Japan Diamond Softball League

The Japan Diamond Softball League (JD.League) is a Japanese women's softball league that consists of 16 teams (8 in the East Division and 8 in the West Division). The league is the premier women's softball league in the country. The league was formed in 2022 and is headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo.

Japan Diamond Softball League
Current season, competition or edition:
Current sports event 2022 JD.League season
FormerlyJapan Softball League (1968–2021)
SportSoftball
Inaugural season2022
No. of teams16
CountryJapan Japan
Official websitejdleague.jp

The JD.League is a member of the Japan Top League Alliance, which comprises the top-tier sports leagues in Japan.[1] Nitori entered into the title partnership with the JD.League, and thus the league is officially called Nitori JD.League.[2]

History

The first national women's softball league was founded in 1968, as the Japan Softball League. In 1994, the league's First Division expanded from 8 to 12 teams and adopted a postseason with the page playoff system. Since then, this season's format was lasted until 2021, although there were minor changes.

In 2021, the league announced a new top-tier women's softball league is planned for 2022, the Japan Diamond Softball League (JD.League).[3] All 12 teams from the First Division and four teams from the Second Division, i.e., 16 teams in total joined in the new league.[4] The other remaining teams in the Second/Third Division and several fresh teams formed the reborn Japan Softball League.

The opening game of the J.D. League was held between Bic Camera Takasaki Bee Queen and Toyota Red Terriers on March 28, 2022.[5] Meanwhile, the Japan Softball League still exists as a de facto lower-tier league.

Until now, the league is an industrial league, where most of the teams are owned by major companies and many players are their companies' employees. A player who is signing a professional contract is only a small portion.[6][7]

Teams

The JD.League consists of 16 teams divided into two divisions with 8 teams each.

Division Team City Founded Joined Ref
East Honda RevertaMooka, Tochigi2001[lower-alpha 1]2022[8]
Bic Camera Takasaki Bee QueenTakasaki, Gunma2015[lower-alpha 2]2022[9]
Taiyo Yuden SolfilleTakasaki, Gunma19842022[10]
Toda MedicsToda, Saitama19762022[11]
Hitachi SundivaYokohama, Kanagawa19852022[12]
Ogaki MinamoOgaki, Gifu20102022[13]
NEC Platforms Red FalconsKakegawa, Shizuoka19832022[14]
Denso Bright PegasusAnjo, Aichi19602022[15]
West Toyota Red TerriersToyota, Aichi19482022[16]
Toyota Industries Shining VegaKariya, Aichi19522022[17]
Tokai Rika Cherry BlossomsOguchi, Aichi19792022[18]
NSK Brave BeariesKonan, Shiga19722022[19]
SGH Galaxy StarsKyoto, Kyoto2005[lower-alpha 3]2022[20]
Shionogi Rainbow Stokes HyogoAmagasaki, Hyogo19492022[21]
Iyo Bank VertzMatsuyama, Ehime19852022[22]
Takagi Kitakyushu Water WaveKitakyushu, Fukuoka2017[lower-alpha 4]2022[23]

Format

The JD.League's regular season runs from late March to late October, with each team playing 29 games. The league's postseason tournament extends into mid-November. The league has a fixed membership like NPB and most sports leagues in the United States, which makes it that does not use a promotion and relegation process.[24][25][26]

Regular season

The JD.League consists of two divisions, the East Division and the West Division, which each has 8 teams. Each team plays 21-game Division Series against the seven other teams in its division, i.e., one home series, one away series and one neutral-site series. Furthermore, each team plays 8-game Inter-division Series against each team in the other division. Following the conclusion of the 29-game regular season, seven teams (the top three teams in each division and one wild card team) advance to a postseason tournament that determine the Grand Champion.[24]

Postseason

Following the conclusion of the regular season, seven teams compete in the four-round postseason tournament (the two-round Playoffs and the two-round Diamond Series) with a single-elimination stepladder format.[24]

Each division winner directly advances to the Diamond Series. The second-place and third-place teams in each division, and the wild card team (either fourth-place team in each division with better winning percentages) advance to the Playoffs, that culminates in the Diamond Series.[24]

The Diamond Series is contested among the four teams (two division winners and two Playoffs winners) to determine the Grand Champion. The winner of the Diamond Series is referred to as the Grand Champion of JD.League.[24]

Playoffs
Wild card game		Playoffs
Second round		Diamond Series
Semi-finals		Diamond Series
Final
Game 4
Game 2East Division 1st
Game 1East Division 2ndGame 2 winnerGame 6
East Division 3rdGame 1 winnerGame 4 winner
West Division 4th[lower-alpha 5]Game 5Game 5 winner
Game 3West Division 1st
West Division 2ndGame 3 winner
West Division 3rd

Champions

Japan Softball League (1968–2021)

Until being formed the JD.League, the Japan Softball League was the top-tier league in the country from 1968 to 2021. The Bic Camera Takasaki Bee Queen won the most championships with 14 titles.

From 2022 onwards, although the Japan Softball League is still acting, no longer it is the top-tier league.[27][28]

TeamChampionsRunners-upSeasons wonSeasons runner-up
Bic Camera Takasaki Bee Queen1471990, 1995, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 20211998, 2000, 2001, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018
Toyota Red Terriers1041969-A, 1970, 1974, 1984, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 20182009, 2013, 2015, 2021
Toyota Industries Shining Vega831994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2006, 20071997, 2005, 2008
Kurabo801968-S, 1969-S, 1971-A, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982–
Taiyo Yuden Solfille641987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 19931995, 1996, 2016, 2017
Takashimaya301971-S, 1972, 1983–
Unitika201977, 1978–
Hitachi Sundiva1520001994, 1999, 2003, 2006, 2010
Denso Bright Pegasus101986–
NSK Brave Bearies101985–
Shionogi Rainbow Stokes Hyogo101975–
Daiwabo101973–
Hirobo101968-A–
Honda Reverta02–2019, 2020
Citrine Ichinomiya02–2004, 2007
SGH Galaxy Stars01–2002
  •   JD.League teams
  •   Defunct teams
  • Runners-up are recorded only after 1994, when the postseason playoff introduction.
  • In 1968, 1969 and 1971 seasons, the spring (S) and autumn (A) tournament were held.

JD.League (2022–present)
As of November 13, 2022
TeamChampionsRunners-upSeasons wonSeasons runner-up
Bic Camera Takasaki Bee Queen102022–
Toyota Industries Shining Vega01–2022

See also

Notes
  1. Founded in 1983 as Honda Engineering softball team.
  2. Founded in 1981 as Hitachi Takasaki softball team.
  3. Founded in 1986 as Miki House softball team.
  4. Founded in 1969 as Toshiba Kitakyushu softball team.
  5. This is the wild card team. In case a qualified wild card team comes from the East Division, then the team will compete with the West Division 3rd-place team.

References
  1. The participating top leagues Japan Top League Alliance
  2. "JD.LEAGUE タイトルパートナー契約に関するお知らせ" (PDF). Nitori. Retrieved December 7, 2021.
  3. "代表理事新体制および新リーグ計画 発表記者会見". Japan Softball League. Retrieved March 18, 2021.
  4. "日本女子ソフトボールリーグ機構 新リーグ名称および参加チーム決定のお知らせ". PR Times. Retrieved June 28, 2021.
  5. "Softball: Rebranded 16-team Japan Diamond League to open season on 28 March". WBSC. Retrieved February 7, 2022.
  6. "クラブ化を強制せず 時流に合ったソフトボール新リーグ". The Nikkei. Retrieved January 23, 2022.
  7. "ソフトボール選手の年収を調査！". Sposuru Magazine. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  8. Honda Reverta JD.League
  9. Bic Camera Takasaki Bee Queen JD.League
  10. Taiyo Yuden Solfille JD.League
  11. Toda Medics JD.League
  12. Hitachi Sundiva JD.League
  13. Ogaki Minamo JD.League
  14. NEC Platforms Red Falcons JD.League
  15. Denso Bright Pegasus JD.League
  16. Toyota Red Terriers JD.League
  17. Toyota Industries Shining Vega JD.League
  18. Tokai Rika Cherry Blossoms JD.League
  19. NSK Brave Bearies JD.League
  20. SGH Galaxy Stars JD.League
  21. Shionogi Rainbow Stokes Hyogo JD.League
  22. Iyo Bank Vertz JD.League
  23. Takagi Kitakyushu Water Wave JD.League
  24. Regulations JD.League
  25. Result JD.League
  26. Schedule JD.League
  27. "「第55回日本女子ソフトボールリーグ」試合方式について". Japan Softball League. Retrieved March 16, 2022.
  28. Teams Japan Softball League
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