The 2008 J. League Division 2 season is the 37th season of the second-tier club football in Japan and the 10th season since the establishment of

J2 League The or simply J2 is the second division of the and the second level of the Japanese association football league system. The top tier is represented by the J1 League. It (along with the rest of the J.League) is currently sponsored by Meiji Yas ...

. The season started on March 8 and ended on December 6. In this season, the number of participating clubs was increased by two, making the total number, fifteen. Unlike the first nine seasons, the clubs played in triple round-robin format, instead of quadruple round-robin format. At the end of the season, top two clubs were promoted and third-placed club advanced to the Pro/Rele Series. There were no relegation to third-tier

Japan Football League The also known as simply the JFL is the 4th tier of the Japanese association football league system, positioned beneath the three divisions of the J.League. The league features fully professional teams that hold J.League associate membership am ...

General

Promotion and relegation

* At the end of the 2007 season, Consadole Sapporo, Tokyo Verdy 1969 and

Kyoto Sanga is a Japanese professional football club based in Kyoto. "Sanga" comes from the Sanskrit word ''sangha'', a term meaning "group" or "club" and often used to denote the Buddhist priesthood, associating the club with Kyoto's many Buddhist temp ...

were promoted to J1 * At the end of the 2007 season,

Sanfrecce Hiroshima Sanfrecce Hiroshima ( ja, サンフレッチェ広島, translit=''Sanfuretche Hiroshima'') is a Japanese professional football club based in Asaminami-ku, Hiroshima. The club plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the coun ...

Ventforet Kofu is a Japanese football club from Kōfu in Yamanashi Prefecture. The team currently competes in the J2 League and play their home games in JIT Recycle Ink Stadium, located in Kōfu. The word "Ventforet" is a compound formed from two French roo ...

and Yokohama FC were relegated to J2 * At the end of the 2007 season,

Rosso Kumamoto is a Japanese football club based in Kumamoto, the capital city of Kumamoto Prefecture. The club currently plays in the J2 League, which is the second tier of football in the country. ''Roasso'' is a portmanteau of the Italian words ''rosso'' an ...

and

FC Gifu Football Club Gifu, abbreviated as is a Japanese football club based in Gifu, Japan. They play in the J3 League, the third tier of Japanese professional football. They also run a reserve team that play in the Tōkai Adult League Division 2. Hi ...

were promoted from the JFL.

Changes in competition format

* The Division 2 was expanded to 15 clubs. * The new J2 format will consist of triple round-robin instead of quadruple round-robin to reduce the games played by team to 42 games.

Changes in clubs

was renamed Roasso Kumamoto before joining the League.

Clubs

Following fifteen clubs played in J. League Division 2 during 2008 season. Of these clubs, Sanfrecce Hiroshima, Ventforet Kofu, and Yokohama F.C. relegated from Division 1 last year. Also, Roasso Kumamoto and F.C. Gifu newly joined from

. * Vegalta Sendai * Montedio Yamagata * Mito HollyHock * Thespa Kusatsu * Yokohama F.C. * Shonan Bellmare * Ventforet Kofu * F.C. Gifu * Cerezo Osaka * Sanfrecce Hiroshima * Tokushima Vortis * Ehime F.C. * Avispa Fukuoka * Sagan Tosu * Roasso Kumamoto

League format

Fifteen clubs will play in triple round-robin format, a total of 42 games each. A club receives 3 points for a win, 1 point for a tie, and 0 points for a loss. The clubs are ranked by points, and tie breakers are, in the following order: * Goal differential * Goals scored * Head-to-head results * Disciplinary points A draw would be conducted, if necessary. However, if two clubs are tied at the first place, both clubs will be declared as the champions. The top two clubs will be promoted to J1, while the 3rd placed club plays a two-legged Promotion/Relegation series. ;Changes from Previous Year * Thirteen participating clubs (2006–2007) to fifteen clubs (2008) * Quadruple round-robin format (1999–2007) to triple round-robin format (2008–2009) * Introduction of Disciplinary points for tie breaker (2008–)

Final league table

Final results

Top scorers

Attendance

References

{{2008 in Japanese football J2 League seasons 2

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...