Japanese football league system
The Japanese football league system is a series of interconnected leagues for men's association football clubs in Japan. It 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 J3, which demands a club being backed by the town itself including the local government, a community of fans and corporate sponsors rather than a parent company or a corporation.
Overview
The top three levels of the Japanese football league system are operated by the J. League, which consists of J1 League, J2 League, and J3 League. All of the clubs in the J. League are fully professional.The fourth level, the Japan Football League is a semi-professional league consisting of amateur, professional, and company clubs from all over Japan.
At the fifth and sixth levels, nine parallel regional leagues are operated by nine different regional football associations, some of which have multiple divisions. The regional associations are divided by political or geographical boundaries.
At the seventh level and below, parallel prefectural leagues are hosted by each of the 47 different prefectural football associations, again divided by political or geographical boundaries. Some have multiple divisions.
Structure
Level I, II & III: J. League
J. League governs the top three levels of the Japanese football pyramid and comprises a total of 60 clubs, all of which are fully professional and are divided into three divisions, J1 League, J2 League and J3 League. Eighteen clubs make up the top flight and have access to the Asian premier football competition, AFC Champions League. Division 2 now has 22 clubs, after 2 new clubs were promoted into the system in 2012. Division 3 now has 20 clubs, after 2 new clubs were promoted into the system in 2023. From the 2024 season, the three J. League Divisions consist of 20 teams.All J. League clubs enter the Emperor's Cup directly and receive a bye in the 1st round, but only the Division 1 clubs qualify for the J. League Cup until 2023. In the past, J1 teams started from the fourth round and J2 teams started from the third round. Nowadays, they all start from the second round due to the expansion of J2, this results in some eliminations of professional teams by regional teams in the early stages.
Level I: J1 League (20 clubs)
;Asian qualification;Relegation
Level II: J2 League (20 clubs)
;Promotion;Relegation
Level III: J3 League (20 clubs)
Rules for promotion to J2 is largely similar to those of Japan Football League in the recent seasons: to be promoted, a club must hold a J2 license and finish in top 2 of the league. Until the 2016 season, the [List of winners of J3 League|J3 League and predecessors|champions] were promoted directly, in exchange with the 22nd-placed J2 club; and the runners-up participated in the playoffs with the 21st J2 club. Currently, the champions and runners-up receive automatic promotion. If either or both top 2 finishers are ineligible for promotion, the playoffs and/or direct exchange is not held in accordance to the exact positions of promotion-eligible clubs. Until 2022, there was no relegation system from J3 League other than withdrawal from the J. League due to non-issuance of a license. In November 2021, J.League Chairman Murai announced that promotion from and relegation to the JFL was planned for the 2023 season.;Promotion
; Relegation
In early January 2023, the J.League published details of the J3–JFL promotion/relegation playoffs, enabling the possibility for teams to be relegated from the J3. The system of promotion and relegation between the J3 and the JFL can be determined by the eligibility of the JFL's champions and runners-up for the season.
- If only the JFL champions hold a license, they replace automatically the J3's 20th-placed team.
- If only the JFL runners-up hold a license, there are promotion/relegation playoffs with the J3's 20th-placed team.
- If both the JFL champions and runners-up hold licenses, there will be automatic exchange between the JFL champions and the J3's 20th-placed team, and the runners-up compete in two-legged playoffs with the J3's 19th-placed team.
- If both the JFL champions and runners-up do not hold licenses, no exchange takes place; the teams placed third and below in the league standings, even if one of them holds a J3 license, are not entitled to promotion and the playoffs.
Level IV: Japan Football League (16 clubs)
The Japan Football League is the fourth level in the Japanese football pyramid, and is known as the highest level for amateur club football. Prior to 2010, the JFL was governed by Japan Football Association ; since 2010, the JFL became independent from the Japan FA with its own status and governing body, and consists mainly of amateur football clubs and company teams, though some fully professional clubs also exist. Due to presence of these professional clubs, the league has de facto semi-professional status.Clubs at this level and below enter the Emperor's Cup indirectly; most clubs qualify through cup tournaments contested in individual prefectures; the top JFL club at the halfway point of the season may qualify directly. However, if they have also won their respective prefectural cup, the prefectural cup runners-up take their place in the indirect round.
;Promotion :
- Finish in the top two in JFL and be among promotion-eligible clubs
- Have an average attendance of more than 2,000 in the prior season, with a significant effort to achieve that average.
- Pass a final inspection by the J. League professional committee
- Have a stadium that complies with J3 standards and passes the league examination
- Make efforts to develop a stable support organization in the year immediately before joining
- Be deemed an appropriate J3 member by the board of directors based on club activities
Level V/VI: 9 Japanese Regional Leagues
In modern Japan, the country is divided into 9 different regions. From North to South they are Hokkaido, Touhoku, Kantou, Tokai, Hokushin-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. The 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 differences in structure, each region has its own promotion and relegation regulations between the divisions.Aside from the Emperor's Cup, clubs at this level and the levels immediately below play in the All Japan Senior Football Championship, qualifying through prefectural cups. Some Regional Leagues may have their own League Cups as well.
;Promotion
;Relegation
Level VII+: 46 Prefectural Leagues & Hokkaido Blocks
Under the 9 regions, there are 47 prefectures. Hokkaido is by itself as a prefecture, thus the leagues in Hokkaido do not have a prefectural league and are rather divided into 5 blocks ; however, all other 46 prefectures have Prefectural leagues. Most if not all, of these leagues have multiple divisions.;Promotion
;Relegation