| Season | 2012 |
|---|---|
| Champions | Ventforet Kofu 1stJ2 title 1stD2 title |
| Promoted | Ventforet Kofu Shonan Bellmare Oita Trinita |
| Relegated | Machida Zelvia |
| Matches | 462 |
| Goals | 1,073 (2.32 per match) |
| Top goalscorer | Davi (29 goals) |
| Highest attendance | 23,617 Trinita vsVentforet |
| Lowest attendance | 1,333 Thespa vsRoasso |
| Average attendance | 5,805 |
←2011 2013 → | |
The2012J.League Division 2 season was the 41st season of the second-tier club football in Japan and the 14th season since the establishment of J2 League. The season started on March 4 and finished on November 11, followed by the promotion playoffs among the 3rd to 6th placed clubs (see thearticle).
Ventforet Kofu became champions and returned toJ1 immediately after one season at J2.Shonan Bellmare finished second and also won the automatic promotion along with Kofu, returning to the J1 after two years of absence.Oita Trinita finished sixth, but won the promotion playoffs by defeating 3rd-placedKyoto Sanga at the semifinal and 5th-placedJEF United Chiba at the final thus returning to the J1 after three years of absence.
For the first time ever, relegation to the third-tierJFL was implemented, andMachida Zelvia became the unlucky first team to suffer that fate by finishing in bottom place only one season after entering the professional divisions.
The expected participant clubs are as follows:
| Club name | Home town(s) | Note(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Avispa Fukuoka | Fukuoka | Relegated from J1 League in2011 |
| Shonan Bellmare | Southcentral cities/town inKanagawa | |
| Ehime FC | All cities/towns inEhime | |
| Fagiano Okayama | All cities/towns inOkayama | |
| Gainare Tottori | All cities/towns inTottori | |
| FC Gifu | All cities/towns inGifu | |
| Giravanz Kitakyushu | Kitakyushu, Fukuoka | |
| Mito HollyHock | Mito, Ibaraki | |
| JEF United Chiba | Chiba &Ichihara, Chiba | |
| Kataller Toyama | All cities/towns inToyama | |
| Montedio Yamagata | All cities/towns inYamagata | Relegated from J1 League in2011 |
| Roasso Kumamoto | Kumamoto | |
| Kyoto Sanga | Southwestern cities/towns inKyoto | |
| Thespa Kusatsu | All cities/towns inGunma | |
| Tochigi SC | Utsunomiya,Tochigi | |
| Oita Trinita | All cities/towns inŌita | |
| Ventforet Kofu | All cities/towns inYamanashi | Relegated from J1 League in2011 |
| Tokyo Verdy | All cities/towns in Tokyo | |
| Tokushima Vortis | All cities/towns inTokushima | |
| Matsumoto Yamaga | Matsumoto, Nagano | Promoted from JFL in2011 |
| Yokohama FC | Yokohama,Kanagawa | |
| Machida Zelvia | Machida, Tokyo | Promoted from JFL in2011 |
Rather than 3 spots for automatic promotions toJ.League Division 1 (J1) untilthe previous season, there are only 2 spots for automatic promotions from this season, and the 3rd promoting club will be determined by a play-off calledPlay-off for Promotion to J1[1] (J1昇格プレーオフ) held by 4 clubs (3rd – 6th placed clubs in the standings in the league matches). The regulation is:[1][2]
On 28 September, it was announced that the following clubs did not meet the criteria, mainly in regard to the stadium's size, which are required to J1 clubs to maintain, thus will not be promoted to J1, or participating promotion playoffs even if finishing in the appropriate standing at the end of the regular season:
In 2008, J.League and Japan Football Association planned that at most 3 clubs in J2 are to relegate toJapan Football League (JFL) every season after the number of J2 clubs reached 22.[4]
In January 2012, since the number of J2 clubs reached 22 from this season, J.League determined the regulation of the relegations from J2 to JFL that at most 2 clubs in J2 will relegate to JFL every season. The regulation is:[5]
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or relegation |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ventforet Kofu(C, P) | 42 | 24 | 14 | 4 | 63 | 35 | +28 | 86 | Promotion to2013 J.League Division 1 |
| 2 | Shonan Bellmare(P) | 42 | 20 | 15 | 7 | 66 | 43 | +23 | 75 | |
| 3 | Kyoto Sanga | 42 | 23 | 5 | 14 | 61 | 45 | +16 | 74 | Qualification forpromotion playoffs |
| 4 | Yokohama FC | 42 | 22 | 7 | 13 | 62 | 45 | +17 | 73 | |
| 5 | JEF United Chiba | 42 | 21 | 9 | 12 | 61 | 33 | +28 | 72 | |
| 6 | Oita Trinita(O, P) | 42 | 21 | 8 | 13 | 59 | 40 | +19 | 71 | |
| 7 | Tokyo Verdy | 42 | 20 | 6 | 16 | 65 | 46 | +19 | 66 | |
| 8 | Fagiano Okayama | 42 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 41 | 34 | +7 | 65 | |
| 9 | Giravanz Kitakyushu | 42 | 19 | 7 | 16 | 53 | 47 | +6 | 64 | |
| 10 | Montedio Yamagata | 42 | 16 | 13 | 13 | 51 | 49 | +2 | 61 | |
| 11 | Tochigi SC | 42 | 17 | 9 | 16 | 50 | 49 | +1 | 60 | |
| 12 | Matsumoto Yamaga | 42 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 46 | 43 | +3 | 59 | |
| 13 | Mito HollyHock | 42 | 15 | 11 | 16 | 47 | 49 | −2 | 56 | |
| 14 | Roasso Kumamoto | 42 | 15 | 10 | 17 | 40 | 48 | −8 | 55 | |
| 15 | Tokushima Vortis | 42 | 13 | 12 | 17 | 45 | 49 | −4 | 51 | |
| 16 | Ehime FC | 42 | 12 | 14 | 16 | 47 | 46 | +1 | 50 | |
| 17 | Thespa Kusatsu | 42 | 12 | 11 | 19 | 31 | 45 | −14 | 47 | |
| 18 | Avispa Fukuoka | 42 | 9 | 14 | 19 | 53 | 68 | −15 | 41 | |
| 19 | Kataller Toyama | 42 | 9 | 11 | 22 | 38 | 59 | −21 | 38 | |
| 20 | Gainare Tottori | 42 | 11 | 5 | 26 | 33 | 78 | −45 | 38 | |
| 21 | FC Gifu | 42 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 27 | 55 | −28 | 35 | |
| 22 | Machida Zelvia(R) | 42 | 7 | 11 | 24 | 34 | 67 | −33 | 32 | Relegation to2013 Japan Football League[a] |
| Home \ Away | AVI | BEL | EHI | FAG | GAI | GIF | GIR | HOL | JEF | KAT | MON | ROS | SAN | SPA | TOC | TRI | VEN | VER | VOR | YAM | YFC | ZEL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Avispa Fukuoka | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 4–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 2–3 | 1–3 | 1–3 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | |
| Shonan Bellmare | 3–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 1–2[a] | 2–1 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | |
| Ehime FC | 4–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | |
| Fagiano Okayama | 2–1 | 3–1 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–1 | |
| Gainare Tottori | 2–1 | 1–2 | 1–4 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 2–5 | 0–3 | |
| FC Gifu | 0–3 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | |
| Giravanz Kitakyushu | 4–2 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 2–3 | 1–5 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–1 | |
| Mito HollyHock | 4–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 2–1 | 1–3 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 1–1 | |
| JEF United Chiba | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 3–1 | 0–1 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 2–0 | 4–0 | 3–2 | 2–0 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 3–0 | 2–0 | 3–0 | 0–1 | |
| Kataller Toyama | 0–1 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 2–3 | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–2 | 2–3 | 1–1 | 1–4 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | |
| Montedio Yamagata | 3–1 | 1–2 | 2–2 | 0–2 | 5–1 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–1 | 3–1 | |
| Roasso Kumamoto | 3–1 | 3–3 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 0–3 | 0–1 | 2–1 | |
| Kyoto Sanga | 3–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 1–1 | 3–1 | 3–1 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 2–1 | 2–1 | |
| Thespa Kusatsu | 1–0 | 1–3 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 1–2 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 1–1 | |
| Tochigi SC | 2–0[b] | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–1 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 3–4 | 1–0 | |
| Oita Trinita | 1–0 | 1–4 | 1–0 | 1–0 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 2–3 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 1–2 | 2–1 | |
| Ventforet Kofu | 1–1 | 2–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 0–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 4–1 | 0–0 | 2–0 | 0–3 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 2–1 | 2–1 | 1–1 | |
| Tokyo Verdy | 1–1 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 0–1 | 1–0 | 4–1 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–2 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 2–0 | 4–1 | 3–1 | 1–3 | 2–0 | 2–0 | 0–1 | 1–1 | |
| Tokushima Vortis | 0–4 | 0–0 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 3–0 | 3–0 | 1–1 | 1–2 | 0–3 | 3–0 | 2–2 | 1–1 | 2–4[a] | 0–0 | 0–1 | 0–4 | 0–2 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 1–0 | |
| Matsumoto Yamaga | 2–2 | 1–1 | 1–1 | 3–0 | 7–1 | 1–0[a] | 1–0 | 2–1 | 1–0 | 0–3 | 1–2 | 0–0 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–1 | 3–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 3–0 | |
| Yokohama FC | 1–1 | 1–0 | 0–0 | 0–1 | 3–1 | 3–2 | 1–2 | 2–1 | 0–1 | 3–0 | 1–2 | 2–0 | 2–1 | 3–0 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 0–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–1 | 2–4 | |
| Machida Zelvia | 0–1 | 0–3 | 2–4 | 2–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–0 | 1–6 | 3–2 | 0–0 | 1–0 | 1–2 | 0–2 | 0–3 | 1–3 | 0–1 | 1–2 | 1–0 | 0–1 | 0–4 |
Updated to games played on 11 November 2012
Source:J. League
| Pos | Team | Total | High | Low | Average | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ventforet Kofu | 218,539 | 16,643 | 6,161 | 10,407 | −14.0%† |
| 2 | Oita Trinita | 204,134 | 23,617 | 6,459 | 9,721 | +10.7%† |
| 3 | Matsumoto Yamaga | 200,143 | 13,098 | 4,471 | 9,531 | +27.7%‡ |
| 4 | JEF United Chiba | 194,893 | 14,487 | 6,235 | 9,281 | −4.1%† |
| 5 | Fagiano Okayama | 167,691 | 12,618 | 3,946 | 7,985 | +10.0%† |
| 6 | Montedio Yamagata | 154,459 | 11,275 | 5,036 | 7,355 | −21.1%† |
| 7 | Kyoto Sanga | 152,732 | 12,296 | 2,901 | 7,273 | +15.6%† |
| 8 | Shonan Bellmare | 143,887 | 10,918 | 3,602 | 6,852 | −1.3%† |
| 9 | Yokohama FC | 126,810 | 9,687 | 2,639 | 6,039 | +4.7%† |
| 10 | Roasso Kumamoto | 122,956 | 10,530 | 3,127 | 5,855 | −15.5%† |
| 11 | Avispa Fukuoka | 117,309 | 10,902 | 3,092 | 5,586 | −46.4%† |
| 12 | Tokyo Verdy | 112,158 | 13,093 | 2,875 | 5,341 | −6.5%† |
| 13 | FC Gifu | 89,676 | 11,119 | 1,791 | 4,270 | +3.6%† |
| 14 | Tokushima Vortis | 83,808 | 7,526 | 1,933 | 3,991 | −23.4%† |
| 15 | Mito HollyHock | 83,431 | 6,920 | 2,241 | 3,973 | +18.6%† |
| 16 | Tochigi SC | 80,859 | 5,156 | 1,901 | 3,850 | −22.0%† |
| 17 | Ehime FC | 76,201 | 6,612 | 1,950 | 3,629 | +4.4%† |
| 18 | Machida Zelvia | 76,169 | 7,139 | 1,860 | 3,627 | +3.2%‡ |
| 19 | Giravanz Kitakyushu | 70,274 | 7,637 | 2,112 | 3,346 | −17.4%† |
| 20 | Thespa Kusatsu | 70,159 | 6,891 | 1,333 | 3,341 | +4.0%† |
| 21 | Kataller Toyama | 69,807 | 6,549 | 1,692 | 3,324 | +1.5%† |
| 22 | Gainare Tottori | 65,786 | 6,629 | 1,363 | 3,133 | −15.1%† |
| League total | 2,681,881 | 23,617 | 1,333 | 5,805 | −9.6%† |
Updated to games played on 11 November 2012
Source:J. League Division 2
Notes:
† Team played previous season in J1.
‡ Team played previous season in JFL.
2012 J.League Road To J1 Play-Offs (2012 J1昇格プレーオフ)
The schedule was as follows. The format would be changed if one or more of the involved clubs could not meet the promotion criteria to Division 1.[9]
If the score tied by 90 minutes, the winner would be determined by the league standings.
| Semifinals | Final | ||||||||
| 3 | Kyoto Sanga | 0 | |||||||
| 6 | Oita Trinita | 4 | |||||||
| 6 | Oita Trinita | 1 | |||||||
| 5 | JEF United Chiba | 0 | |||||||
| 4 | Yokohama FC | 0 | |||||||
| 5 | JEF United Chiba | 4 | |||||||
| Kyoto Sanga | 0–4 | Oita Trinita |
|---|---|---|
| Morishima |
| Yokohama FC | 0–4 | JEF United Chiba |
|---|---|---|
| Fujita Yonekura Sato |
Oita Trinita promoted to J.League Division 1.