px; background: #BFD7FF;" | 'Website'
|-
| style="font-size: 12px;" | Official Website {English}
Official Website {Japanese}
|-
|}

Contents

The League history

Phases of the League

Before the formation of J.LEAGUE (-1992)

The inaugural season, and the J.LEAGUE boom (1993-1995)

An era after the J.LEAGUE boom (1996-1999)

Change of the League's infrastructure (1999-present)

Future plans (2007 and beyond)

Timetable

The League structure

J.LEAGUE Division 1 (J1)

The 2007 season

Clubs in J1 (2007)

Championship history

Best performance teams

Relegation history

J. League Division 2 (J2)

The 2007 season

Clubs in J2 (2007)

Championship/Promotion history

J.LEAGUE Associate Membership

Competitions hosted by the J.LEAGUE

J-League awards

Player of the Year

Top scorer

Team of the Year

Young Player of the Year

Manager of the Year

Notable current players

Notable players from each region

Current well-known coaches

Former coaches

J. League records

See also

External links

The League history

Phases of the League

Before the formation of J.LEAGUE (-1992)

Before the J.LEAGUE was created, the highest level of club football in Japan was the Japan Soccer League (JSL), and consisted of amateur teams. 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 (JFA) decided to form a professional league.
The professional football league, J.LEAGUE was formed in 1992, with ten clubs drawn from the JSL. At this point the JSL changed its name and became the Japan Football League (former), a semi-professional league. Although the J.LEAGUE did not officially launch until 1993, the Yamazaki Nabisco Cup competition was held between the ten clubs in 1992.

The inaugural season, and the J.LEAGUE boom (1993-1995)

J.LEAGUE kicked-off its first season with ten clubs on May 15, 1993 as Verdy Kawasaki (current, Tokyo Verdy 1969) played host to Yokohama Marinos (current, Yokohama F. Marinos) at the Kasumigaoka National Stadium. It made a huge impact on the Japanese sports culture as professional baseball, golf, and sumo 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 matchday, 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.

An era after the J.LEAGUE boom (1996-1999)

Despite the success in the first three years, many financial experts knew that "the boom" would soon dissipate, and the league would be in terrible shape 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, almost half of that in 1995. Many claimed that the sudden decline in popularity was also due to rapid expansions; A total of eight clubs were added in five years since the inaugural season. 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 had moved away from the Japanese baseball's model of corporate-owned teams and clubs were their own independent entities, clubs still depended heavily on support from sponsors, who were essentially parent companies. When the Japanese economy took a turn for the worse, clubs suffered when their sponsors were affected. In 1998, Sato Kogyo, a general contractor and primary co-sponsor of Yokohama Flügels, 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, who could not support the club on its own, met with Nissan Motors, the primary sponsor of Yokohama Marinos, 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. Around the same time, Fujita, the sponsors of Bellmare Hiratsuka (currently, Shonan Bellmare), also did not want to finance the club any more.
It would be just a matter of time before the league collapsed.

Change of the League's infrastructure (1999-present)

League officials finally realized that they were heading in the wrong direction and in 1999 they decided to change the infrastructure of the league.
The league acquired nine clubs from the semi-professional JFL (former) and one club from J.LEAGUE to create a two division system. The topflight became the J.LEAGUE Division 1 (J1) with 16 clubs while J.LEAGUE Division 2 (J2) was launched with ten clubs in 1999.
The criteria for becoming a J2 club were not as strict as the top division and this allowed smaller cities and towns to maintain a club successfully from the grass-root level, without investing as much as the clubs in J1. Clubs in J2 were well supported from their hometown crowd and government, and the clubs took time to build the team for J1 promotion as they also tried to gradually improve financially. The best examples of successful clubs are Oita Trinita, Albirex Niigata, and Ventforet Kofu. All these clubs originally started as J2 in 1999 and were comparatively small, but as these club grew stronger each year, they eventually earned J1 promotion in 2002, 2003, and 2005. Now they are all established in the topflight.
The league also began to more closely 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, and penalty shoot-outs 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. At the end of each full season, the champion from each half played a two-legged series to determined the overall season winner. Jubilo Iwata in 2002, and Yokohama F. Marinos in 2003, won both "halves" of the respective seasons, thus eliminating the need for the playoff series. This was the part of the reason for the league to abolish the split-season system beginning in 2005.

Future plans (2007 and beyond)

At the beginning of the 2006 season, the J.LEAGUE excutives announced that the league would expand J2 to 18 clubs by 2010, and 22 clubs by 2016. In the past there has been some mention of creating a third division (J3); however, this plan has been postponed for now. Several Japan Football League teams have announced intentions of being promoted to J2; however, the presence of strong company teams (which are ineligible for promotion) makes the task difficult. Due to this, as of the 2007 season, clubs with J.LEAGUE Associate Memberships finishing in the top 4 of the JFL are eligible for promotion.

Timetable

;1989

★ JFA forms a professional league assessment committee.
;1990

★ The committee decides the criteria for clubs (a home town, a home stadium, sponsors, etc.)

★ Fifteen to twenty clubs from JSL applies for professional league membership
;1991

★ The official announcement was made to the public
;1992

★ The professional league, J.LEAGUE forms with 10 clubs

★
★ Kashima Antlers

★
★ Urawa Red Diamonds (aka Urawa Reds)

★
★ JEF United Ichihara (current JEF United Ichihara Chiba)

★
★ Verdy Kawasaki (current Tokyo Verdy 1969)

★
★ Yokohama Marinos (current Yokohama F. Marinos)

★
★ Yokohama Flügels

★
★ Shimizu S-Pulse

★
★ Nagoya Grampus Eight

★
★ Gamba Osaka

★
★ Sanfrecce Hiroshima

★ JSL becomes JFL (former)

★ J.LEAGUE hosts the first domestic league cup competition with the original ten clubs
;1993

★ The J.LEAGUE officially kicks off its first season with ten clubs
;1994

★ Two clubs were promoted from JFL (former). The league now has 12 clubs.

★
★ Júbilo Iwata

★
★ Bellmare Hiratsuka (current Shonan Bellmare)
;1995

★ Two clubs were promoted from JFL (former). The league now has 14 clubs.

★
★ Kashiwa Reysol

★
★ Cerezo Osaka

★ The points system was in effect. (3pts for a win, 1pt for a PK loss, 0pts for a regulation or extra time loss)
;1996

★ Two clubs were promoted from JFL (former). The league now has 16 clubs.

★
★ Kyoto Purple Sanga (current Kyoto Sanga)

★
★ Avispa Fukuoka

★ Changed to the single season format from the double season format
;1997

★ One club was promoted from JFL (former). The league now has 17 clubs.

★
★ Vissel Kobe

★ Went back to the split season format again (however, only one round-robin per stage)

★ Change in the points regulation (3pts for a regulation win, 2pts for a extra time win, 1pt for a PK win, and 0pts for a loss)
;1998

★ One club was promoted from JFL (former) The league now has 18 clubs.

★
★ Consadole Sapporo
;1999

★ The Yokohama merger

★ The league was divided into two divisions, J1 and J2, as nine more clubs from JFL (former) joined the J2.

★
★ Montedio Yamagata

★
★ Vegalta Sendai

★
★ Omiya Ardija

★
★ Kawasaki Frontale

★
★ Ventforet Kofu

★
★ Sagan Tosu

★
★ FC Tokyo

★
★ Albirex Niigata

★
★ Oita Trinita

★ Consadole Sapporo was relegated from J1 to J2

★ The league now has 16 clubs in J1 and 10 clubs in J2.

★ Penalties were scratched in both divisions (3pts for a regulation win, 2pts for an extra time win, and 1pt for a tie)

★ JFL (former) was also restructured as well, and it became the new Japan Football League (JFL). To distinguish between the former and new JFL, the new JFL is pronounced ''Nihon Football League'' in Japanese.
;2000

★ One club was promoted from JFL to J2. The league now has 16 J1 clubs and 11 J2 clubs.

★
★ Mito HollyHock
;2001

★ One club was promoted from JFL to J2. The league now has 16 J1 clubs and 12 J2 Clubs.

★
★ Yokohama F.C. (the unofficial successor of Yokohama Flügels)
;2002

★ Extra time was scratched in J2 (3pts for a win, 1pt for a tie, 0pts for a loss)

★ J1 still had extra time (3pts for a regualtion win, 2pts for an extra time win, and 1pt for a tie)
;2003

★ Extra time was scratched in J1 (3pts for a win, 1pt for a tie, 0pts for a loss)
;2004 (Go to 2004 J.LEAGUE Season)
At end of the 2004 season, the J.LEAGUE expanded to 18 J1 teams once again, promoting the top two J2 teams. A two-legged Promotion/Relegation Series was also held between the 16th place team in the J1 and the 3rd placed J2 team; however Kashiwa Reysol defeated Avispa Fukuoka in aggregate to hold on to their place in the upper division.
;2005 (Go to 2005 J.LEAGUE Season)

★ Two clubs were promoted from JFL to J2. The league now has 18 J1 clubs and 12 J2 clubs.

★
★ Thespa Kusatsu

★
★ Tokushima VORTIS

★ The league starts the single season format (double round robin) for J1
;2006 (Go to 2006 J.LEAGUE Season)

★ One club was promoted from JFL to J2. The league now has 18 J1 clubs and 13 J2 clubs.

★
★ Ehime FC

★ Away goals rule is adopted in Yamazaki Nabisco Cup and Promotion/Relegation Series

The League structure

Main articles: Japanese football league system

Promotion and relegation follow a pattern similar to European club football, where the two bottom clubs of J1 and the top two clubs of J2 are guaranteed to move. However, promotion relies on the J2 clubs meeting the requirements for J1 franchise status, in terms of revenue, player contracts, youth academy, and stadium capacity. This has generally not been a hindrance, so a 2-team promotion is the norm.
Promotion to J2 from the JFL has tended to be more ad-hoc in nature, given the disparity in nature between the two leagues. In 2000, 2001, and 2006 the JFL league champion was promoted to J2; in 2005 two teams were promoted (as explained below). There is no provision as of 2006 for relegation from J2 to the JFL.
For the 2006 season, the top two J2 teams and bottom two J1 teams in 2005 again were automatically promoted/relegated. In the playoff, the third place J2 team Ventforet Kofu defeated Kashiwa Reysol, the third-worst J1 team, sending three J1 teams down to J2 for the first time.

J.LEAGUE Division 1 (J1)

Until 2004 season, the J1 season was divided into two halves, with a separate championship for each half (with exception of the 1996 season). Each half was 15 games long and each team played each other once, then again in the second half; playing away games against all the teams they had played at home in the first half of the season and vice versa. When a single team won both half seasons (ie. posted the best record over each 15-game half), then that team was declared the overall champion of the J1.

The 2007 season

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. If they are still tied, the clubs will be ranked the same in the standings, meaning multiple clubs can win championships. The bottom two clubs will be relegated to J2, while the 16th placed club plays a two-legged Promotion/Relegation Series.

Clubs in J1 (2007)

{| class="wikitable"
!Club Name
!Year Joined
!Home Town(s)
!Home Stadium(s)
!Capacity
|-bgcolor="CCFFCC"
|
|1993
|Saitama, Saitama
|Saitama Stadium
Urawa Komaba Stadium
|63,700
21,500
|-
|
|1999 (J2)
|Kawasaki, Kanagawa
|Todoroki Athletics Stadium
|25,000
|-
|
|1993
|Suita, Osaka
|Osaka Expo '70 Stadium
|23,000
|-
|
|1993
|Shimizu, Shizuoka
|Nihondaira Stadium
|20,339
|-
|
|1994
|Iwata, Shizuoka
|Yamaha Stadium
|16,893
|-
|
|1993
|Southwestern cities/towns of Ibaraki
|Kashima Stadium
|39,026
|-
|
|1993
|Nagoya, Aichi
|Mizuho Athletic Stadium
Toyota Stadium
|27,000
45,000
|-
|
|1999 (J2)
|All cities/towns in Oita
|Oita Stadium
|40,000
|-
|
|1993
|Yokohama & Yokosuka City, Kanagawa
|Nissan Stadium
|72,370
|-
|
|1993
|Hiroshima, Hiroshima
|Hiroshima Big Arch
|50,000
|-
|
|1993
|Chiba & Ichihara, Chiba
|Fukuda Denshi Arena
|18,500
|-
|
|1999 (J2)
|Saitama, Saitama
|Omiya Park Soccer Stadium
|12,500
|-
|F.C. Tokyo
|1999 (J2)
|All cities/towns in Tokyo
|Tokyo Stadium
|50,000
|-
|
|1999 (J2)
|Niigata & Seiro, Niigata
|Tohoku Denryoku Big Swan Stadium
|42,300
|-
|
|1999 (J2)
|All cities/towns in Yamanashi
|Kose Sports Stadium
|17,000
|-bgcolor="FFCCFF"
|
|2001 (J2)
|Yokohama, Kanagawa
|Mitsuzawa Stadium
|15,064
|-bgcolor="FFCCFF"
|
|1995
|Kashiwa, Chiba
|Hitachi Kashiwa Soccer Stadium
|15,900
|-bgcolor="FFCCFF"
|
|1997
|Kobe, Hyōgo
|Kobe Wing Stadium
Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium
|34,000
45,000
|}

Championship history

{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!1st Stage
!2nd Stage
|-
|1993 (detail)
|
|''
|-
|1994 (detail)
|
|''
|-
|1995 (detail)
|''
|
|-
|1996† (detail)
|colspan=3 style="text-align:center"|''
|-
|1997 (detail)
|
|''
|-
|1998 (detail)
|
|''
|-
|1999 (detail)
|''
|
|-
|2000 (detail)
|
|''
|-
|2001 (detail)
|
|''
|-
|2002‡ (detail)
|colspan=3 style="text-align:center"|''
|-
|2003‡ (detail)
|colspan=3 style="text-align:center"|''
|-
|2004 (detail)
|''
|
|-
|2005† (detail)
|colspan=3 style="text-align:center"|''
|-
|2006† (detail)
|colspan=3 style="text-align:center"|''
|}

★ The season champions are bolded

† Unifed Season

‡ Single club won both stages

Best performance teams

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;"
!#!!Club!!Winners!!Runners-up
|-
|1||align="left"|||4||2
|-
|2||align="left"|||3||3
|-
|3||align="left"|||3||2
|-
|4||align="left"|||2||1
|-
|5||align="left"|||1||2
|-
|6||align="left"|||1||0
|-
|7||align="left"|||0||1
|-
|7||align="left"|||0||1
|-
|7||align="left"|||0||1
|-
|7||align="left"|||0||1
|}

Relegation history

In 1998 J.LEAGUE official decided that there will be two divisions and Division 1 will be reduced from 18 clubs to 16. In end of 1998 season, the Yokohama Marinos merged with Yokohama Flugels. The league had to relegate one more club from the top flight. They took the results from 1997 and 1998 season and choose the bottom four clubs to participate in the end of season tournament with Kawasaki Frontale from JFL (former). Out of these five clubs, three will be allowed to stay at J1 and two will be dropped to division 2. JEF United Ichihara, Vissel Kobe, and Avispa Fukuoka survived, while Kawasaki Frontale failed to win J1 promotion and Consadole Sapporo became the first club in J.LEAGUE history to relegate to J2. These two clubs and other eight clubs from JFL (former) were brought up to create the division 2.
From 1999 to 2003 season, two bottom (15th and 16th) clubs were dropped. Even though, Division 1 had two stages in one season, to determine the relegating clubs, overall standing were used.
At end of the 2004 season, J1 again expanded from 16 clubs to 18 clubs. No clubs were relegated, however, last-placed (16th) club had to play Promotion/Relegation Series against 3rd placed club from J2.
From 2005 season, two bottom (17th and 18th) clubs were relegated, while 16th-placed club had to play Promotion/Relegation Series against 3rd placed club from J2.
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!15th Place
!16th Place
!17th Place
!18th Place
|-
|1998 (detail)
|
|''
|
|
|-
|1999 (detail)
|''
|''
|
|
|-
|2000 (detail)
|''
|''
|
|
|-
|2001 (detail)
|''
|''
|
|
|-
|2002 (detail)
|''
|''
|
|
|-
|2003 (detail)
|''
|''
|
|
|-
|2004 (detail)
|
| †
|
|
|-
|2005 (detail)
|
|'' ‡
|''
|''
|-
|2006 (detail)
|
|'' ‡
|''
|''
|}

★ Relegated clubs are bolded

† Won the Promotion/Relegation Series

‡ Lost the Promotion/Relegation Series and relegated

J. League Division 2 (J2)

Since the inception in 1999, format of J2 has been very consistent. The clubs play a quadruple round-robin (two home and away) format in a single season. Until 2001, the clubs played extra time if they were tied after regulation and the clubs received 3pts for a regulation win, 2pts for an extra time win, 1pt for a tie, and 0pts for loss (there were no penalties). However, since 2002, the league got rid of the extra time and set the points system to the normal 3-1-0 system.

The 2007 season

Thirteen clubs will play in quadruple round-robin format, a total of 48 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. If they are still tied, the clubs will be ranked the same in the standings, meaning multiple clubs can win championships. The top two clubs will be promoted to J1, while the 3rd placed club plays a two-legged Promotion/Relegation series.

Clubs in J2 (2007)

{| class="wikitable"
!Club Name
!Year Joined
!Home Town(s)
!Home Stadium(s)
!Capacity
|-bgcolor="CCCCCC"
|
|1996
|Fukuoka, Fukuoka
|Hakata no mori stadium
|22,563
|-bgcolor="CCCCCC"
|
|1995
|Osaka, Osaka
|Nagai Stadium
|50,000
|-bgcolor="CCCCCC"
|
|1996
|Kyoto, Kyoto
|Nishikyogoku Athletic Stadium
|20,242
|-
|
|1999 (J2)
|Tosu, Saga
|Tosu Stadium
|25,000
|-
|
|1999 (J2)
|Sendai, Miyagi
|Sendai Stadium
|19,694
|-
|
|1998
|Sapporo, Hokkaidō
|Sapporo Atsubetsu Park Stadium
Sapporo Dome
|20,005
42,831
|-
|
|1993
|All cities/towns in Tokyo
|Ajinomoto Stadium
|50,000
|-
|
|1999 (J2)
|All cities/towns in Yamagata
|Yamagata Park Stadium
|20,315
|-
|
|2006 (J2)
|All cities/towns in Ehime
|Ehime Prefectural General Athletics Park
|20,000
|-
|
|2000 (J2)
|Mito, Ibaraki
|Kasamatsu Stadium
|22,022
|-
|
|1994
|Central cities/towns in Kanagawa
|Hiratsuka Athletics Stadium
|18,500
|-
|
|2005 (J2)
|All cities/towns in Gunma
|Shikishima Stadium
|10,050
|-
|
|2005 (J2)
|All cities/towns in Tokushima
|Naruto Athletic Stadium
|20,000
|}

Championship/Promotion history

The top two clubs receive promotion. From the 2004 season, the 3rd placed club plays Promotion/Relegation Series against 16th-placed club in J1.
{| class="wikitable"
!Year
!Champion
!Runner-Up
!3rd Place
!4th Place
|-
|1999
|''
|'F.C. Tokyo'
|
|
|-
|2000
|''
|''
|
|
|-
|2001
|''
|''
|
|
|-
|2002
|''
|''
|
|
|-
|2003
|''
|''
|
|
|-
|2004 (detail)
|''
|''
|†
|
|-
|2005 (detail)
|''
|''
|''‡
|
|-
|2006 (detail)
|''
|''
|''‡
|
|}

★ Bold type designates the promoted club

† Lost the Promotion/Relegation Series

‡ Won the Promotion/Relegation Series and promoted

J.LEAGUE Associate Membership

Main articles: Japanese football league system

If a club with J.LEAGUE Associate Membership finishes top 4 in JFL, the club will receive J2 promotion. Currently, following club(s) has this status:

★ Rosso Kumamoto (JFL)

★ Tochigi S.C. (JFL)

★ F.C. Gifu (JFL)

★ Gainare Tottori (JFL)

Competitions hosted by the J.LEAGUE

Other than J1 and J2, these are the competitions and tournaments held by J.LEAGUE:

★ Yamazaki Nabisco Cup (1992-present, excluding 1995)

★ XEROX Super Cup (1994-present)

★ JOMO All-Stars Soccer (1993-present)

★ Promotion/Relegation Series (2004-present)

★ Suntory Championship (1993-2004, excluding 1996)

★ Sanwa Bank Cup (1994-1997)

★ Emperor's Cup (2005-present)†

★ A3 Champions Cup (2003-present)‡
† Before 2005, JFA solely hosted the cup. Now hosted by both league and JFA
‡ Hosted along with K-league and CSL
Non-J.LEAGUE competition that J.LEAGUE club participate in:

★ AFC Champions League (ACL)

★ A3 Champions Cup

J-League awards

Player of the Year

''See List of J-League Player of the Year''

Top scorer

''See List of J-League Top Scorers''

Team of the Year

''See ''

Young Player of the Year

''See List of J-League Young Player of the Year''

Manager of the Year

''See List of J-League Manager of the Year''

Notable current players

★ (Urawa Reds)

★ (G Osaka)

★ (Gamba Osaka)

★ (Avispa Fukuoka)

★ (Shimizu)

★ (Kashima)

★ (FC Tokyo)

★ (JEF United Ichihara Chiba)

★ (G Osaka)

★ (Kashima)

★ (Kashiwa Reysol)

★ (Nagoya)

★ (FC Tokyo)

★ (Iwata)

★ (Nagoya)

★ (Nagoya)

★ (G Osaka)

★ (Iwata)

★ (Hiroshima)

★ (FC Tokyo)

★ (Vegalta Sendai)

★ (Chiba)

★ (FC Tokyo)

★ (Shimizu)

★ (Yokohama FC)

★ (Iwata)

★ (Yokohama FM)

★ (Urawa)

★ (Urawa)

★ (Hiroshima)

★ (Nagoya)

★ (JEF United Chiba)

★ (Yokohama FM)

★ (Nagoya)

★ (Urawa)

★ (Iwata)

★ (Kobe)

★ (Urawa)

★ (FC Tokyo)

★ (Urawa)

★ (Kashima)

★ (Tosu)

Notable players from each region

★ 'Notable J-League Players from Japan'

★ 'Notable J-League Players from AFC'

★ 'Notable J-League Players from CAF'

★ 'Notable J-League Players from CONCACAF'

★ 'Notable J-League Players from CONMEBOL'

★ 'Notable J-League Players from OFC'

★ 'Notable J-League Players from UEFA'

Current well-known coaches

★ -Júbilo Iwata

★ -Oita Trinita

★ -Cerezo Osaka

★ -FC Tokyo

★ -Gamba Osaka

★ -Urawa Red Diamonds

★ -Tokyo Verdy 1969

★ -Omiya Ardija

★ -Nagoya Grampus Eight

★ -Kashima Antlers

★ -Avispa Fukuoka

Former coaches

★ - Shimizu S-Pulse (1996-1998), Yokohama F. Marinos (2000-2001), Tokyo Verdy 1969 (2003-2005)

★ -Kashima Antlers (2006)

★ - Verdy Kawasaki (1994-1995), Nagoya Grampus Eight (2003-2005)

★ -Sanfrecce Hiroshima (1992-93), Vissel Kobe(1995-97,2006)

★ - Kyoto Purple Sanga (1995-1996)

★ - Urawa Reds (2004-2006)

★ - Kashima Antlers (1996-1998), Nagoya Grampus Eight (1999-2001), Cerezo Osaka (2001), Consadole Sapporo (2003)

★ - Kashima Antlers (2000-2005)

★ - Consadole Sapporo (1997-1998)

★ - Vissel Kobe (1998)

★ -FC Tokyo(2006)

★ - Vissel Kobe (2004)

★ - Gamba Osaka (1995)

★ - Sanfrecce Hiroshima (1995-1996)

★ - Gamba Osaka (1991-1994)

★ - Yokohama Flügels (1991-1994), Japan national football team(1995-1997), Kyoto Purple Sanga (1999-2000)

★ - Urawa Red Diamonds (1997)

★ - Gamba Osaka (1996-1997)

★ - Shimizu S-Pulse (1992-1994), Verdy Kawasaki (1996), Vissel Kobe (2005)

★ - Yokohama FC (1998-1999, 2003-2004)

★ -Nagoya Grampus Eight(1994)

★ -Japan national football team(1997-98), Consadole Sapporo (1999-2001), Yokohama F. Marinos(2003-2006)

★ - Japan national team(1992-1993), Júbilo Iwata (1994-1996), Kyoto Purple Sanga (1998), Urawa Reds (2002-2003)

★ -JEF United Ichihara Chiba(2003-2006), Japan national football team(2006-)

★ - Vissel Kobe (2005)

★ - Shimizu S-Pulse (1994)

★ - Shimizu S-Pulse (1998-2000), Kashiwa Reysol (2001-2002)

★ - Yokohama Flügels (1998)

★ -Vegalta Sendai (2006)

★ - Júbilo Iwata (1997)

★ - Sanfrecce Hiroshima (1997-2000)

★ - JEF United Ichihara (2002)

★ - Omiya Ardija (1998-1999), Kyoto Purple Sanga (2003)

★ - JEF United Ichihara (2001), Nagoya Grampus Eight (2002-2003), Vegalta Sendai (2003-2004)

★ - Nagoya Grampus Eight (1995-1996)

★ - Nagoya Grampus Eight (1996-1997)

★ -Júbilo Iwata(2004-2006), U-23 Japan national team at the 2004 Summer Olympics(2002-2004)

J. League records

''See J. League records''

See also

★ J. League contracts – policies for athlete contracts

★ ''Winning Eleven'' — the official video game of J. League.

★ List of sports attendance figures — the J. League in a worldwide context

External links

★ Official Site (English)