2025 J2 League

27th season of the J2 League From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The 2025 J2 League, also known as the 2025 Meiji Yasuda J2 League (Japanese: 2025 明治安田J2リーグ, Hepburn: 2025 Meiji Yasuda J2 Rīgu) for sponsorship reasons, was the 27th season of the J2 League, the second-tier Japanese professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1999. This was also the eleventh season of the league since its rebrand from J.League Division 2.

Season2025
Dates15 February – 29 November 2025
ChampionsMito HollyHock (1st title)
PromotedMito HollyHock
V-Varen Nagasaki
JEF United Chiba
Quick facts Season, Dates ...
J2 League
Season2025
Dates15 February – 29 November 2025
ChampionsMito HollyHock (1st title)
PromotedMito HollyHock
V-Varen Nagasaki
JEF United Chiba
RelegatedRenofa Yamaguchi
Roasso Kumamoto
Ehime FC
Matches380
Goals934 (2.46 per match)
Top goalscorerMatheus Jesus (19 goals)
Biggest home winJEF United Chiba 5–1 Ehime FC (16 March)
Iwaki FC 5–1 Roasso Kumamoto (1 June)
Júbilo Iwata 5–1 Consadole Sapporo (12 July)
Biggest away winRoasso Kumamoto 0–4 RB Omiya Ardija (2 March)
Montedio Yamagata 0–4 Ventforet Kofu
Highest scoringV-Varen Nagasaki 3–4 Iwaki FC (25 April)
Montedio Yamagata 3–4 Vegalta Sendai (15 June)
Highest attendance49,991
JEF United Chiba 1–2 RB Omiya Ardija
(6 May 2025)
Lowest attendance2,610
Mito HollyHock 2–1 Roasso Kumamoto
(17 May 2025)
Total attendance3,377,480[1]
Average attendance8,888[1]
← 2024
2026
2026–27 →
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Overview

This was the last J.League season played in a whole calendar year from late winter to early winter, with the following season onwards played from summer to spring.

Schedule

The league and match format were announced on 25 November 2024, with the season starts on 15 February 2025 and concluded on 29 November 2025.

Promotion play-off was held from 7 to 13 December 2025.

Changes from the previous season

Tochigi SC, Kagoshima United and Thespa Gunma were relegated to the 2025 J3 League, finishing the previous season as 18th, 19th and 20th placed, respectively, ended seven, one and five years stays in the second-tier, respectively.

Júbilo Iwata, Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo and Sagan Tosu were relegated from the 2024 J1 League, after one, eight and thirteen season in the top flight, respectively.

Both Shimizu S-Pulse and Yokohama FC are promoted to the 2025 J1 League as champions and runners-up, respectively, of the previous J2 League season. Shizuoka-based Shimizu will return in the top flight of Japanese football after two years absence, while Yokohama FC will make their immediate comeback to the J1. Joining them are Fagiano Okayama, who finished 5th in 2024 and earned promotion after winning the promotion play-offs, thus making their first top flight appearance from next season.

2024 J3 League winners Omiya Ardija, runners-up FC Imabari, and promotion play-off winners Kataller Toyama were both promoted from the J3 League. Omiya are returning to the second-tier after one-year absence, Imabari makes their debut in the second-tier for this season and Kataller, who finished 3rd, earned promotion after winning the promotion play-offs, thus returning after 11 years absence.

From this season, Omiya Ardija changed their name to RB Omiya Ardija after they were acquired by Red Bull since 2025.

Clubs

Locations of the 2025 J2 League teams
More information Club name, Hometown ...
Club nameHometownStadiumCapacityPrevious season rankLicense
Blaublitz Akita Akita, Akita Soyu Stadium 18,560 J2 (10th) J1
Ehime FC All cities/towns in Ehime[a] Ningineer Stadium 20,919 J2 (17st) J1
Fujieda MYFC Cities/towns in Shizuoka Prefecture Fujieda Soccer Stadium 10,057 J2 (13th) J1
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo Hokkaido Sapporo Dome 38,794 J1 (19th) J1
FC Imabari Imabari, Ehime ASICS Satoyama Stadium 5,316 J3 (2nd) J2
Iwaki FC Iwaki and Futaba District, Fukushima Hawaiians Stadium Iwaki 5,066 J2 (9th) J1
JEF United Chiba Chiba & Ichihara, Chiba Fukuda Denshi Arena 19,470 J2 (7th) J1
Júbilo Iwata Iwata, Shizuoka Yamaha Stadium 15,156 J1 (18th) J1
Kataller Toyama All cities/towns in Toyama[b] Toyama Athletic Stadium 18,588 J3 (3rd) J1
Mito HollyHock All cities/towns in central and northern Ibaraki[c] K's denki Stadium Mito 10,152 J2 (15th) J1
Montedio Yamagata All cities/towns in Yamagata[d] ND Soft Stadium 20,638 J2 (4th) J1
Oita Trinita Ōita, Ōita Crasus Dome Oita 31,997 J2 (16th) J1
RB Omiya Ardija Saitama, Saitama NACK5 Stadium Omiya 15,491 J3 (1st) J1
Renofa Yamaguchi All cities/towns in Yamaguchi Ishin Me-Life Stadium 15,115 J2 (11th) J1
Roasso Kumamoto Kumamoto, Kumamoto Egao Kenko Stadium 30,275 J2 (12th) J1
Sagan Tosu Tosu, Saga Ekimae Real Estate Stadium 20,805 J1 (20th) J1
Tokushima Vortis Tokushima, Tokushima Pocarisweat Stadium 17,924 J2 (8th) J1
V-Varen Nagasaki All cities/towns in Nagasaki Prefecture[e] Peace Stadium Connected by SoftBank 20,027 J2 (3rd) J1
Vegalta Sendai Miyagi Prefecture Yurtec Stadium Sendai 19,526 J2 (6th) J1
Ventforet Kofu All cities/towns in Yamanashi Prefecture[f] JIT Recycle Ink Stadium 15,853 J2 (14th) J1
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Personnel and kits

More information Club, Manager ...
ClubManagerCaptainKit manufacturerKit sponsors
Main Other(s)
Blaublitz Akita Japan Ken Yoshida Japan Hiroto Morooka Brazil Athleta TDK
List
Ehime FC Japan Shinya Aono (Interim) Japan Fuma Shirasaka Japan Jogarbola Ningineer Network
List
Fujieda MYFC Japan Daisuke Sudo Japan Masahiko Sugita Japan Gol. Seikan Kensa Center
List
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo Japan Shingo Shibata Japan Takuma Arano Japan Mizuno Ishiya
List
    • Front: Katagiri, A.I.PLAN
    • Back: LeoFun, Diamond Head
    • Sleeves: Hokkaido
    • Shorts:
FC Imabari Japan Keiji Kuraishi Japan Yuta Mikado Japan Asics Unicharm
List
Iwaki FC Japan Yuzo Tamura Japan Ryo Endo United States Under Armour BHC
List
JEF United Chiba Japan Yoshiyuki Kobayashi Japan Daisuke Suzuki Denmark Hummel Fuji Electric
List
Júbilo Iwata Japan Takayoshi Amma Japan Hiroki Yamada England Admiral Yamaha
List
    • Front: Fibee
    • Back: SALA Group, Sakura Kogyo
    • Sleeves: Hamamatsu Photonics
    • Shorts:
Kataller Toyama Japan Ryo Adachi Japan Riki Matsuda Japan Goldwin YKK AP
List
Mito HollyHock Japan Naoki Mori Japan Japan soccer junky K's Holdings
List
Montedio Yamagata Japan Akinobu Yokouchi Japan Shuto Minami Brazil Penalty ABeam
List
Oita Trinita Japan Minoru Takenaka Japan Arata Watanabe Germany Puma Daihatsu Kyushu
List
    • Front: Crasus Chemical, TKP
    • Back: Shiraishi
    • Sleeves: Oita
    • Shorts:
RB Omiya Ardija Japan Yuki Miyazawa United States Under Armour Red Bull
List
Renofa Yamaguchi Japan Genki Nakayama Brazil Finta upr
List
Roasso Kumamoto Japan Takeshi Oki Japan Rei Hirakawa England Admiral Hirata
List
    • Front: Higo Bank, RKKCS
    • Back: Hakutake Shiro
    • Sleeves: Kumamoto
    • Shorts:
Sagan Tosu Japan Akio Kogiku Japan Naoyuki Fujita United States New Balance Kimura Information Technology
List
    • Front: X-Mobile, Saga SSP
    • Back: Best Amenity, Animal One
    • Sleeves: SUMCO, Tosu
    • Shorts:
Tokushima Vortis Japan Kosaku Masuda Japan Yoichiro Kakitani Japan Mizuno Pocari Sweat
List
V-Varen Nagasaki Japan Takuya Takagi Japan Hiroki Akino United States Fanatics Japanet
List
Vegalta Sendai Japan Yoshiro Moriyama Japan Yasushi Endo Germany Adidas Iris Ohyama
List
Ventforet Kofu Japan Shinji Otsuka Japan Masahiro Sekiguchi Japan Mizuno Hakubaku
List
    • Front: YSK e-com, Nihon Network Service
    • Back: Yamanashi Chuo Bank, Kyokuyo
    • Sleeves: Kusuri no Sunroad, Yamanashi
    • Shorts:
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Managerial changes

More information Team, Outgoing manager ...
Team Outgoing managerManner of departureDate of vacancyPosition in the tableIncoming managerDate of
appointment
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo Serbia Mihailo Petrović[2] End of contract 4 December 2024 Pre-season Japan Daiki Iwamasa[3] 12 December 2024
Júbilo Iwata Japan Akinobu Yokouchi[4] 11 December 2024 Malta John Hutchinson[5] 19 December 2024
Ehime FC JapanKiyotaka IshimaruSacked21 May 202520thJapan Shinya Aono (Interim)21 May 2025 [6]
Kataller Toyama Japan Michiharu OtagiriResigned27 May 202517thJapan Ryo Adachi27 May 2025 [7]
V-Varen Nagasaki Japan Takahiro Shimotaira Sacked 17 June 2025 [8] 8th Japan Takuya Takagi 22 June 2025
Montedio Yamagata Japan Susumu Watanabe 18 June 2025 [9] 17th Japan Jin Sato (interim) 18 June 2025
Renofa Yamaguchi Japan Ryo Shigaki 24 June 2025 [10] 18th Japan Genki Nakayama 24 June 2025
Montedio Yamagata Japan Jin Sato (interim) End of Interim 25 June 2025 15th Japan Akinobu Yokouchi 25 June 2025 [11]
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo Japan Daiki Iwamasa Sacked 10 August 2025 11th Japan Shingo Shibata 11 August 2025
Oita Trinita Japan Tomohiro Katanosaka 18 August 2025 [12] 16th Japan Minoru Takenaka 18 August 2025 [13]
RB Omiya Ardija Japan Tetsu Nagasawa 24 September 2025[14] 8th Japan Yuki Miyazawa 24 September 2025[15]
Júbilo Iwata Malta John Hutchinson 29 September 2025 [16] 8th Japan Takayoshi Amma 29 September 2025 [17]
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Foreign players

As of the 2024 season, there are no more restrictions on a number of signed foreign players, but clubs can only register up to five foreign players for a single match-day squad.[18] Players from J.League partner nations (Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia and Qatar) are exempt from these restrictions.

  • Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the midseason transfer window.
  • Player's name in italics indicates the player has Japanese nationality in addition to their FIFA nationality or is exempt from being treated as a foreign player due to having been born in Japan and being enrolled in, or having graduated from school in the country.[19]
More information Club, Player 1 ...
Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Player 5 Player 6 Player 7 Player 8 Former players
Blaublitz Akita Serbia Luka Radotić
Ehime FC Australia Ben Duncan Brazil Arthur Viana Brazil Marcel Scalese South Korea Kang Sung-chan South Korea Lee Jae-hwan South Korea Bak Keon-woo
Thailand Ekanit Panya
Fujieda MYFC Brazil Anderson Chaves Brazil Roque Júnior Peru Didier La Torre Senegal Cheikh Diamanka
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo Brazil Mário Sérgio Ghana Francis Cann Ghana Kinglord Safo Sierra Leone Amadou Bakayoko South Korea Park Min-gyu Spain Jordi Sánchez Thailand Supachok Sarachat South Korea Kim Gun-hee
FC Imabari Brazil Danilo Cardoso Brazil Marcus Vinícius Brazil Patrick Verhon Brazil Vinícius Diniz Brazil Wesley Tanque South Korea Lee Young-jun
Iwaki FC South Korea Hyun Woo-bin South Korea Joo Hyun-jin South Korea Kim Hyun-woo
JEF United Chiba Brazil Carlinhos Júnior Brazil Derek Brazil Dudu Pacheco Spain José Aurelio Suárez
Júbilo Iwata Belgium Jan Van den Bergh Brazil Gustavo Silva Brazil Matheus Peixoto Brazil Ricardo Graça Thailand Poramet Arjvirai Belgium Jordy Croux
Brazil Léo Gomes
Israel Hassan Hilu
South Korea Park Se-gi
Kataller Toyama Brazil Gabriel Nascimento South Korea Koh Bong-jo
Mito HollyHock
Montedio Yamagata Australia Tom Heward-Belle Georgia (country) Beka Mikeltadze
Oita Trinita Brazil Derlan Brazil Gleyson Brazil Matheus Pereira South Korea Mun Kyung-gun South Korea Kim Hyun-woo
RB Omiya Ardija Brazil Arthur Silva Brazil Gabriel Brazil Mauricio Caprini Colombia Fabián González Nigeria Oriola Sunday
Renofa Yamaguchi Brazil Alef Firmino Netherlands Nick Marsman South Korea Choi Hyung-chan South Korea Kim Byeom-yong Brazil Sílvio
Roasso Kumamoto North Korea Ri Thae-ha South Korea Bae Jeong-min United States Anton Burns
Sagan Tosu Brazil Cristiano Brazil Jô Lithuania Vykintas Slivka South Korea Lee Yoon-sung Ghana Michael Quarcoo
South Korea Yang Han-been
Spain Arnau Riera
Tokushima Vortis Brazil Elsinho Brazil Kaique Brazil Lucas Barcellos Brazil Thonny Anderson Nigeria Lawrence Izuchukwu Brazil João Victor
V-Varen Nagasaki Brazil Diego Pituca Brazil Edigar Junio Brazil Eduardo Brazil Emerson Deocleciano Brazil Gabriel Tigrão Brazil Matheus Jesus Spain Juanma Brazil Marcos Guilherme
Vegalta Sendai Brazil Eron Brazil Gustavo Santos Brazil Mateus Moraes
Ventforet Kofu Brazil Eduardo Mancha Brazil Matheus Leiria Brazil Mikael Doka Brazil Neemias Brazil Renato Augusto Brazil Val South Korea Lee Min-ki South Korea Taiga Son
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League table

More information Pos, Pld ...
Pos Team
 Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Mito HollyHock (C, P) 38 20 10 8 55 34 +21 70 Promotion to the J1 League
2 V-Varen Nagasaki (P) 38 19 13 6 63 44 +19 70
3 JEF United Chiba (O, P) 38 20 9 9 56 34 +22 69 Qualification for the promotion play-offs
4 Tokushima Vortis 38 18 11 9 45 24 +21 65
5 Júbilo Iwata 38 19 7 12 59 51 +8 64
6 RB Omiya Ardija 38 18 9 11 60 39 +21 63
7 Vegalta Sendai 38 16 14 8 47 36 +11 62
8 Sagan Tosu 38 16 10 12 46 43 +3 58
9 Iwaki FC 38 15 11 12 55 44 +11 56
10 Montedio Yamagata 38 15 8 15 58 54 +4 53
11 FC Imabari 38 13 14 11 46 46 0 53
12 Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 38 16 5 17 50 63 −13 53
13 Ventforet Kofu 38 11 11 16 37 45 −8 44
14 Blaublitz Akita 38 11 10 17 43 59 −16 43
15 Fujieda MYFC 38 9 12 17 41 50 −9 39
16 Oita Trinita 38 8 14 16 27 44 −17 38
17 Kataller Toyama 38 9 10 19 34 49 −15 37
18 Roasso Kumamoto (R) 38 9 10 19 41 57 −16 37 Relegation to the J3 League
19 Renofa Yamaguchi (R) 38 7 15 16 36 47 −11 36
20 Ehime FC (R) 38 3 13 22 35 71 −36 22
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Source: Meiji Yasuda J2 League, J.League Data Site
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4) Head-to-head points; 5) Head-to-head goal difference; 6) Head-to-head goal scored; 7) Fair-play points.
(C) Champions; (O) Play-off winners; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated

Play-offs

The usual format was applied in the 2025 season. Promotion play-offs, officially called the Meiji Yasuda Road To J1 Play-offs 2025[A] (Japanese: 明治安田J1昇格プレーオフ2025), was held from the semi-finals, where the match-ups were previously semi-determined. Based on the J2 placements at the end of the regular season, the third-placed team played against the sixth-placed, while the fourth-placed team played against the fifth-placed. The winners of the semi-finals played the final, with the winners promoted to the J1.

If a match was tied in the play-offs, the team with the higher rank won. The rank order was: J2's third, fourth, fifth, and sixth-placed teams.[20]

Semi-finals Final
      
3 JEF United Chiba 4
6 RB Omiya Ardija 3
3 JEF United Chiba 1
4 Tokushima Vortis 0
4 Tokushima Vortis 1
5 Júbilo Iwata 1

Semi-finals

More information JEF United Chiba, 4–3 ...
JEF United Chiba4–3RB Omiya Ardija
Carlinhos JR 71'
D. Pacheco 77'
M. Himeno 83'
T. Kawano 87'		 Report T.Izumi 20'
K. Sekiguchi 32'
A. Silva 48'
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Attendance: 17.074
Referee: Yusuke Ohashi
More information Tokushima Vortis, 1–1 ...
Tokushima Vortis1–1Júbilo Iwata
T. Anderson 82' Report R. Sato 24'
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Attendance: 11,387
Referee: Koji Takasaki

Final

More information JEF United Chiba, 1–0 ...
JEF United Chiba1–0Tokushima Vortis
Carlinhos 69' Report
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Attendance: 17 634
Referee: Atsushi Kamimura

Season statistics

Top scorers

More information Rank, Player ...
Rank Player Club Goals[21][22]
1 Brazil Matheus Jesus V-Varen Nagasaki 19
2 Brazil Marcus Índio FC Imabari 17
3 Brazil Lucas Barcellos Tokushima Vortis 14
4 Japan Arata Watanabe Mito HollyHock 13
5 Japan Akira Silvano Disaro Montedio Yamagata 11
Brazil Caprini RB Omiya Ardija
7 Japan Ren Komatsu Blaublitz Akita 10
Japan Tomoki Takamine Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo
Japan Yuta Goke Vegalta Sendai
Japan Daichi Ishikawa JEF United Chiba
Brazil Carlinhos Júnior JEF United Chiba
Brazil Matheus Peixoto Júbilo Iwata
Japan Ota Yamamoto Renofa Yamaguchi
Japan Ryo Shiohama Roasso Kumamoto
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Awards

Monthly awards

More information Month, Manager of the Month ...
Month Manager of the Month Monthly MVP Goal of the Month Young Player of the Month Save of the Month References
ManagerClubPlayerClubPlayerClubPlayerClubPlayerClub
February/March Japan Yoshiyuki Kobayashi JEF United Chiba Japan Ren Komatsu Blaublitz Akita Japan Akira Silvano Disaro Montedio Yamagata Japan Rion Ichihara RB Omiya Ardija Japan Tomoki Tagawa Kataller Toyama [23]
April Japan Yoshiro Moriyama Vegalta Sendai Japan Arata Watanabe Mito HollyHock Japan Issei Takahashi JEF United Chiba Japan Ota Yamamoto Renofa Yamaguchi Japan Taro Hamada Oita Trinia [24]
May Japan Naoki Mori Mito HollyHock Japan Arata Watanabe Mito HollyHock Japan Shunsuke Saito Mito HollyHock Japan Taisei Abe V-Varen Nagasaki Japan Takashi Kasahara RB Omiya Ardija [25]
June Japan Yoshiro Moriyama Vegalta Sendai Japan Tomoki Takamine Consadole Sapporo Japan Naoki Kumata Iwaki FC Japan Keito Kumashiro Roasso Kumamoto Japan Akihiro Hayashi Vegalta Sendai [26]
July Japan Naoki Mori Mito HollyHock Japan Shunsuke Saito Mito HollyHock Japan Chihiro Konagaya Roasso Kumamoto Japan Nelson Ishiwatari Iwaki FC South Korea Mun Kyung-gun Oita Trinita [27]
August Japan Takuya Takagi V-Varen Nagasaki Brazil Matheus Jesus V-Varen Nagasaki Japan Shunsuke Saito Mito HollyHock Japan Yumeki Yomoyama FC Imabari Spain José Aurelio Suárez JEF United Chiba [28]
September Japan Yoshiro Moriyama Vegalta Sendai Japan Jun Nishikawa Safain Tosu Japan Shunsuke Saito Mito HollyHock Japan Shion Shinkawa Sagan Tosu Japan Masato Sasaki Iwaki FC [29]
October Japan Yuzo Tamura Iwaki FC Brazil Lucas Barcellos Tokushima Vortis Japan Akira Silvano Disaro Montedio Yamagata Japan Yuki Kajiura FC Imabari Japan Takashi Kasahara RB Omiya Ardija [30]
November/December Japan Ryo Adachi Kataller Toyama Japan Shoma Doi Montedio Yamagata Japan Ayumu Kameda Kataller Toyama Japan Ota Yamamoto Renofa Yamaguchi Japan Masaaki Goto V-Varen Nagasaki [31]
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See also

Notes

  1. [A]
    On the official J.League English website, it is listed as J1 Promotion Play-Offs

References

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