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2012 J.League Division 1

J. League Division 1
Season 2012
Champions Sanfrecce Hiroshima
1st J. League title
6th Japanese title
Relegated Vissel Kobe
Gamba Osaka
Consadole Sapporo
Champions League Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Vegalta Sendai
Urawa Red Diamonds
Kashiwa Reysol
Matches played 306
Goals scored 855 (2.79 per match)
Top goalscorer Hisato Satō (22 goals)
Biggest home win Kashima Antlers 7–0 Consadole Sapporo
Biggest away win Gamba Osaka 2–6 Kashiwa Reysol
Shimizu S-Pulse 3–5 Kashiwa Reysol
Highest scoring Gamba Osaka 7–2 Consadole Sapporo
(9 goals)
Highest attendance 51,879
Reds vs Grampus
Lowest attendance 5,432
Sagan vs Albirex
Average attendance 17,566
2011
2013

The 2012 J. League Division 1 season was the 47th season of Japanese top-flight football and 20th since the establishment of the J. League. The season started on March 10 and finished on December 1.

Sanfrecce Hiroshima won the 2012 J. League Division 1 championship on 24 November and advanced to the 2012 FIFA Club World Cup as the host team, entering the qualifying play-off round. This was their first title in the J. League era and first league title since 1970, marking their sixth title overall. Additionally, this was the first time since 1966 that clubs from the traditional regions of Kantō, Tōkai or Kansai - the corridor from Tokyo to Osaka - did not make the top two, and this time it was a team from Tōhoku, Vegalta Sendai, who finished in second place despite leading the table most of the season.

Ventforet Kofu, Avispa Fukuoka and Montedio Yamagata were relegated at the end of the 2011 season after finishing in the bottom three places of the table. Avispa Fukuoka and Ventforet Kofu returned to J2 after only one season in the top flight, while Montedio Yamagata were relegated after three seasons in J1.

The three relegated teams were replaced by 2011 J. League Division 2 champions F.C. Tokyo, runners-up Sagan Tosu and third-placed team Consadole Sapporo. F.C. Tokyo made an immediate return to the top division, while Consadole Sapporo ended a three-year absence. In the end, Sagan Tosu reached J1 after thirteen seasons in the second division.


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