| Country |  Japan |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1972 |
| Number of teams | 20 (2024) |
| Current champions | Shimizu S-Pulse (2024) |
| Most successful club | Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo (6 titles) |
A national second tier of Japanese leaguefootball was first established in 1972, as theJapan Soccer League Second Division. In 1992, with the breakup of the JSL and restructuring of thetop flight into theJ.League, the(former) Japan Football League became the second tier. In 1999 the J.League has established a second division (officially known asJ2 League).
Numbers in parentheses indicate number of wins at the date.
† Not promoted to Division 1 due to losingpromotion/relegation series
‡ Not promoted to the newly formedJ.League
An extra season of Japanese football was done by theJapan Football League in late 1992, as the top flight clubs were still re-organizing and adopting new identities before the J.League kicked off in 1993.
| Season | Champions | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| Yamaha Motors† (2) | Hitachi† | |
| Shonan Bellmare (2) | Júbilo Iwata |
† Not promoted toJ.League
In 1994, the Japan Football League Division 2 was abolished.
| Season | Champions | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| Cerezo Osaka | Kashiwa Reysol | |
| Fukuoka Blux | Kyoto Purple Sanga | |
| Honda Motors† (3) | Vissel Kobe | |
| Consadole Sapporo (3) | Tokyo Gas† | |
| Tokyo Gas† | Kawasaki Frontale† |
† Not promoted toJ.League (J1 after 1998)
From 1999 to 2014 the league was known as J.League Division 2.
† Not promoted toJ1
‡ Not promoted to J1 due to losingpromotion/relegation series
For play-off winners, the number in parentheses indicates their position after the end of the season.
Clubs inbold compete in J2 as of2025 season. Clubs initalic no longer exist.
Years initalic indicate seasons of amateur football (Japan Soccer League D2 and former Japan Football League).
| Club | Winners | Runners-up | Winning seasons | Runners-up seasons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Consadole Sapporo | 6 | 1 | 1979,1988–89,1997, 2000, 2007, 2016 | 1982 |
| Shonan Bellmare | 4 | 1 | 1991–92,1993, 2014, 2017 | 2012 |
| Kashiwa Reysol | 3 | 4 | 1990–91, 2010, 2019 | 1988–89,1992,1994, 2006 |
| Júbilo Iwata | 3 | 4 | 1982,1992, 2021 | 1979,1993, 2015, 2023 |
| Kawasaki Frontale | 3 | 3 | 1976, 1999, 2004 | 1974,1980,1998 |
| Honda FC | 3 | 0 | 1978,1980,1996 | — |
| Tokyo Verdy | 2 | 3 | 1974,1977 | 1975,1976, 2007 |
| Kashima Antlers | 2 | 2 | 1984,1986–87 | 1983,1991–92 |
| FC Tokyo | 2 | 2 | 1998, 2011 | 1997, 1999 |
| Kyoto Sanga | 2 | 2 | 2001, 2005 | 1995, 2021 |
| Gamba Osaka | 2 | 1 | 1985, 2013 | 1987–88 |
| NKK SC | 2 | 0 | 1981,1983 | — |
| Albirex Niigata | 2 | 0 | 2003, 2022 | — |
| Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 1 | 3 | 2008 | 1985,1990–91, 2003 |
| Yokohama FC | 1 | 3 | 2006 | 2019, 2022, 2024 |
| Nagoya Grampus | 1 | 2 | 1972 | 1986–87,1989–90 |
| Cerezo Osaka | 1 | 2 | 1994 | 2002, 2009 |
| Ventforet Kofu | 1 | 2 | 2012 | 1973, 2010 |
| Avispa Fukuoka | 1 | 2 | 1995 | 2005, 2020 |
| Tanabe Pharmaceuticals | 1 | 1 | 1975 | 1972 |
| Yokohama Flügels | 1 | 1 | 1987–88 | 1984 |
| Urawa Red Diamonds | 1 | 1 | 1989–90 | 2000 |
| Vegalta Sendai | 1 | 1 | 2009 | 2001 |
| Omiya Ardija | 1 | 1 | 2015 | 2004 |
| Oita Trinita | 1 | 1 | 2002 | 2018 |
| Matsumoto Yamaga | 1 | 1 | 2018 | 2014 |
| Shimizu S-Pulse | 1 | 1 | 2024 | 2016 |
| Eidai Industries | 1 | 0 | 1973 | — |
| Tokushima Vortis | 1 | 0 | 2020 | — |
| Machida Zelvia | 1 | 0 | 2023 | — |
| Yokohama F. Marinos | 0 | 3 | — | 1977,1978,1981 |
| Vissel Kobe | 0 | 2 | — | 1996, 2013 |
| Montedio Yamagata | 0 | 1 | — | 2008 |
| Sagan Tosu | 0 | 1 | — | 2011 |
| V-Varen Nagasaki | 0 | 1 | — | 2017 |
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