J2 League
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| Country | Japan |
|---|---|
| Confederation | AFC (Asia) |
| Founded | 1999 |
| Number of teams | 22 |
| Level on pyramid | 2 |
| Promotion to | J1 League |
| Relegation to | J3 League |
| Domestic cup(s) | Emperor's Cup |
| Current champions |
Consadole Sapporo (2016) |
| Most championships |
Consadole Sapporo (3 titles) |
| TV partners | SKY PerfecTV! |
| Website | Official Website |
 2017 J2 League
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The J2 League (J2リーグ J2 Rīgu?) is the second division of the Japan Professional Football League (日本プロサッカーリーグ Nippon Puro Sakkā Rīgu?) and the second-tier professional association football league in Japan. It (along with the rest of the J.League) is currently sponsored by Meiji Yasuda Life and it is thus officially known as the Meiji Yasuda J2 League. Until the 2014 season it was named the 'J.League Division 2'. Currently, the J2 League is the second level of the Japanese association football league system. The top tier is represented by the J1 League.
Second-tier club football has existed in Japan since 1972; however, it was only professionalized during the 1999 season with ten clubs. The league took one relegating club from the top division and nine clubs from the second-tier semi-professional former Japan Football League to create the J2 League. The remaining seven clubs in the Japan Football League, the newly formed Yokohama FC, and one promoting club from the Regional Leagues, formed the nine-club Japan Football League, then the third-tier of Japanese football. The third tier is now represented by J3 League.
A national second tier of Japanese association football was first established in 1972, when the Japan Soccer League formed a Second Division. Among the founding 10 clubs, 5 later competed in the J.League: Toyota Motors (inaugural champion), Yomiuri, Fujitsu, Kyoto Shiko Club and Kofu Club. The new division consisted of 10 clubs, like the First Division, and initially required both the champion and runner-up teams to play-off a Promotion/Relegation series of test matches against the top flight's bottom clubs. The requirement was abolished for the champions in 1980, and for the runners-up in 1984.
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