1998 J. League
Statistics of J. League in the 1998 season.
It was contested by 18 teams, and Kashima Antlers won the championship.
On the aggregate table, JEF United Ichihara, Avispa Fukuoka, and Vissel Kobe had earned within the 15th-18th places in the tables for both 1997 and 1998, while Consadole Sapporo had achieved within the same span on its sole season on the J. League. These clubs thus were entered in an elimination promotion/relegation tournament along with Japan Football League runners-up Kawasaki Frontale, who unlike champions Tokyo Gas had a base more qualifiable for the J. League.
Kawasaki forms J. League Division 2 the next season. Fukuoka advances to the next round.
The winners of this round stay in J. League Division 1 and the losers play a final elimination series to determine the club relegated to Division 2.
Fukuoka stays in J. League Division 1. Sapporo is relegated to new J. League Division 2.
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