2022 J1 League
The 2022 J1 League, also known as the '''2022 Meiji Yasuda Life for sponsorship reasons, was the 30th season of the J1 League, the top Japanese professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1992. This was eighth season of J1 League as renamed from J. League Division 1.
Kawasaki Frontale were the defending champions, having won their fourth and second consecutive title in 2021 with four rounds to play. Yokohama F. Marinos reclaimed the trophy, winning its fifth J.League and seventh Japanese title on the final day of the season. Brazilian forward Thiago Santana scored 14 goals for Shimizu S-Pulse, the least number of goals from a player who became the league top scorer and the first to also suffer relegation in the same season.
Overview
Due to 2022 FIFA World Cup, the league began from February to November 2022.Changes from the previous season
There were four teams instead of two relegated last season to 2022 J2 League due to impacts related to the COVID-19 pandemic to made up the decision of no relegation in the 2020 season, which saw the number of teams rise to 20. They were Tokushima Vortis, Oita Trinita, Vegalta Sendai, and Yokohama FC.Two teams were promoted from the 2021 J2 League: Júbilo Iwata, who won the title and returned to J1 after a two-year absence, and Kyoto Sanga who finished second, returning to J1 after 11 seasons.
Clubs
Foreign players
From the 2021 season, there is no limitations on signing foreign players, but clubs could only register up to five of them for a single matchday squad. Players from J.League partner nations were exempted from these restrictions.- Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the midseason transfer window.
- Player's name in italics indicates the player has Japanese nationality in addition to their FIFA nationality, holds the nationality of a J.League partner nation, or is exempt from being treated as a foreign player due to having been born in Japan and being enrolled in, or having graduated from an approved type of school in the country.
| Club | Player 1 | Player 2 | Player 3 | Player 4 | Player 5 | Player 6 | Player 7 | Player 8 | Former player | ||||||
| Avispa Fukuoka |  Promotion–relegation playoffsIn the playoffs, officially called the 2022 J.League J1/J2 Play-offs, the 16th-placed team of the J1 League faced the winners of the J2 League promotion playoffs. Should they lose, the J2 team would be promoted in their place for the 2023 J1 League. Fagiano Okayama, Roasso Kumamoto, Oita Trinita, and Montedio Yamagata qualified for the promotion playoffs as they finished between third and sixth in the 2022 J2 League.In the first two rounds of the playoffs, if the score was tied after 90 minutes, no extra time was played and the winners were the team with the higher finish in the J2 League. In the final match at the J1 team's home, if the score was tied after 90 minutes, no extra time would be played, and both teams stay at their respective leagues. Final''Kyoto Sanga remained in J1 League. Roasso Kumamoto remained in J2 League. ''Season statisticsScoringTop scorers
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