2012 in Japanese football

Promotion and relegation

Teams relegated from J. League Division 1

Teams promoted to J. League Division 1

Teams relegated from J. League Division 2

Teams promoted to J. League Division 2

J. League Division 1

Sanfrecce Hiroshima !Sanfrecce Hiroshima won the J. League title, their first in 42 years and first in the J. League era, marking their sixth time overall atop the Japanese football league system. Vegalta Sendai !Vegalta Sendai, which led the table riding on the wave of their fourth-place finish the previous year, ended up in second place after Albirex Niigata !Albirex Niigata defeated them in the round before last. Urawa Red Diamonds !Urawa Red Diamonds was able to pass four other teams, including newly promoted Sagan Tosu !Sagan Tosu, who surprisingly was in third place in the penultimate round.

Consadole Sapporo !Consadole Sapporo was relegated on September 30, the earliest a team has been relegated in the modern-day era. Niigata's victory enabled them to climb to safety while Vissel Kobe !Vissel Kobe was relegated after six seasons. Gamba Osaka !Gamba Osaka, despite scoring more goals than anyone else, had a poor defense and allowed many goals in, causing them to be relegated after 26 seasons in the top division.

Updated to games played on 1 December 2012.
Source: J.League Division 1
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) goal difference; 3) number of goals scored
¹The winners of the 2012 Emperor's Cup qualified for the group stage of the 2013 AFC Champions League.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

J. League Division 2

Ventforet Kofu !Ventforet Kofu returned to the top flight at the first attempt, but this time they did so as champions. Shonan Bellmare !Shonan Bellmare returned to the top division as well, after two seasons. Oita Trinita !Oita Trinita, despite overwhelming odds due to its position and the playoff rules which favored the three higher-ranked teams, won the playoff and returned to the top flight after three seasons.

Newly promoted Machida Zelvia !Machida Zelvia, despite hiring Osvaldo Ardiles as their manager, could not cope with professionalism and finished in bottom place, being relegated as V-Varen Nagasaki !V-Varen Nagasaki won the JFL championship.

Updated to games played on 11 November 2012.
Source: J.League Division 2
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd goal differential; 3rd goals scored; 4th head-to-head results; 5th disciplinary points; 6th draw
If two clubs are tied for first place, both clubs will be declared champions.

¹ The promotion and relegation between J2 and JFL will take place only if more than one promotion-eligible (i.e. having a J.League Associate Membership) JFL team finished above second place and playoff will be played only if a eligible JFL team finished in second place(See the corresponding section for further details). As only 2012 Japan Football League Champion V-Varen Nagasaki !V-Varen Nagasaki has the Associate Membership among the top 2 teams. Machida Zelvia !Machida Zelvia was relegated immediately but no relegation/playoff was taken place for FC Gifu !FC Gifu which finished 21st.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Japan Football League

Although Arte Takasaki !Arte Takasaki withdrew from the league due to economic problems, the JFL decided to go with a 17-team format. V-Varen Nagasaki !V-Varen Nagasaki won the tournament, joining the professional ranks automatically.

Sagawa Shiga !Sagawa Shiga withdrew after the league following parent company Sagawa Express's decision to close the team, leaving Tochigi Uva !Tochigi Uva to playout against the Regional League promotion series third place.

Updated to games played on 18 November 2012.
Source: Japan Football League
Rules for classification: 1st points; 2nd goal differential; 3rd goals scored; 4th head-to-head results; 5th disciplinary points; 6th draw
^† V-Varen Nagasaki !V-Varen Nagasaki topped the table at the end of the 17th round and thus were awarded JFL seed for 2012 Emperor's Cup.
¹On 21 October Sagawa Express Co., the owner and operator of Sagawa Shiga FC, have announced that after the season the club will withdraw from JFL and cease its operations.
(C) = Champion; (R) = Relegated; (P) = Promoted; (E) = Eliminated; (O) = Play-off winner; (A) = Advances to a further round.
Only applicable when the season is not finished:
(Q) = Qualified to the phase of tournament indicated; (TQ) = Qualified to tournament, but not yet to the particular phase indicated; (RQ) = Qualified to the relegation tournament indicated; (DQ) = Disqualified from tournament.

Japanese Regional Leagues

Kantō champions SC Sagamihara !SC Sagamihara and Tōhoku champions Fukushima United !Fukushima United won first and second place in the Regional League promotion series, thus being promoted automatically, while Hokkaidō champions Norbritz Hokkaido !Norbritz Hokkaido battled in the playout against Tochigi Uva !Tochigi Uva but lost.

FIFA Club World Cup

Will take place between 6 and 16 December 2012. Since the tournament is hosted in Japan the winners of the J. League will be invited to take part. If the AFC Champions League winner is from Japan, then the highest placed non-Japanese team of the AFC Champions League will be invited in place of the J. League winner.