Japanese football in 2012
Domestic leagues
Promotion and relegation
Teams relegated from
J.League Division 1
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Avispa Fukuoka
is a Japanese professional football club, currently competing in the J1 League. The team is located in Hakata, Fukuoka. "Avispa" means "wasp" in Spanish. They were originally called Fujieda Blux and based in Fujieda, Shizuoka before moving t ...
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Montedio Yamagata
is Japanese professional association football club based in Tendo, Yamagata. The club plays in J2 League.
Montedio is a coined word combining the Italian word for "mountain" (Monte) and the word for "God" (Dio).
History
The club based in T ...
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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 ...
Teams promoted to
J.League Division 1
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Sagan Tosu
is a Japanese professional football club, currently playing in the J1 League. The team is located in Tosu, Saga Prefecture.
''Sagan'' is a coined word with a couple of meanings behind it. One of its homophones is in Japanese. This symbolises ...
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F.C. Tokyo
Football Club Tokyo, commonly known as , is a Japanese professional football club based in Chōfu, Tokyo. The club plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country. The team is one of only four in the J.League to be simp ...
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Consadole Sapporo
is a Japanese professional football club, which plays in the J1 League. The team is based in Sapporo, on the island of Hokkaido.
The club name of "Consadole" is made from ''consado'', a reverse of the Japanese word and the Spanish expression ...
Teams relegated from
J.League Division 2
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 Y ...
:''No relegation to the
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 ...
''
Teams promoted to
J.League Division 2
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 Y ...
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Matsumoto Yamaga F.C.
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F.C. Machida Zelvia
is a Japanese People, Japanese football (soccer), football club based in Machida, Tokyo, Machida, Tokyo.
History
Machida is known as "Brazil of Tokyo" due to the popularity of football in the city; it has, in fact, produced the second-largest n ...
J.League Division 1
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 ...
won the J. League title, their first in 42 years and first in the J. League era, marking their sixth time overall atop the Japanese football league system.
Vegalta Sendai
is a Japanese professional football club, currently playing in J2 League. The team is located in Sendai, Miyagi Prefecture.
History
Founded in 1988 as ''Tohoku Electric Power Co., Inc. Soccer Club'', Vegalta joined the J-League in 1999 after p ...
, which led the table riding on the wave of their fourth-place finish the previous year, ended up in second place after
Albirex Niigata
is a professional football club based in Niigata, Japan. Formed in 1955 as Niigata Eleven SC, it was renamed Albireo Niigata FC in 1995, and Albirex Niigata in 1997. From 2023, Albirex will be playing on the J1 League, coming back to the f ...
defeated them in the round before last.
Urawa Red Diamonds
, colloquially Urawa Reds (浦和レッズ), also known as Mitsubishi Urawa Football Club from April 1992 to January 1996, is a professional football club in the city of Saitama, part of the Greater Tokyo Area in Japan. The club plays in the J ...
was able to pass four other teams, including newly promoted
Sagan Tosu
is a Japanese professional football club, currently playing in the J1 League. The team is located in Tosu, Saga Prefecture.
''Sagan'' is a coined word with a couple of meanings behind it. One of its homophones is in Japanese. This symbolises ...
, who surprisingly was in third place in the penultimate round.
Consadole Sapporo
is a Japanese professional football club, which plays in the J1 League. The team is based in Sapporo, on the island of Hokkaido.
The club name of "Consadole" is made from ''consado'', a reverse of the Japanese word and the Spanish expression ...
was relegated on September 30, the earliest a team has been relegated in the modern-day era. Niigata's victory enabled them to climb to safety while
Vissel Kobe
is a Japanese professional football club based in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture. The club plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country. The team's home stadium is Noevir Stadium Kobe, in Hyōgo-ku, though some home match ...
was relegated after six seasons.
Gamba Osaka
is a Japanese professional football club based in Suita, Osaka Prefecture. The club plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country. The club's name ''Gamba'' comes from the Japanese , meaning "to do your best" or "to st ...
, despite scoring more goals than anyone else, had a poor defense and allowed many goals in, causing them to be relegated after 26 seasons in the top division.
J.League Division 2
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 ...
returned to the top flight at the first attempt, but this time they did so as champions.
Shonan Bellmare
is a Japanese professional football club based in Hiratsuka, in the west of Kanagawa Prefecture, part of the Greater Tokyo Area. The club plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country. Their home stadium is Hiratsuka ...
returned to the top division as well, after two seasons.
Oita Trinita
is a Japanese football club currently playing in J2 League, having been relegated after the 2021 season after a three-year stint in J1 League. The club's home town is Ōita, Ōita, Ōita city, but the club draws support from Beppu, Ōita, Beppu, ...
, despite overwhelming odds due to its position and the playoff rules which favored the three higher-ranked teams, won the playoff and returned to the top flight after three seasons.
Newly promoted
Machida Zelvia, despite hiring
Osvaldo Ardiles
Osvaldo César Ardiles (born 3 August 1952), often referred to in Britain as Ossie Ardiles, is an Argentine football manager, pundit and former midfielder who won the 1978 FIFA World Cup as part of the Argentina national team. He now runs his ...
as their manager, could not cope with professionalism and finished in bottom place, being relegated as
V-Varen Nagasaki
is a Japanese J2 League football club based in Nagasaki. The club was established in 1985 as Ariake SC till they merged with Kunimi FC in 2004 and adopted the present name in 2005.
The club gained promotion into the J. League Division 2 in ...
won the JFL championship.
Japan Football League
Although
Arte Takasaki
was a Japanese football club based in Takasaki, Gunma Prefecture, formerly of the Japan Football League. Their team colours were black and red.
''Arte'' means art in Italian, Portuguese and Spanish.
History
The club was founded as Makkī F.C. K ...
withdrew from the league due to economic problems, the JFL decided to go with a 17-team format.
V-Varen Nagasaki
is a Japanese J2 League football club based in Nagasaki. The club was established in 1985 as Ariake SC till they merged with Kunimi FC in 2004 and adopted the present name in 2005.
The club gained promotion into the J. League Division 2 in ...
won the tournament, joining the professional ranks automatically.
Sagawa Shiga withdrew after the league following parent company
Sagawa Express's decision to close the team, leaving
Tochigi Uva to playout against the
Regional League promotion series third place.
Japanese Regional Leagues
Kantō champions
SC Sagamihara
is a Japanese association football club based in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture. They currently play in the third tier of Japanese football J3 League.
History
In 2011 they joined Division 2 of the Kanto Regional League after three years of con ...
and Tōhoku champions
Fukushima United won first and second place in the Regional League promotion series, thus being promoted automatically, while Hokkaidō champions
Norbritz Hokkaido battled in the playout against
Tochigi Uva but lost.
Domestic cups
Emperor's Cup
J. League Cup
Japanese Super Cup
International club competitions
Suruga Bank Championship
FIFA Club World Cup
Will take place between 6 and 16 December 2012.
Since the tournament is hosted in Japan the winners of the J. League will be invited to take part. If the AFC Champions League winner is from Japan, then the highest placed non-Japanese team of the AFC Champions League will be invited in place of the J. League winner.
National team (Men)
Results
Players statistics
Goal scorers
National team (Women)
Results
Players statistics
References
External links
{{DEFAULTSORT:2012 In Japanese Football
Seasons in Japanese football