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List of winners of J2 League and predecessors

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Japanese League (2nd tier)
Japan Soccer League Second Division (1972–1992)
(former) Japan Football League Division 1 (1992–1993)
(former) Japan Football League (1994–1998)
J.League Division 2 (1999–2014)
J2 League (2015–present)
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 league football was first established in 1972, as the Japan Soccer League Second Division. In 1992, with the breakup of the JSL and restructuring of the top flight into the J.League, the (former) Japan Football League became the second tier. In 1999 the J.League has established a second division (officially known as J2 League).

Japan Soccer League Second Division (1972–1992)

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Numbers in parentheses indicate number of wins at the date.

Season Champions Runners-up
Toyota Motors Tanabe Pharmaceuticals
Eidai Industries Kofu SC
Yomiuri SC Fujitsu
Tanabe Pharmaceuticals Yomiuri SC
Fujitsu Yomiuri SC
Yomiuri SC (2) Nissan Motors
Honda Motors Nissan Motors
Toshiba Horikawacho Yamaha Motors
Honda Motors (2) Fujitsu
Nippon Kokan Nissan Motors
Yamaha Motors Toshiba SC
Nippon Kokan (2) Sumitomo Metal Industries
Sumitomo Metal Industries ANA Yokohama
Matsushita Electric Mazda SC
Sumitomo Metal Industries (2) Toyota Motors
ANA Yokohama Matsushita Electric
Toshiba SC (2) Hitachi
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Toyota Motors
Hitachi Mazda SC
Fujita SC Sumitomo Metal Industries

Not promoted to Division 1 due to losing promotion/relegation series
Not promoted to the newly formed J.League

(former) Japan Football League Division 1 (1992–1993)

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An extra season of Japanese football was done by the Japan 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 to J.League

(former) Japan Football League (1994–1998)

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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 to J.League (J1 after 1998)

J2 League (1999–present)

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From 1999 to 2014 the league was known as J.League Division 2.

Season Champions Runners-up Third place Playoff winners
Kawasaki Frontale (2) FC Tokyo Oita Trinita
Consadole Sapporo (4) Urawa Red Diamonds Oita Trinita
Kyoto Purple Sanga Vegalta Sendai Montedio Yamagata
Oita Trinita Cerezo Osaka Albirex Niigata
Albirex Niigata Sanfrecce Hiroshima Kawasaki Frontale
Kawasaki Frontale (3) Omiya Ardija Avispa Fukuoka
Kyoto Purple Sanga (2) Avispa Fukuoka Ventforet Kofu
Yokohama FC Kashiwa Reysol Vissel Kobe
Consadole Sapporo (5) Tokyo Verdy 1969 Kyoto Sanga
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Montedio Yamagata Vegalta Sendai
Vegalta Sendai Cerezo Osaka Shonan Bellmare
Kashiwa Reysol (2) Ventforet Kofu Avispa Fukuoka
FC Tokyo (2) Sagan Tosu Consadole Sapporo
Ventforet Kofu Shonan Bellmare Kyoto Sanga Oita Trinita (6th)
Gamba Osaka (2) Vissel Kobe Kyoto Sanga Tokushima Vortis (4th)
Shonan Bellmare (3) Matsumoto Yamaga JEF United Chiba Montedio Yamagata (6th)
Omiya Ardija Júbilo Iwata Avispa Fukuoka Avispa Fukuoka (3rd)
Consadole Sapporo (6) Shimizu S-Pulse Matsumoto Yamaga Cerezo Osaka (4th)
Shonan Bellmare (4) V-Varen Nagasaki Nagoya Grampus Nagoya Grampus (3rd)
Matsumoto Yamaga Oita Trinita Yokohama FC
Kashiwa Reysol (3) Yokohama FC Omiya Ardija
Tokushima Vortis Avispa Fukuoka V-Varen Nagasaki
Júbilo Iwata (3) Kyoto Sanga Ventforet Kofu
Albirex Niigata (2) Yokohama FC Fagiano Okayama
Machida Zelvia Júbilo Iwata Tokyo Verdy Tokyo Verdy (3rd)
Shimizu S-Pulse Yokohama FC V-Varen Nagasaki Fagiano Okayama (5th)

Not promoted to J1
Not promoted to J1 due to losing promotion/relegation series
For play-off winners, the number in parentheses indicates their position after the end of the season.

Total wins

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Clubs in bold compete in J2 as of 2024 season. Clubs in italic no longer exist.
Years in italic 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

See also

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