J3 League

J3 League (Japanese: J3リーグ, Hepburn: J3 Rīgu) or simply J3 is the third division of Japan Professional Football League (日本プロサッカーリーグ, Nihon Puro Sakkā Rīgu). It was established in 2013 as the third-tier professional association football league in Japan. The league is known as the Meiji Yasuda J3 League (Japanese: 明治安田生命J3リーグ) for their title sponsor.[1]

J3 League
Organising bodyJ.League
Founded2013 (2013)
First season2014
CountryJapan
ConfederationAFC
Number of teams20
Level on pyramid3
Promotion toJ2 League
Relegation toJapan Football League (since 2023)
Domestic cup(s)Emperor's Cup
Current championsIwaki FC (1st title)
(2022)
Most championshipsBlaublitz Akita (2 titles)
TV partnersDAZN (until 2023 season)[lower-alpha 1]
YouTube[lower-alpha 2]
Abema (starts 2024 season)[lower-alpha 3]
WebsiteOfficial website (in English)
Current: 2023 J3 League

The third-tier nationwide league is a relatively recent development in Japanese football with a first attempt made in 1992 (second division of the old JFL), though it only lasted for two seasons. In 1999, following the establishment of J2 League, a new Japan Football League was created to comprise the third tier and lower divisions. After the introduction of J3, the JFL was demoted to the fourth-tier nationwide league, for the first time in history of Japanese football.

History of Japanese third-tier football

Amateur era (until 2013)

A national third tier of Japanese association football was first established along with its professionalization in 1992, when the newly created Japan Football League kicked off with two tiers below the professional J. League. Among the 10 original clubs of the third tier included the forerunners to Kyoto Sanga FC, Ventforet Kofu, Omiya Ardija, Avispa Fukuoka and Vissel Kobe (the latter two being located in different regions from their J. League successors). But after a number of clubs were lost for various reasons – some were promoted to J.League and the others folded – the league contracted the second division in 1994 and continued with the single second-tier division.

The third tier football was reintroduced in 1999 upon creation of fully professional J2. The old JFL was dissolved but a new Japan Football League was formed the same year in order to establish a nationwide top-tier amateur league. But despite its officially amateur status the league quickly became de facto semi-professional, serving as the cradle of the future J. League members. Since the establishment of associate membership system in 2006 the number of professional clubs holding or actively seeking for this status has grown steadily and reached its peak in 2013 season when 6 full members and 2 former candidates made up to almost half of the league's 18 teams. Through the course of the season this number grew even bigger, to 10 full associate members that formed the core of J3.

Professionalization and establishment (2013)

Close to the end of 2012 football season Japanese media began to spread rumors[2][3] about the upcoming professional third-tier league, referred to as either "J3" or "J.Challenge League". Most of the sources agreed that the new league will feature around 10–12 clubs, most of which will be associate members. The league would also provide more relaxed licensing criteria in comparison to J2 – e.g. the stadium seating capacity of just 3,000 with no mandatory floodlighting.[4]

After the discussion on J1-J2 Joint Committee on 16 January 2013, all J.League clubs agreed in principle with an establishment of the new league starting 2014.[5] This decision was formally put into force by J.League Council in a 26 February executive meeting.[6] The league was planned to launch with 10 teams, but another session of J.League Council in July decided that inaugural season of J3 will feature 12 teams.[7]

To participate, a club must have held an associate membership, or have submitted an application before 30 June 2013, and then passed an inspection to obtain a participation licence issued by J.League Council.[8] On 19 November, J.League confirmed the following clubs to participate in the inaugural J3 season:[9]

Future plans

The league has not provided a clear expansion timeline yet but it was most likely that J3 continued to accommodate new teams after its inaugural season. The following is a list of clubs that may get promoted to J.League in the near future:[11]

Other teams have applied for J.League associate membership but were denied. Most of these clubs continue to aim for J3 as their ultimate goal.

Four teams, one withdrew its J3 license, two their J.League 100 Year Plan status, formerly associate membership, and another was deprived of both:

Some sources claim that J3 was intended to reach up to 60 clubs in the future, being split into three regionalized divisions running in parallel.[12]

At the end of January 2023, the J.League removed its 100 Year Plan status from application requirements for J3 licenses as part of revisions to the division's club licensing regulations.[13]

Timetable
Year Important events No. J3
clubs		 Prom.
slots		 Rel.
slots
2014
  • The J.League adopts three divisions, as the following clubs join Division 3:
  • A J.League U-22 Selection is also included, composed of the best J1 and J2 youngsters to prepare them for the 2016 Olympics.
  • The Japan Football League becomes the nationwide fourth tier, and first tier for amateur clubs.
  • Zweigen Kanazawa becomes the first J3 champions and get promoted to J2. Nagano Parceiro lost the promotion/relegation Series against the J2 21st placed team.
 11+1 1.5 0
2015
  • Kataller Toyama is relegated from J2.
  • Renofa Yamaguchi is promoted from Japan Football League (JFL) and in its first J3 season becomes champions and got promoted to J2.
  • FC Machida Zelvia is also promoted as it finished in 2nd place and won the promotion/relegation Series against newly relegated Oita Trinita, the first former J1 team to play in J3.
 12+1
2016
  • Tochigi SC and Oita Trinita are relegated from J2.
  • Kagoshima United FC is promoted from JFL.
  • J. League U-22 Selection disbanded. Cerezo Osaka, Gamba Osaka and FC Tokyo introduced U-23 reserve teams to reach 16 teams and change the league to a two-round system.
 13+3
2017
  • Giravanz Kitakyushu is relegated from J2.
  • Azul Claro Numazu is promoted from JFL.
  • Promotion/relegation series abolished; runner-up promoted automatically.
 14+3 2
2018
  • Roasso Kumamoto and Kamatamare Sanuki are relegated from J2.
  • Vanraure Hachinohe is promoted from JFL.
 15+3
2019
  • Kagoshima United and FC Gifu are relegated from J2.
  • FC Imabari is promoted from JFL.
 16+3
2020
  • FC Tokyo U-23 withdraws from J3. Cerezo and Gamba Osaka dissolve their U-23s after the season.
  • This was the last season to feature U-23 teams.
  • Tegevajaro Miyazaki is promoted from JFL.
 16+2
2021
  • SC Sagamihara, Ehime FC, Giravanz Kitakyushu, and Matsumoto Yamaga are relegated from J2.
  • Iwaki FC is promoted from JFL.
 15
2022
  • Iwaki FC is promoted from Japan Football League (JFL) and in its first J3 season becomes champions and got promoted to J2.
  • FC Ryukyu and Iwate Grulla Morioka are relegated from J2.
  • Nara Club and FC Osaka are promoted from JFL.
 18
2023
  • This season features J3–JFL playoffs; relegation from the J3 League to the JFL is introduced.
 20 0–2
2024
  • There will be promotion playoffs for the J3 with teams from 3rd to 6th place.
 3

Crest

On 20 December 2022, the J3 League logo colour was changed to blue for the 2023 season prior to the 10th anniversary of Japan's third-tier professional league below J1 and J2, whose respective logo colours are red and green.[14]

History crest
  • First logo (2014)
    First logo (2014)
  • Second logo (2015–2018)
    Second logo (2015–2018)
  • Third logo (2019–2022)
    Third logo (2019–2022)

2023 season
Main article: 2023 J3 League

League format

For this season, the league is played in two rounds (home-and-away), each team playing a total of 38 matches.[15]

Each team must have at least 3 players holding professional contracts. Also, from the 2016 season, 5 foreign players are allowed per team, plus 1 more from J.League's ASEAN partner country of or from other AFC countries. The matchday roster will consist of 18 players, and up to 3 substitutes will be allowed in a game.[16]

Promotion and relegation

Rules for promotion to J2 are largely similar to those of Japan Football League in recent seasons: to be promoted, a club must hold or be granted a J2 license and finish in top 2 of the league. From 2017 to 2023, the champions and the runners-up have been promoted directly and replace the 21st- and 22nd-placed J2 clubs. If only the champion or runner-up holds or is given a J2 license, only the bottom club of J2 is relegated; if both top 2 finishers are ineligible for promotion, then no teams will be promoted to or relegated from J2.[15]

From the 2024 season, the 3rd to 6th placers will have promotion playoffs and the winner will also be the third team automatically promoted. The three J2 bottom-placed teams will be automatically relegated to J3.[17]

At a J.League board meeting in August 2021, 60 clubs (of which 20 are J3) were targeted for the entire league, and a possibility that J3 will have exceeded 20 clubs by the 2023 season was brought up. Mitsuru Murai, the J.League chairman, revealed that he was discussing how to adjust to 20 clubs. At this time, he was asked, "If there is a possibility of the [J3] league having 21 teams, is it okay to understand that there are teams that will fall from J3 to JFL?" While under consideration, he admitted that the J3 and JFL were considering the introduction of relegation to the latter league as early as after the 2022 season.[18] Later in November, Murai announced that promotion from and relegation to the JFL was planned after the 2023 season,[19]

In early January 2023, the J.League introduced the J3–JFL promotion/relegation playoffs, enabling the possibility for teams to be relegated from the J3.[20] The system of promotion and relegation between the J3 and the JFL can be determined by the eligibility (promotion to J3 requires a J.League license) 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.

Participating clubs (2023)
Club name Year joined Seasons
in J3		 Based in First season
in D3		 Seasons
in D3		 Current spell
in D3		 Last spell
in J2
Azul Claro Numazu 2017 5 Numazu, Shizuoka 2017 5 2017– –
Ehime FC 2006 (J2) 1 All cities/towns in Ehime 2001 6 2022– 2006–2021
Fukushima United 2014 9 All cities/towns in Fukushima 2013 10 2013– –
Gainare Tottori 2011 (J2) 9 All cities/towns in Tottori 2001 19 2014– 2011–2013
FC Gifu 2008 (J2) 3 All cities/towns in Gifu 2007 3 2020– 2008–2019
Giravanz Kitakyushu 2010 (J2) 4 Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 2008 6 2022– 2020–2021
FC Imabari 2020 3 Imabari, Ehime 2020 3 2020– –
Iwate Grulla Morioka 2014 8 Morioka, Iwate 2014 8 2023– 2022
Kagoshima United 2016 6 Kagoshima, Kagoshima 2016 6 2020– 2019
Kamatamare Sanuki 2014 (J2) 4 Takamatsu, Kagawa 2011 7 2019– 2014–2018
Kataller Toyama 2009 (J2) 8 All cities/towns in Toyama 2008 9 2015– 2009–2014
Matsumoto Yamaga 2012 (J2) 1 Central cities/towns in Nagano 2010 3 2022– 2020–2021
Nagano Parceiro 2014 9 Northern cities/towns/villages in Nagano 2011 12 2011– –
Nara Club 2023 0 All cities/towns in Nara 2023 0 2023– –
FC Osaka 2023 0 Higashiōsaka, Osaka 2023 0 2023– –
FC Ryukyu 2014 5 All cities/towns in Okinawa 2006 13 2023– 2019–2022
SC Sagamihara 2014 8 Sagamihara, Kanagawa 2013 9 2022– 2021
Tegevajaro Miyazaki 2021 2 Miyazaki, Miyazaki 2021 2 2021– –
Vanraure Hachinohe 2019 4 Hachinohe, Aomori 2019 4 2019– –
YSCC Yokohama 2014 9 Yokohama, Kanagawa 2012 11 2012– –
  • Pink background indicates clubs most recently promoted from JFL
  • Gray background indicates the club most recently relegated from J2
  • "Year joined" is the year the club joined the J. League (J3 League unless otherwise indicated).
  • "First season in D3," "Seasons in D3," and "Current spell in D3" include seasons in JFL

Stadiums (2023)
Main article: List of football stadiums in Japan

Primary venues used in the J3 League:

Azul Claro Numazu Ehime FC Fukushima United Gainare Tottori FC Gifu
Ashitaka Park Stadium Ningineer Stadium Toho Stadium Axis Bird Stadium Gifu Nagaragawa Stadium
Capacity: 5,104 Capacity: 20,000 Capacity: 15,454 Capacity: 11,999 Capacity: 16,310
Nagaragawa Stadium
Giravanz Kitakyushu FC Imabari Iwate Grulla Morioka Kagoshima United Kamatamare Sanuki
Mikuni World Stadium Kitakyushu Imabari Satoyama Stadium Iwagin Stadium Shiranami Stadium Pikara Stadium
Capacity: 15,300 Capacity: 5,316 Capacity: 9,892 Capacity: 12,606 Capacity: 22,338
Marugame Stadium
Kataller Toyama Matsumoto Yamaga Nagano Parceiro Nara Club FC Osaka
Toyama Stadium Sunpro Alwin Nagano U Stadium Rohto Field Nara Hanazono Rugby Stadium
Capacity: 18,588 Capacity: 20,000 Capacity: 15,515 Capacity: 30,600 Capacity: 27,346
FC Ryukyu SC Sagamihara Tegevajaro Miyazaki Vanraure Hachinohe YSCC Yokohama
Tapic Kenso Hiyagon Stadium Sagamihara Gion Stadium Unilever Stadium Shintomi Prifoods Stadium Nippatsu Mitsuzawa Stadium
Capacity: 12,270 Capacity: 15,300 Capacity: 5,354 Capacity: 5,124 Capacity: 15,454

Former clubs
Club name Year joined Seasons
in J3		 Based in First season
in D3		 Seasons
in D3		 Last spell
in D3		 Current
league
Blaublitz Akita 2014 7 All cities/towns in Akita 2007 14 2007–2020 J2
Cerezo Osaka U-23 2016 5 Osaka & Sakai, Osaka 2016 5 2016–2020 defunct
Fujieda MYFC 2014 9 Central cities/towns in Shizuoka 2012 15 2012–2022 J2
Gamba Osaka U-23 2016 5 Northern cities in Osaka 2016 5 2016–2020 defunct
Iwaki FC 2022 1 Iwaki and Futaba District, Fukushima 2022 1 2022 J2
J.League U-22 Selection 2014 2 Played away games only 2014 2 2015 defunct
Machida Zelvia 2012 (J2) 2 Machida, Tokyo 2009 6 2015 J2
Oita Trinita 1999 (J2) 1 All cities/towns in Ōita 2016 1 2016 J2
Renofa Yamaguchi 2015 1 Yamaguchi, Yamaguchi 2015 1 2015 J2
Roasso Kumamoto 2008 (J2) 3 Kumamoto, Kumamoto 2001 7 2019–2021 J2
Thespakusatsu Gunma 2005 (J2) 2 All cities/towns in Gunma 2004 3 2018–2019 J2
Tochigi SC 2009 (J2) 2 Utsunomiya, Tochigi 2000 11 2016–2017 J2
FC Tokyo U-23 2016 4 Chōfu, Tokyo 2016 4 2016–2019 defunct
Zweigen Kanazawa 2014 1 Kanazawa, Ishikawa 2010 5 2014 J2
  • Pink background indicates clubs most recently promoted to J2
  • "Year joined" is the year the club joined the J. League (J3 League unless otherwise indicated).
  • "First season in D3," "Seasons in D3," and "Current spell in D3" include seasons in JFL

Championship and promotion history
Main article: List of winners of J3 League and predecessors

From 2014 to 2016, the playoff winners faced off against the 21st place in J2. From 2017 to 2023 season, the two club was promoted by default. From 2024 onwards, the third promotion place is determined by a playoff between the 3rd to 6th actual places.

Season WinnerRunner-upThird placePlay-off winners
2014
 Zweigen Kanazawa Nagano Parceiro† Machida Zelvia N/A
2015
 Renofa Yamaguchi Machida Zelvia‡ Nagano Parceiro
2016
 Oita Trinita Tochigi SC Nagano Parceiro
2017
 Blaublitz Akita Tochigi SC Azul Claro Numazu
2018
 FC Ryukyu Kagoshima United Gainare Tottori
2019
 Giravanz Kitakyushu Thespakusatsu Gunma Fujieda MYFC
2020
 Blaublitz Akita SC Sagamihara Nagano Parceiro
2021
 Roasso Kumamoto Iwate Grulla Morioka Tegevajaro Miyazaki
2022
 Iwaki FC Fujieda MYFC Kagoshima United
2023
2024

* Bold designates the promoted club;
† Lost the J2–J3 playoffs;
‡ Won the J2–J3 playoffs and got promoted;

Most successful clubs

Clubs in bold compete in J3 as of 2023 season.

Club Winners Runners-up Promotions Winning seasons Runners-up seasons Promotion seasons
Blaublitz Akita
2
0
1
 2017, 2020 2020
Zweigen Kanazawa
1
0
1
 2014 2014
Renofa Yamaguchi
1
0
1
 2015 2015
Oita Trinita
1
0
1
 2016 2016
FC Ryukyu
1
0
1
 2018 2018
Giravanz Kitakyushu
1
0
1
 2019 2019
Roasso Kumamoto
1
0
1
 2021 2021
Iwaki FC
1
0
1
 2022 2022
Tochigi SC
0
2
1
 2016, 2017 2017
Fujieda MYFC
0
1
1
 2022 2022
Iwate Grulla Morioka
0
1
1
 2021 2021
SC Sagamihara
0
1
1
 2020 2020
Thespakusatsu Gunma
0
1
1
 2019 2019
Kagoshima United
0
1
1
 2018 2018
Machida Zelvia
0
1
1
 2015 2015
Nagano Parceiro
0
1
0
 2014

Relegation history

From 2023, relegation from J3 to JFL was introduced, after nine seasons of not featuring it.

Year19th place20th place
2023

* Bold designates relegated clubs
† Won the playoff against JFL team
‡ Lost the playoff series to JFL team and was relegated

Players and managers

Managers

Top scorers
Year Player Nationality Squad Goals
2014 Koji Suzuki  Japan Machida Zelvia 19
2015 Kazuhito Kishida Renofa Yamaguchi FC 32
2016 Noriaki Fujimoto Kagoshima United FC 15
2017 24
2018 Leonardo  Brazil Gainare Tottori 24
2019 Taichi Hara  Japan FC Tokyo U-23 19
2020 Kaito Taniguchi Roasso Kumamoto 18
2021 Shota Kawanishi FC Gifu 13
2022 Ryo Arita Iwaki FC 17

Notes
  1. only for Japan.
  2. outside Japan.
  3. only for Japan.

See also
Soccer/football
League system
Domestic cup
Futsal
Beach soccer

References
  1. The logo used in Japan is labeled 「明治安田生命 J3 LEAGUE」.
  2. Ｊリーグに「３部」設置構想＝準加盟クラブで２０１４年にも [J.League third division to be installed in 2014] (in Japanese). JIJI Press Ltd. 4 November 2013. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  3. ３部相当、１４年開始へ＝名称候補に「Ｊ３」「Ｊチャレンジ」－Ｊリーグ [Third division to start in 2014, J.League sets candidate clubs] (in Japanese). JIJI Press Ltd. 27 December 2013. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  4. "Jリーグに「3部」設置構想＝準加盟クラブで2014年にも" [New third division starts in 2014] (in Japanese). Yomiuri Shimbun. 1 January 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  5. Ｊ３設立へ中西理事「理解は得た」 [Director Nakahishi on the agreement for J3 establishment] (in Japanese). Nikkan Sports News. 17 January 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  6. 来年からＪ３新設を正式決定　Ｊリーグ理事会 [Consul formally decided to launch new J3 league next year] (in Japanese). Sports Nippon Newspapers. 27 February 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  7. Ｊ3参加クラブ数は「12」で決定 [J3 is determined to start with 12 teams] (in Japanese). J.League. 16 July 2013. Archived from the original on 18 July 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  8. Ｊ３までの道のり [Steps to J3 participation] (in Japanese). J. League. 16 July 2013. Archived from the original on 20 July 2013. Retrieved 16 July 2013.
  9. Ｊリーグ入会審査（Ｊ２およびＪ３）結果について [Results of J2 and J3 examination] (in Japanese). J. League. 19 November 2013. Archived from the original on 22 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  10. 申請クラブ審査状況に更新がありました [Update to club review situation] (in Japanese). J. League. 19 November 2013. Archived from the original on 22 November 2013. Retrieved 19 November 2013.
  11. 準加盟クラブ・準加盟申請クラブに対する、今後の審査の流れ [Inspection flow for J. League participation] (in Japanese). J. League. 2 December 2013. Retrieved 4 December 2013.
  12. Ｊリーグ、将来的に１００チームへ [J.League to reach 100 teams in the future] (in Japanese). Soccer Now. 24 February 2013. Archived from the original on 27 February 2013. Retrieved 27 February 2013.
  13. "Ｊリーグ入会要件の改定について" [About revision of J.League admission requirements] (in Japanese). J.League. 31 January 2023. Retrieved 24 March 2023.
  14. "明治安田生命とのタイトルパートナー契約更新について" (Press release). 日本プロサッカーリーグ. 2022-12-20. Retrieved 2022-12-22.
  15. Playing system and rules of 2017 J3 League (in Japanese), J. League, 13 December 2016
  16. Tournament schemes for 2016 J3 League (in Japanese), J. League, 15 December 2015
  17. "2024シーズン以降のリーグ構造・大会方式について 各カテゴリーのクラブ数を20に統一 リーグカップ戦をＪ１・Ｊ２・Ｊ３全クラブ参加のノックアウト方式に変更" [Regarding the league structure and competition method after the 2024 season; unified the number of clubs in each category to 20; changed the League Cup match to a knockout format in which all J1 · J2 · J3 clubs participate] (Press release) (in Japanese). J.League. 20 December 2022. Retrieved 30 December 2022.
  18. "2021年度 第8回Ｊリーグ理事会後チェアマン定例会見発言録" (in Japanese). J.League. 1 September 2021. Retrieved 20 October 2021.
  19. "２３年にも入れ替え実施　Ｊ３とＪＦＬ". Jiji.com. 25 November 2021. Archived from the original on 25 November 2021. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
  20. "Promotion and Relegation between J3 and JFL from 2023 Season". J.League (Press release). 6 January 2023. Retrieved 6 January 2023.
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