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The Junior Tag League is an annual professional wrestling tag team tournament held by the All Japan Pro Wrestling (AJPW) promotion. The tournament is meant for wrestlers under the weight limit of 100 kg (220 lb), who are referred to in Japan as junior heavyweights. In 2013, the tournament was rebranded Junior Hyper Tag League (ジュニア・ハイパー・タッグ・リーグ, Junia Haipā Taggu Rīgu), following in the footsteps of the Junior League, which had been renamed "Junior Hyper League" the previous year. In 2014, the tournament was again rebranded after the singles Junior League, now taking the name Jr. Tag Battle of Glory (ジュニア・タッグバトル・オブ・グローリー, Junia Taggu Batoru Obu Gurōrī).
Contents
The tournament is contested in a single block round-robin format with all teams facing each other once. All matches have a thirty-minute time limit and in case of a time limit draw, both teams are awarded one point, while a win earns a team two points. In case of a draw through a double countout, the match is declared a no contest with neither team being awarded a point. After all teams have faced each other, the top two teams move onto the finals to determine the winner of the tournament. Rankings in the tournament are not determined by head-to-head matches and in the event of more than two teams finishing clear of the other teams, extra match(es) will be held to determine the finalists. Usually, the winners of the tournament earn themselves a shot at All Japan's secondary tag team championship, the All Asia Tag Team Championship, if not already the reigning champions.
Atsushi Aoki holds the record for most Junior Tag League wins with four. Aoki and Hikaru Sato are the only team to have won the tournament more than once, having won it in 2014, 2015 and 2016.
List of winners
1984
In 1984, All Japan Pro Wrestling held the "International Junior Heavyweight Tag Team League" between August 30 and September 12.
2002
In 2002, All Japan Pro Wrestling held the first "World's Strongest Junior Tag League", a junior heavyweight version of the World's Strongest Tag Determination League. The tournament took place over eleven shows between September 8 and 22. The day after winning the tournament, Jimmy Yang and Kaz Hayashi went on to unsuccessfully challenge Arashi and Nobutaka Araya for the All Asia Tag Team Championship.
2006
After a four-year break, All Japan Pro Wrestling held its first Junior Tag League over nine shows between February 25 and March 10, 2006.
2008
After no Junior Tag League took place in 2007, the tournament returned in early 2008, held over seven shows between March 12 and 23.
2009
The 2009 Junior Tag League took place over eight shows between April 17 and 29.
2010
The 2010 Junior Tag League took place over seven shows between April 18 and May 2.
2011
The 2011 Junior Tag League took place over eight shows between April 17 and 30.
2012
The 2012 Junior Tag League took place over six shows between April 1 and 14. The winners of the tournament, Kaz Hayashi and Shuji Kondo, went on to unsuccessfully challenge Daisuke Sekimoto and Yuji Okabayashi for the All Asia Tag Team Championship on May 27.
2013
In 2013, All Japan Pro Wrestling renamed the Junior Tag League the "Junior Hyper Tag League", following in the footsteps of the singles Junior League, which had been renamed "Junior Hyper League" the previous summer. The tournament was held over six shows between March 30 and April 7, 2013. The winners of the tournament, Atsushi Aoki and Kotaro Suzuki, went on to defeat Koji Kanemoto and Minoru Tanaka for the All Asia Tag Team Championship on April 25.
2014
In 2014, All Japan Pro Wrestling again renamed the tournament the "Jr. Tag Battle of Glory", following in the footsteps of the singles Junior League, which had been renamed "Jr. Battle of Glory" the previous February. The tournament was held over eight shows between October 8 and 22, 2014. The winners of the tournament earned a spot in the 2014 World's Strongest Tag Determination League.
2015
The 2015 Jr. Tag Battle of Glory took place over eight shows between October 12 and 23. Último Dragón and Yoshinobu Kanemaru entered the tournament as the reigning All Asia Tag Team Champions, but relinquished the title after losing to Isami Kodaka and Yuko Miyamoto in their opening match.
2016
The 2016 Jr. Tag Battle of Glory took place over five shows between November 12 and 17.