J-league
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| Country | Japan |
|---|---|
| Confederation | AFC (Asia) |
| Founded | 1992 |
| Number of teams | 18 |
| Level on pyramid | 1 |
| Relegation to | J2 League |
| Domestic cup(s) |
Emperor's Cup YBC Levain Cup J.League Championship |
| International cup(s) | AFC Champions League |
| Current champions |
Kashima Antlers (2016) |
| Most championships | Kashima Antlers (8 titles) |
| Website | Official Website |
 2017 J1 League
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The J1 League (J1リーグ J1 Rīgu?) is the top division of the Japan Professional Football League (日本プロサッカーリーグ Nippon Puro Sakkā Rīgu?) and is the top professional association football J.League in Japan. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football. Currently, the J1 League is the first level of the Japanese association football league system. The second tier is represented by the J2 League. It is currently sponsored by Meiji Yasuda Life and thus officially known as the Meiji Yasuda J1 League. Until the 2014 season it was named the J.League Division 1.
Before the inception of the J.League, the highest level of club football was the Japan Soccer League (JSL), which consisted of amateur clubs. Despite being well-attended during the boom of the late 1960s and early 1970s (when Japan's national team won the bronze Olympic medal at the 1968 games in Mexico), the JSL went into decline in the 1980s, in general line with the deteriorating situation worldwide. Fans were few, the grounds were not of the highest quality, and the Japanese national team was not on a par with the Asian powerhouses. To raise the level of play domestically, to attempt to garner more fans, and to strengthen the national team, the Japan Football Association (JFA) decided to form a professional league.
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