Japan Football League (1992–1998)

The former was an association football league that existed from 1992 to 1998. Also known as the JFL, it was the 2nd tier of the Japanese football hierarchy following J.League.

History When the Japan Football Association decided to found a professional football league, the Japan Soccer League (JSL), the top-flight league until the 1991/92 season, was reorganised into two newly formed leagues. One was the Japan Professional Football League as known as J. League, the first-ever professional football league in Japan. The other was the former Japan Football League.

Out of twenty eight clubs who were the members of the JSL division 1 and 2, nine along with independent Shimizu S-Pulse formed the J.League. They played the inaugural 1992 season of the former JFL together with Osaka Gas and Seino Transportation, the top two places in the Regional League promotion series. The initial configuration was two divisions of ten clubs each, but from 1994, the format was changed to a single division of sixteen clubs.

The former JFL ceased to exist at the end of the 1998 season when J.League Division 2 was formed. Out of sixteen clubs who played the last season of the JFL, nine decided and were accepted to play in J2 and the other seven joined the new JFL.

Participating clubs Division 1 Club nameFirst seasonin JFLSeasonsin JFLHome town(s)First seasonin D2Seasonsin D2Last spellin D2Last JFLtitleCurrentleague Albirex Niigata 1998 1 Niigata & Seirō, Niigata 1998 1 1998 — J1 1994 5 Saitama 1987/88 10 1994–1998 — J3 1992 2 Hiratsuka, Kanagawa 1990/91 4 1990/91–1993 1993 J1 Fukuoka Blux 1993 3 Fukuoka 1991/92 4 1993–1995 1995 J1 Brummel Sendai 1995 4 Sendai, Miyagi 1995 4 1995–1998 — J2 Cerezo Osaka 1992 3 Osaka, Osaka 1991/92 4 1991/92–1994 1994 J1 Consadole Sapporo 1992 6 Sapporo, Hokkaido 1978 17 1992–1997 1997 J1 Cosmo Oil Yokkaichi 1994 3 Yokkaichi, Mie 1980 10 1994–1996 — Defunct Denso 1996 3 Kariya, Aichi 1996 3 1996–1998 — Tokai League D1 1992 7 Kawasaki, Kanagawa 1972 20 1979–1998 — J1 Fukushima FC 1995 3 Fukushima 1995 3 1995–1997 — Defunct 1994 3 Tosu, Saga 1994 3 1994–1996 — Defunct 1997 2 Mito, Ibaraki 1997 2 1997–1998 — J2 Honda Motors 1992 6 Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 1975 12 1994–1998 1996 New JFL Jatco SC 1997 2 Numazu, Shizuoka 1997 2 1997–1998 — Defunct Kokushikan University 1998 1 Machida, Tokyo 1998 1 1998 — Kantō University League Montedio Yamagata 1994 5 All cities/towns in Yamagata 1994 5 1994–1998 — J2 NKK SC 1992 1 Kawasaki, Kanagawa 1980 5 1991/92–1992 — Defunct Otsuka FC Vortis Tokushima 1994 5 All cities/towns in Tokushima 1990/91 7 1994–1998 — J2 1993 3 Southwestern cities/towns in Kyoto 1972 13 1993–1995 — J1 1992 3 Kashiwa, Chiba 1987/88 6 1992–1994 — J1 Sagan Tosu 1997 2 Tosu, Saga 1997 2 1997–1998 — J1 Seino Transportation 1994 4 All cities/towns in Gifu 1985 7 1994–1997 — Defunct Sony Sendai 1998 1 Miyagi 1998 1 1998 — New JFL Tokyo Gas 1992 7 Tokyo 1991/92 8 1991/92–1998 1998 J1 1996 3 Ōita 1996 3 1996–1998 — J2 Ventforet Kofu 1994 5 All cities/towns in Yamanashi 1972 25 1994–1998 — J2 Vissel Kobe 1994 2 Kobe, Hyōgo 1986/87 9 1994–1995 — J1 Yamaha Motors 1992 2 Iwata, Shizuoka 1979 4 1992–1993 1992 J1 "Seasons in D2", "Last spell in D2", and "Last D2 title" include participation in Japan Soccer League D2 and take into account seasons up to 1998, when the league ceased to exist

Division 2 Club nameFirst seasonin JFL D2Seasonsin JFL D2Home town(s)Last spellin JFL D2Currentleague Fukuoka Blux 1992 1 Fujieda, Shizuoka 1992 J1 Cosmo Oil Yokkaichi 1992 2 Yokkaichi, Mie 1992–1993 Defunct Honda Motors 1993 1 Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 1993 New JFL Kawasaki Steel 1992 2 Kurashiki, Okayama 1992–1993 J1 (as Vissel Kobe) Kofu SC 1992 2 All cities/towns in Yamanashi 1992–1993 J2 Kyoto Shiko 1992 1 Southwestern cities/towns in Kyoto 1992 J1 NKK SC 1993 1 Kawasaki, Kanagawa 1993 Defunct NTT Kanto 1992 2 Saitama 1992–1993 J3 Osaka Gas 1992 1 Osaka, Osaka 1992 Osaka League D1 PJM Futures 1993 1 Hamamatsu, Shizuoka 1993 Defunct Seino Transportation 1992 2 All cities/towns in Gifu 1992–1993 Defunct Tanabe Pharmaceuticals 1992 1 Osaka, Osaka 1992 Defunct Toho Titanium 1992 2 Chigasaki, Kanagawa 1992–1993 Kantō League D2 Toyota Higashi-Fuji 1993 1 Shizuoka 1993 Defunct

Championship, promotion and relegation history

SeasonChampionsRunners-upPromoted to J.League after the seasonPromoted from Regional Leagues before the seasonRelegated to Regional Leagues after the season1992Div. 1-YamahaDiv. 2-Chuo Bohan FujiedaDiv. 1-HitachiDiv. 2-Kyoto Shiko ClubNoneOsaka GasSeino TransportationTanabe Pharmaceutical S.C.Osaka Gas S.C.1993Div. 1-Bellmare HiratsukaDiv. 2-Honda FCDiv. 1-Júbilo IwataDiv. 2-PJMHiratsukaIwataToyota HigashifujiPJMToho Titanium SCNKK F.C. (disbanded)Toyota Higashifuji (disbanded)1994Cerezo OsakaKashiwa ReysolCerezoKashiwaNEC YamagataNone1995Fukuoka BluxKyoto Purple SangaFukuokaKyotoBrummell SendaiFukushima FCNone1996Honda FCVissel KobeKobeNippon DensoŌita F.C.Cosmo Oil Yokkaichi (disbanded)Tosu Futures (disbanded)1997Consadole SapporoTokyo GasSapporoPrima Ham FC TsuchiuraJatco F.C.Sagan Tosu (new club, replaces Tosu Futures)Fukushima FC (disbanded)Seino Transportation F.C. (disbanded)1998Tokyo GasKawasaki FrontaleNoneAlbirex NiigataSony Sendai FC,Kokushikan Univ. S.C. (recommended by Univ. Assoc.)None*The following clubs were admitted to the new J.League Division 2: Brummell Sendai (Vegalta Sendai), Montedio Yamagata, Omiya Ardija, Tokyo Gas F.C. (FC Tokyo), Kawasaki Frontale, Ventforet Kofu, Albirex Niigata, Sagan Tosu, Ōita F.C. (Oita Trinita)

Most successful clubs Club Winners Runners-up Winning seasons Runners-up seasons Júbilo Iwata 1992 1993 Tokyo Gas 1998 1997 Bellmare Hiratsuka 1993 Cerezo Osaka 1994 Fukuoka Blux 1995 Honda FC 1996 Consadole Sapporo 1997 Kashiwa Reysol 1992, 1994 Kyoto Purple Sanga 1995 Vissel Kobe 1996 Kawasaki Frontale 1998

References

See also