2023 J1 League

The 2023 J1 League, also known as the 2023 Meiji Yasuda J1 League (Japanese: 2023 明治安田生命J1リーグ, Hepburn: 2023 Meiji Yasuda Seimei J1 Rīgu) for sponsorship reasons, is the 31st season of the J1 League, the top Japanese professional league for association football clubs, since its establishment in 1993.

J1 League
Season2023
Dates17 February – 3 December 2023
Matches played115
Goals scored307 (2.67 per match)
Top goalscorerYuya Osako (9 goals)
Biggest home winYokohama F. Marinos 5–0 Yokohama FC
(8 April)
Biggest away winSagan Tosu 1–5 Shonan Bellmare
(18 February)
Kashima Antlers 1–5 Vissel Kobe
(15 April)
Highest scoringConsadole Sapporo 3–4 Kawasaki Frontale
(1 April)
Longest winning run5 matches
Sanfrecce Hiroshima
Kashima Antlers
Longest unbeaten run9 matches
Nagoya Grampus
Longest winless run10 matches
Yokohama FC
Longest losing run4 matches
Gamba Osaka
Kashima Antlers
Kashiwa Reysol
Highest attendance56,705[1]
FC Tokyo 2–1 Kawasaki Frontale
(12 May)
Lowest attendance3,935[1]
Yokohama FC 0–3 Sanfrecce Hiroshima
(15 April)
Total attendance2,028,402[1]
Average attendance17,638[1]
← 2022
2024 →
All statistics correct as of 14 May 2023.

Yokohama F. Marinos are the defending champions, having won their fifth J.League and seventh Japanese title in 2022 in the final match of the season.[2][3]

Overview

Only one club will be relegated to the J2 League at the end of the season, as the number of clubs will be expanded from 18 to 20 clubs from the 2024 season.[4]

Changes from the previous season

There were two teams relegated last season to the 2023 J2 League. Shimizu S-Pulse and Júbilo Iwata, both from Shizuoka Prefecture, were relegated due to them finishing 17th and 18th respectively the previous season. Thus, this is the first Japanese top-flight season to not feature any team from the region.

Kyoto Sanga finished on 16th place, but won the promotion/relegation playoffs against Roasso Kumamoto and thus retained their top league status. Had Roasso won, it would have been their first ever promotion to the top-flight.

Two teams were promoted from the 2022 J2 League: Albirex Niigata, who won the title and returned to J1 after a five-year absence, and Yokohama FC, who finished second, returning to the J1 after just a season playing on the J2 League.

Participating clubs
Locations of the 2023 J1 League teams
2023 J1 League teams in Greater Tokyo Area
2023 J1 League teams in Keihanshin
ClubLocationStadiumCapacity[5]Previous season rank
Hokkaido Consadole SapporoHokkaidoSapporo Dome38,794J1 (10th)
Albirex NiigataNiigata PrefectureDenka Big Swan Stadium41,684 J2 (1st)
Kashima AntlersIbaraki PrefectureKashima Soccer Stadium39,170J1 (4th)
Urawa Red DiamondsSaitama PrefectureSaitama Stadium 200262,010J1 (9th)
Kashiwa ReysolChiba PrefectureHitachi Kashiwa Stadium15,109J1 (7th)
FC TokyoTokyoAjinomoto Stadium47,851J1 (6th)
Kawasaki FrontaleKanagawa PrefectureTodoroki Stadium26,827J1 (2nd)
Yokohama F. MarinosNissan Stadium71,822J1 (1st)
Yokohama FCMitsuzawa Stadium15,444 J2 (2nd)
Shonan BellmareLemon Gas Stadium Hiratsuka15,380J1 (12th)
Nagoya GrampusAichi PrefectureToyota Stadium43,739J1 (8th)
Kyoto SangaKyoto PrefectureSanga Stadium by Kyocera21,623J1 (16th)
Gamba OsakaOsaka PrefecturePanasonic Stadium Suita39,694J1 (15th)
Cerezo OsakaYodoko Sakura Stadium24,481J1 (5th)
Vissel KobeHyōgo PrefectureNoevir Stadium28,996J1 (13th)
Sanfrecce HiroshimaHiroshima PrefectureEdion Stadium35,909J1 (3rd)
Avispa FukuokaFukuoka PrefectureBest Denki Stadium21,562J1 (14th)
Sagan TosuSaga PrefectureEkimae Stadium24,130J1 (11th)

Personnel and kits
ClubManagerCaptainKit manufacturer Main shirt sponsor
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo Serbia Mihailo Petrović Japan Hiroki Miyazawa Japan Mizuno Ishiya
Albirex Niigata Japan Rikizo Matsuhashi Japan Yuto Horigome Germany Adidas Kameda Seika
Kashima Antlers Japan Daiki Iwamasa Japan Shoma Doi United States Nike LIXIL
Urawa Red Diamonds Poland Maciej Skorża Japan Hiroki Sakai United States Nike Polus
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
Kashiwa Reysol Japan Masami Ihara Japan Taiyo Koga Japan Yonex Hitachi
FC Tokyo Spain Albert Puig Japan Masato Morishige United States New Balance Mixi
Yokohama F. Marinos Australia Kevin Muscat Japan Takuya Kida Germany Adidas Nissan
Yokohama FC Japan Shuhei Yomoda Brazil Gabriel Germany Puma Onodera Group
Kawasaki Frontale Japan Toru Oniki Japan Kento Tachibanada Germany Puma Fujitsu
Shonan Bellmare Japan Satoshi Yamaguchi Japan Kazuki Oiwa Brazil Penalty RiPTy
Nagoya Grampus Japan Kenta Hasegawa Japan Sho Inagaki Japan Mizuno Toyota GR 86
Kyoto Sanga South Korea Cho Kwi-jae Japan Temma Matsuda Germany Puma Kyocera
Gamba Osaka Spain Dani Poyatos Japan Takashi Usami Denmark Hummel Panasonic
Cerezo Osaka Japan Akio Kogiku Japan Hiroshi Kiyotake Germany Puma Yanmar
Vissel Kobe Japan Takayuki Yoshida Spain Andrés Iniesta Japan Asics Rakuten Mobile
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Germany Michael Skibbe Japan Sho Sasaki United States Nike Edion
Avispa Fukuoka Japan Shigetoshi Hasebe Japan Tatsuki Nara Japan Yonex Shin Nihon Seiyaku
Sagan Tosu Japan Kenta Kawai Japan Naoyuki Fujita United States New Balance Kimura Information
Technology

Managerial changes
Team Outgoing manager Manner of departure Date of vacancy Position in the table Incoming manager Date of
appointment
Urawa Red Diamonds Spain Ricardo Rodriguez[6] Resigned 5 November 2022 Pre-season Poland Maciej Skorża[7] 10 November 2022
Gamba Osaka Japan Hiroshi Matsuda[8] 23 November 2022 Spain Dani Poyatos[9] 23 November 2022
Kashiwa Reysol Brazil Nelsinho Baptista[10] Sacked 17 May 2023 16th Japan Masami Ihara[10] 17 May 2023

Foreign players

From the 2021 season, there is no limitations on signing foreign players, but clubs could only register up to five of them for a single matchday squad.[11] Players from J.League partner nations (Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Cambodia, Singapore, Indonesia, and Qatar) were exempted from these restrictions.

  • Players name in bold indicates the player is registered during the mid-season transfer window.
  • Player's name in italics indicates the player has Japanese nationality in addition to their FIFA nationality, holds the nationality of a J.League partner nation, 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 an approved type of school in the country.[12]
Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Player 5 Player 6 Player 7 Player 8 Left mid-season
Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo Brazil Lucas Fernandes Slovenia Milan Tučić South Korea Kim Gun-hee South Korea Gu Sung-yun Thailand Supachok Sarachat
Albirex Niigata Brazil Danilo Gomes Brazil Gustavo Nescau Australia Thomas Deng
Kashima Antlers Brazil Arthur Caíke Brazil Diego Pituca Nigeria Blessing Eleke South Korea Kim Min-tae South Korea Kwoun Sun-tae South Korea Park Eui-jeong
Urawa Red Diamonds Denmark Alexander Scholz Guinea José Kanté Netherlands Alex Schalk Netherlands Bryan Linssen Norway Marius Høibråten Sweden David Moberg Karlsson
Kashiwa Reysol Brazil Bueno Brazil Douglas Brazil Diego Brazil Matheus Sávio Netherlands Jay-Roy Grot
FC Tokyo Brazil Adaílton Brazil Diego Oliveira Brazil Leandro Brazil Henrique Trevisan Brazil Pedro Perotti Poland Jakub Słowik
Yokohama F. Marinos Brazil Marcos Júnior Brazil Élber Brazil Anderson Lopes Brazil Eduardo Brazil Yan Matheus
Yokohama FC Brazil Gabriel Brazil Saulo Mineiro Brazil Marcelo Ryan Brazil Mateus Moraes Brazil Yuri Brazil Caprini Germany Svend Brodersen Vietnam Nguyễn Công Phượng
Kawasaki Frontale Brazil Leandro Damião Brazil Jesiel Brazil João Schmidt Brazil Marcinho South Korea Jung Sung-ryong Thailand Chanathip Songkrasin
Shonan Bellmare South Korea Song Bum-keun Norway Tarik Elyounoussi Nigeria Mikel Agu
Nagoya Grampus Australia Mitchell Langerak Brazil Thales Brazil Mateus Brazil Naldinho Denmark Kasper Junker
Kyoto Sanga Brazil Alan Cariús Brazil Paulinho Bóia Brazil Patric New Zealand Michael Woud Suriname Warner Hahn
Gamba Osaka Brazil Dawhan Brazil Juan Alano Israel Neta Lavi Tunisia Issam Jebali South Korea Kwon Kyung-won
Cerezo Osaka Belgium Jordy Croux Brazil Capixaba Brazil Léo Ceará Croatia Matej Jonjić South Korea Kim Jin-hyeon South Korea Yang Han-been
Vissel Kobe Brazil Jean Patric Brazil Lincoln Brazil Matheus Thuler Brazil Phelipe Spain Andrés Iniesta Spain Sergi Samper Montenegro Stefan Mugoša
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Brazil Douglas Vieira Brazil Ezequiel Cyprus Pieros Sotiriou Switzerland Nassim Ben Khalifa
Avispa Fukuoka Brazil Douglas Grolli Brazil Lukian Brazil Wellington
Sagan Tosu Kenya Teddy Akumu South Korea Hwang Seok-ho South Korea Koh Bang-jo South Korea Ueom Ye-hoon

League table
Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Vissel Kobe 13 9 2 2 28 8 +20 29 Qualification for the AFC Champions League group stage
2 Yokohama F. Marinos 13 7 3 3 26 15 +11 24
3 Nagoya Grampus 13 6 5 2 16 10 +6 23 Qualification for the AFC Champions League play-off round
4 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 12 7 2 3 16 10 +6 23
5 Kashima Antlers 13 7 1 5 19 13 +6 22
6 Urawa Red Diamonds 11 6 2 3 16 11 +5 20
7 Cerezo Osaka 13 6 2 5 16 15 +1 20
8 Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 13 5 4 4 29 24 +5 19
9 Avispa Fukuoka 13 5 4 4 15 16 −1 19
10 Kawasaki Frontale 13 5 3 5 16 16 0 18
11 FC Tokyo 13 5 3 5 16 18 −2 18
12 Albirex Niigata 13 4 4 5 15 18 −3 16
13 Sagan Tosu 13 4 3 6 12 17 −5 15
14 Kyoto Sanga 13 4 1 8 15 20 −5 13
15 Shonan Bellmare 12 2 5 5 21 22 −1 11
16 Kashiwa Reysol 13 2 5 6 8 16 −8 11
17 Yokohama FC 13 2 3 8 10 30 −20 9
18 Gamba Osaka 13 1 4 8 13 28 −15 7 Relegation to the J2 League
Updated to match(es) played on 14 May 2023. Source: Meiji Yasuda J1 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 goals scored; 7) Fewer disciplinary points.

    Results table
    Home \ Away ALB ANT AVI BEL CER CON GAM GRA KWF KSA RED REY SAG SFR TOK VIS YFC YFM
    Albirex Niigata — 0–2 3–2 2–2 1–3 1–0
    Kashima Antlers — 0–0 4–0 1–2 1–2 1–5
    Avispa Fukuoka — 2–1 2–1 1–3 2–1 1–0 1–0
    Shonan Bellmare — 4–1 0–2 1–2 2–2 1–1
    Cerezo Osaka 2–2 — 2–3 a 1–0 2–1 0–1 2–1
    Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo 0–1 2–2 — 3–4 1–3 2–0
    Gamba Osaka 1–2 2–2 — 2–0 1–1 1–1
    Nagoya Grampus 2–2 — 1–0 0–0 0–0 2–2
    Kawasaki Frontale 1–1 0–0 1–2 — 1–1 1–2
    Kyoto Sanga 0–2 2–1 0–1 — 2–3 2–0 0–3
    Urawa Red Diamonds 2–1 25 Jun 2–1 4–1 — 0–2 31 May
    Kashiwa Reysol 1–0 2–2 0–3 1–1 0–3 — 1–1
    Sagan Tosu 1–5 1–0 1–1 — 1–0 0–1 1–3
    Sanfrecce Hiroshima 1–2 0–0 1–0 1–0 —
    FC Tokyo 2–1 2–2 1–2 2–1 2–0 — 3–1
    Vissel Kobe 0–0 1–0 2–0 4–0 0–1 — 2–3
    Yokohama FC 1–0 1–3 1–1 1–4 0–1 1–4 0–3 —
    Yokohama F. Marinos 2–1 1–1 2–0 1–1 5–0 —
    Updated to match(es) played on 12 May 2023. Source: J1 League
    Legend: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

    Season statistics
    As of 14 May 2023.

    Top scorers
    Rank Player Club Goals[13][14]
    1 Japan Yuya Osako Vissel Kobe 9
    2 Brazil Anderson Lopes Yokohama F. Marinos 7
    Japan Yuya Asano Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo
    Japan Ryotaro Ito Albirex Niigata
    Japan Shuto Machino Shonan Bellmare
    Japan Yuma Suzuki Kashima Antlers
    7 Japan Koki Ogawa Yokohama FC 6
    Japan Yuya Yamagishi Avispa Fukuoka
    9 Brazil Douglas Vieira Sanfrecce Hiroshima 5
    Denmark Kasper Junker Nagoya Grampus
    Japan Takuro Kaneko Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo
    Brazil Léo Ceará Cerezo Osaka

    Hat-tricks
    PlayerForAgainstResultDateRef.
    Japan Yuki OhashiShonan BellmareSagan Tosu5–1 (A)18 February 2023[15]
    Japan Shuto Machino 4Gamba Osaka4–1 (H)1 April 2023[16]
    Japan Ryotaro ItoAlbirex NiigataAvispa Fukuoka3–2 (H)15 April 2023[17]
    Notes
    • 4 Player scored 4 goals
    • (H) – Home team
    • (A) – Away team

    Top assists
    Rank Player Club Assists[14][18]
    1 Brazil Élber Yokohama F. Marinos 6
    2 Japan Yuta Higuchi Kashima Antlers 5
    Japan Kota Mizunuma Yokohama F. Marinos
    Japan Yoshinori Muto Vissel Kobe
    5 Brazil Ezequiel Sanfrecce Hiroshima 4
    Japan Akihiro Ienaga Kawasaki Frontale
    Japan Tsuyoshi Ogashiwa Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo
    Brazil Yan Matheus Yokohama F. Marinos
    9 Brazil Juan Alano Gamba Osaka 3
    Japan Takuro Kaneko Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo
    Japan Shuto Machino Shonan Bellmare
    Japan Hotaka Nakamura FC Tokyo
    Japan Takahiro Sekine Urawa Red Diamonds
    Japan Yuma Suzuki Kashima Antlers
    Japan Ryosuke Yamanaka Cerezo Osaka
    Japan Koya Yuruki Vissel Kobe

    Clean sheets
    Rank Player Club Clean sheets
    1 Japan Daiya Maekawa Vissel Kobe 8
    2 Japan Tomoki Hayakawa Kashima Antlers 7
    3 Australia Mitchell Langerak Nagoya Grampus 6
    4 Japan Keisuke Osako Sanfrecce Hiroshima 5
    5 Japan Park Il-gyu Sagan Tosu 4
    6 South Korea Kim Jin-hyeon Cerezo Osaka 3
    Japan Takumi Nagaishi Avispa Fukuoka
    Japan Shusaku Nishikawa Urawa Red Diamonds
    9 Germany Svend Brodersen Yokohama FC 2
    Japan Ryosuke Kojima Albirex Niigata
    Japan Naoto Kamifukumoto Kawasaki Frontale
    Japan Kenta Matsumoto Kashiwa Reysol
    Poland Jakub Slowik FC Tokyo
    Japan Tomoya Wakahara Kyoto Sanga

    Player

    Club
    • Most yellow cards: 26[21]
      • Yokohama FC
    • Most red cards: 4[22]
      • Kawasaki Frontale

    Awards

    Monthly awards
    Month Manager of the Month Monthly MVP Goal of the Month References
    ManagerClubPlayerClubPlayerClub
    February/March Japan Takayuki Yoshida Vissel Kobe Japan Ryotaro Ito Albirex Niigata Japan Ryonosuke Kabayama Sagan Tosu [23][24][25]
    April Germany Michael Skibbe Sanfrecce Hiroshima Brazil Douglas Vieira Sanfrecce Hiroshima Japan Ryoma Watanabe FC Tokyo

    Club seasons

    See also
    National association
    League
    Cup

    References
    1. "Attendance Record". Data.J-League.or.jp (in Japanese). Japan Professional Football League. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
    2. Pisani, Sacha (5 November 2022). "We created history: Muscat follows in the footsteps of Postecoglou to win the J1 League!". KeepUp.com.au. Australian Professional Leagues Company. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
    3. Orlowitz, Dan (5 November 2022). "Yokohama F. Marinos win fifth J1 title after tense battle on season's last day". The Japan Times. Retrieved 8 November 2022.
    4. "League Structure and Competition Format from 2024 Season Unify the number of clubs in each category to 20 League Cup changed to a knockout competition with participation of all J1, J2 and J3 clubs". Japan Professional Football League. 21 December 2022. Retrieved 9 February 2023.
    5. "Clubs". J.LEAGUE. Retrieved 2023-04-02.
    6. "リカルド ロドリゲス監督との契約について" [Regarding the contract with director Ricardo Rodríguez] (in Japanese). Urawa Red Diamonds. 31 October 2022. Retrieved 3 November 2022.
    7. "マシエイ スコルツァ監督就任のお知らせ" [Announcement of Maciej Skorża appointment as manager] (in Japanese). Urawa Red Diamonds. 10 November 2022. Retrieved 13 November 2022.
    8. "松田 浩監督 退任のお知らせ" [Announcement of director Hiroshi Matsuda resignation] (in Japanese). Gamba Osaka. 23 November 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
    9. "ダニエル ポヤトス氏 監督就任のお知らせ" [Announcement of Director Daniel Poyatos] (in Japanese). Gamba Osaka. 23 November 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
    10. "監督交代のお知らせ". reysol.co.jp (in Japanese). 17 May 2023. Retrieved 17 May 2023.
    11. "「ホームグロウン制度」の導入と「外国籍選手枠」の変更について" [About the introduction of the "homegrown system" and the change of the "foreign player quota"]. JLeague.jp (in Japanese). Japan Professional Football League. 20 November 2018. Archived from the original on 20 November 2018.
    12. "プロサッカー選手の契約、登録および移籍に関する規則" [Rules for contracting, registering and transferring professional soccer players] (PDF). JFA.jp (in Japanese). Japan Football Association. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
    13. "All Positions | Goals | All clubs | MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE | 2023 Player Stats | J.LEAGUE". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
    14. "Players - J1 League - Japan - Results, fixtures, tables and news". Soccerway. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
    15. "Football: Shinji Kagawa helps Cerezo earn draw in J-League return". Kyodo News. 18 February 2023. Retrieved 18 February 2023. ...Yuki Ohashi bagged a hat-trick...
    16. "Shuto Machino makes history with four first half goals". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. 3 April 2023. Retrieved 5 April 2023.
    17. "Ryotaro Ito unstoppable as stoppage time brace completes hat trick for Niigata win". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. 15 April 2023. Retrieved 15 April 2023.
    18. "All Positions | Assists | All clubs | MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE | 2023 Player Stats | J.LEAGUE". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
    19. "All Positions | Yellow Cards | All clubs | MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE | 2023 Player Stats | J.LEAGUE". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
    20. "All Positions | Red Cards | All clubs | MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE | 2023 Player Stats | J.LEAGUE". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
    21. "Yellow Cards | MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE | 2023 Club Stats | J.LEAGUE". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
    22. "Red Cards | MEIJI YASUDA J1 LEAGUE | 2023 Club Stats | J.LEAGUE". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. Retrieved 23 April 2023.
    23. "Takayuki Yoshida awarded Manager of the Month for leading Vissel Kobe to the top of J1". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. 19 April 2023. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
    24. "Ryotaro Ito named Konami Monthly MVP after fantastic start to season in Niigata". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. 19 April 2023. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
    25. "Ryonosuke Kabayama's spectacular run and finish earns him Goal of the Month". JLeague.co. Japan Professional Football League. 19 April 2023. Retrieved 19 April 2023.
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