The Japan Diamond Softball League (JD.League) is a Japanese women's softball league that consists of 16 teams (8 in the East Division and 8 in the West Division). The league is the premier women's softball league in the country. The league was formed in 2022 and is headquartered in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
The JD.League is a member of the Japan Top League Alliance, which comprises the top-tier sports leagues in Japan.The participating top leagues Japan Top League Alliance Nitori entered into the title partnership with the JD.League, and thus the league is officially called Nitori JD.League.
History The first national women's softball league was founded in 1968, as the Japan Softball League. In 1994, the league's First Division expanded from 8 to 12 teams and adopted a postseason with the page playoff system. Since then, this season's format was lasted until 2021, although there were minor changes.
In 2021, the league announced a new top-tier women's softball league is planned for 2022, the Japan Diamond Softball League (JD.League). All 12 teams from the First Division and four teams from the Second Division, i.e., 16 teams in total joined in the new league. The other remaining teams in the Second/Third Division and several fresh teams formed the reborn Japan Softball League.
The opening game of the JD.League was held between Bic Camera Takasaki Bee Queen and Toyota Red Terriers on March 28, 2022. Meanwhile, the Japan Softball League still exists as a de facto lower-tier league.
Until now, the league is an industrial league, where most of the teams are owned by major companies and many players are their companies' employees. A player who is signing a professional contract is only a small portion.
Teams The JD.League consists of 16 teams divided into two divisions with 8 teams each.
Division Team City Founded Joined Ref East Honda Reverta Mooka, Tochigi 2001 2022 Honda Reverta JD.League Bic Camera Takasaki Bee Queen Takasaki, Gunma 2015 2022 Bic Camera Takasaki Bee Queen JD.League Taiyo Yuden Solfille Takasaki, Gunma 1984 2022 Taiyo Yuden Solfille JD.League Toda Medics Toda, Saitama 1976 2022 Toda Medics JD.League Hitachi Sundiva Yokohama, Kanagawa 1985 2022 Hitachi Sundiva JD.League Ogaki Minamo Ogaki, Gifu 2010 2022 Ogaki Minamo JD.League NEC Platforms Red Falcons Kakegawa, Shizuoka 1983 2022 NEC Platforms Red Falcons JD.League Denso Bright Pegasus Anjo, Aichi 1960 2022 Denso Bright Pegasus JD.League West Toyota Red Terriers Toyota, Aichi 1948 2022 Toyota Red Terriers JD.League Toyota Industries Shining Vega Kariya, Aichi 1952 2022 Toyota Industries Shining Vega JD.League Tokai Rika Cherry Blossoms Oguchi, Aichi 1979 2022 Tokai Rika Cherry Blossoms JD.League NSK Brave Bearies Konan, Shiga 1972 2022 NSK Brave Bearies JD.League SGH Galaxy Stars Kyoto, Kyoto 2005 2022 SGH Galaxy Stars JD.League Shionogi Rainbow Stokes Hyogo Amagasaki, Hyogo 1949 2022 Shionogi Rainbow Stokes Hyogo JD.League Iyo Bank Vertz Matsuyama, Ehime 1985 2022 Iyo Bank Vertz JD.League Takagi Kitakyushu Water Wave Kitakyushu, Fukuoka 2017 2022 Takagi Kitakyushu Water Wave JD.League
Format The JD.League's regular season runs from late March to late October, with each team playing 29 games. The league's postseason tournament extends into mid-November. The league has a fixed membership like NPB and most sports leagues in the United States, which makes it that does not use a promotion and relegation process.Regulations JD.LeagueResult JD.LeagueSchedule JD.League
Regular season The JD.League consists of two divisions, the East Division and the West Division, which each has 8 teams. Each team plays 21-game Division Series against the seven other teams in its division, i.e., one home series, one away series and one neutral-site series. Furthermore, each team plays 8-game Inter-division Series against each team in the other division. Following the conclusion of the 29-game regular season, seven teams (the top three teams in each division and one wild card team) advance to a postseason tournament that determine the Grand Champion.
Postseason Following the conclusion of the regular season, seven teams compete in the four-round postseason tournament (the two-round Playoffs and the two-round Diamond Series) with a single-elimination stepladder format.
Each division winner directly advances to the Diamond Series. The second-place and third-place teams in each division, and the wild card team (either fourth-place team in each division with better winning percentages) advance to the Playoffs, that culminates in the Diamond Series.
The Diamond Series is contested among the four teams (two division winners and two Playoffs winners) to determine the Grand Champion. The winner of the Diamond Series is referred to as the Grand Champion of JD.League.
Champions Japan Softball League (1968–2021) Until being formed the JD.League, the Japan Softball League was the top-tier league in the country from 1968 to 2021. The Bic Camera Takasaki Bee Queen won the most championships with 14 titles.
From 2022 onwards, although the Japan Softball League is still acting, no longer it is the top-tier league.Teams Japan Softball League
Team Champions Runners-up Seasons won Seasons runner-up Bic Camera Takasaki Bee Queen 14 7 1990, 1995, 1997, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2008, 2009, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021 1998, 2000, 2001, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2018 Toyota Red Terriers 10 4 1969-A, 1970, 1974, 1984, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2014, 2016, 2018 2009, 2013, 2015, 2021 Toyota Industries Shining Vega 8 3 1994, 1996, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2004, 2006, 2007 1997, 2005, 2008 Kurabo 8 0 1968-S, 1969-S, 1971-A, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 – Taiyo Yuden Solfille 6 4 1987, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993 1995, 1996, 2016, 2017 Takashimaya 3 0 1971-S, 1972, 1983 – Unitika 2 0 1977, 1978 – Hitachi Sundiva 1 5 2000 1994, 1999, 2003, 2006, 2010 Denso Bright Pegasus 1 0 1986 – NSK Brave Bearies 1 0 1985 – Shionogi Rainbow Stokes Hyogo 1 0 1975 – Daiwabo 1 0 1973 – Hirobo 1 0 1968-A – Honda Reverta 0 2 – 2019, 2020 Citrine Ichinomiya 0 2 – 2004, 2007 SGH Galaxy Stars 0 1 – 2002
Runners-up are recorded only after 1994, when the postseason playoff introduction. In 1968, 1969 and 1971 seasons, the spring (S) and autumn (A) tournament were held.
JD.League (2022–present)
Team Champions Runners-up Seasons won Seasons runner-up Toyota Red Terriers 3 0 2023, 2024, 2025 – Bic Camera Takasaki Bee Queen 1 2 2022 2023, 2025 Hitachi Sundiva 0 1 – 2024 Toyota Industries Shining Vega 0 1 – 2022
See also Japan women's national softball team
Notes
References
External links
JD.League live stream Japan Softball League