J3 League
J3 League (Japanese: J3リーグ, Hepburn: J3 Rīgu) or simply J3 is the third division of Japan Professional Football League (日本プロサッカーリーグ, Nihon Puro Sakkā Rīgu). It was established in 2013 as the third-tier professional association football league in Japan under the organization of J.League. The league is known as the Meiji Yasuda J3 League (Japanese: 明治安田J3リーグ) for their title sponsor.
| Organising body | J.League |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2013 |
| Country | Japan |
| Confederation | AFC |
| Number of teams | 20 |
| Level on pyramid | 3 |
| Promotion to | J2 League |
| Relegation to | Japan Football League (since 2023) |
| Domestic cup(s) | Emperor's Cup |
| Current champions | Ehime FC (1st title) (2023) |
| Most championships | Blaublitz Akita (2 titles) |
| TV partners | DAZN YouTube (selected markets) |
| Website | Official website (in English) |
| Current: 2024 J3 League | |
The third-tier nationwide league is a relatively recent development in Japanese football with a first attempt made in 1992 (second division of the old JFL), though it only lasted for two seasons. In 1999, following the establishment of J2 League, a new Japan Football League was created to comprise the third tier and lower divisions. After the introduction of J3, the JFL was demoted to the fourth-tier nationwide league, for the first time in history of Japanese football.