The results showed that about 40 to 60 clubs in Japan had plans to professionalize over the next 30 years. Only the top two clubs earn automatic promotion, while clubs from 3rd to 6th entered playoffs for the final third promotion slot, as in the English Football League Championship, Serie B, or Segunda División. The number of clubs reached 19 in 2010, and the league format was changed to double round-robin. Most European leagues have similar association football pyramids, where there are more clubs in 2nd and 3rd-tier leagues than in the top flight. Winners of this league gain promotion to J1 League while league losers face relegation to J3 League. The winners of the two matches meet at the home side of the higher placed team, or potentially at a neutral venue (likely. When the league reached 19 clubs in the 2010 season, the J2 League adopted the double round-robin format. If one or both J3 promotion candidates fail to obtain a J2 license, they will not be allowed to promote and J2 relegation spots will be cut accordingly. Visit the Official J2 League … The requirement was abolished for the champions in 1980, and for the runners-up in 1984. The new division consisted of 10 clubs, like the First Division, and initially required both the champion and runner-up teams to play off a Promotion/Relegation series of test matches against the top flight's bottom clubs. Clearly, the concept of second-tier professional association football – the fact that clubs can compete at the professional level with low budgets, was something that attracted many amateur clubs across the nation of Japan. The promotion-relegation playoff is reintroduced, to be played as one match only. The clubs are ranked by points, and tie breakers are, in the following order: A draw would be conducted, if necessary. After 1977, the new Regional Football League Competition served as provider of aspiring League clubs. Until the 2001 season, the clubs played extra time if they were tied after regulation and the clubs received three points for a regulation win, two points for an extra time win, one point for a draw, and no points for a loss (there were no penalties). A national second tier of Japanese association football was first established in 1972, when the Japan Soccer League formed a Second Division. Until the 2014 season it was named the J.League Division 2. From the league's perspective, the J.League 'Hundred Year Vision' from the late '90s has been moving in a positive direction. Note that in order to participate in the playoffs a club must possess a J1 license; if one or more clubs fail to do so, they will not be allowed in the playoffs and they will not be replaced by other clubs. Source: Updated to match(es) played on 19 November 2017. The second-tier (former) Japan Football League became the third-tier Japan Football League at that time. The 2017 Meiji Yasuda J2 League (2017 明治安田生命J2リーグ) season was the 46th season of the second-tier club football in Japan and the 19th season since the establishment of J2 League. After years of gradual expansion the division has reached its planned capacity of 22 teams, therefore allowing J.League to start relegating bottom-place teams to JFL. Regular Season; Final Stages; J3 League; Japan Football League; Regional Leagues; Emperor Cup; J-League Cup; Super Cup; Play-offs 1/2; Play-offs 2/3; J Youth Cup; Nadeshiko League 1; Nadeshiko League 2; Empress's Cup; Nadeshiko League Cup; Nadeshiko League Cup 2; Women's Play-offs 1/2; New Year Cup [5] If the J2 playoff winner prevails, the club is promoted, with the J1 club being relegated, otherwise the J1 club can retain its position in J1 with the promotion failure of the J2 club. From the 2009 season to the 2011 season, the 3rd place club was promoted by default. When the league reached 22 clubs, two new regulations were introduced. As a result, the Promotion/Relegation Series, which allowed the third-place J2 clubs to fight for J1 slots for the following season, was abolished, after its introduction in the 2004 season. Updated to match(es) played on 28 November 2017. Since 1999, a total of sixteen clubs from JFL (later J3) have been promoted to J2, two of which were expanded into J1. Machida Zelvia set the unhappy milestone in 2012, becoming the very first team to be relegated from J2 (and the only team ever to be relegated to JFL). The new division consisted of 10 clubs, like the First Division, and initially required both the champion and runner-up teams to play off a Promotion/Relegation series of test matches against the top flight's bottom clubs. In 1994, the JFL was again reunified into a single division. In light of this, league management formed a committee and looked at two practical options for further expansion – either expand the second division or form a third division. Since the inception of the second division in 1999, promotion and relegation follow a pattern similar to European leagues, where the two bottom clubs of J1 and the top two clubs of J2 are guaranteed to move. This was not a hindrance, in fact, as no club has been denied promotion due to not meeting the J1 criteria. Starting this season, there are two promotions from and two relegations to J3. Currently, J1 has 18 clubs and J2 has 22 clubs. In the next few seasons, the maximum number of clubs that could be promoted to J2 was decided by taking the difference of twenty-two minus the number of clubs in J2. It turned out that many clubs were aiming for membership at the professional level. J1 League; J2 League. * Bold designates the promoted club† Lost the Promotion/Relegation Series or entry playoff‡ Won the Promotion/Relegation Series or entry playoff and got promoted. All these clubs originally started as J2 in 1999 and were comparatively small, but they eventually earned J1 promotion, in 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2005 respectively.