2015 J. League Division 1

J. League Division 1
Season 2015
Average attendance 18.111 (April 12)
← 2014
2016 →

The 2015 J. League Division 1 season (known as the Meiji Yasuda J1 League for sponsorship reasons[1]) will be the 50th season of top-flight football in Japan, and the 23rd since the establishment of the J. League in 1993.

Starting from the 2015 season, the J. League will again change back to a two-stage "mini-league" (last held in 2004). The winners of each stage and top three clubs of the aggregate table will qualify for the Championship.

Clubs

Club Name Coach Home Town(s) Note(s)
Albirex Niigata Japan Masaaki Yanagishita Niigata & Seiro, Niigata
Kashima Antlers Brazil Toninho Cerezo Kashima, Ibaraki 2015 AFC Champions League participant
(as 2014 J. League Third placed team)
Shonan Bellmare South Korea Cho Kwi-jea Hiratsuka, Kanagawa Promoted from J. League Division 2 in 2014
Yokohama F. Marinos France Erick Mombaerts Yokohama & Yokosuka, Kanagawa
Kawasaki Frontale Japan Yahiro Kazama Kawasaki, Kanagawa
Gamba Osaka Japan Kenta Hasegawa Suita, Osaka 2015 AFC Champions League participant
(as 2014 J. League winners)
Nagoya Grampus Japan Akira Nishino Nagoya, Aichi
Montedio Yamagata Japan Nobuhiro Ishizaki All cities/towns in Yamagata Promoted from J. League Division 2 in 2014
(through a play-off system)
Urawa Red Diamonds Serbia Mihailo Petrović Urawa, Saitama 2015 AFC Champions League participant
(as 2014 J. League runners-up)
Kashiwa Reysol Japan Tatsuma Yoshida Kashiwa, Chiba 2015 AFC Champions League play-off participant
(as 2014 J. League Fourth placed team)
Shimizu S-Pulse Japan Katsumi Oenoki Shizuoka, Shizuoka
Sagan Tosu Japan Hitoshi Morishita Tosu, Saga
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Japan Hajime Moriyasu Hiroshima, Hiroshima
FC Tokyo Italy Massimo Ficcadenti Tokyo
Vegalta Sendai Japan Susumu Watanabe Sendai, Miyagi
Ventforet Kofu Japan Yasuhiro Higuchi Kofu, Yamanashi
Vissel Kobe Brazil Nelsinho Baptista Kobe, Hyōgo
Matsumoto Yamaga Japan Yasuharu Sorimachi Matsumoto, Nagano Promoted from J. League Division 2 in 2014

Foreign players

Club Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Asian Player Non-Visa Foreign Type-C Contract[2]
Albirex Niigata Brazil Cortês Brazil Léo Silva Brazil Rafael Silva South Korea Song Ju-Hun
Kashima Antlers Brazil Caio Brazil Davi Brazil Dinei South Korea Hwang Seok-Ho
Shonan Bellmare Brazil André Bahia Brazil Bruno César South Korea Kim Jong-Pil South Korea Lee Ho-seung Brazil Alison
Yokohama F. Marinos Brazil Ademilson Brazil Fabio Brazil Rafinha
Kawasaki Frontale Brazil Elsinho Brazil Renato North Korea An Byong-Jun
Gamba Osaka Brazil Lins Brazil Patric South Korea Oh Jae-Suk South Korea Kim Jung-Ya
Nagoya Grampus Brazil Leandro Domingues Colombia Danilson Córdoba Slovenia Milivoje Novaković Brazil Gustavo
Montedio Yamagata Brazil Alceu Brazil Diego Peru Romero Frank South Korea Kim Byeom-Yong
Urawa Red Diamonds Slovenia Zlatan Ljubijankić
Kashiwa Reysol Brazil Cristiano Brazil Eduardo Brazil Leandro South Korea Kim Chang-Soo
Shimizu S-Pulse Canada Dejan Jaković Netherlands Calvin Jong-a-Pin Nigeria Peter Utaka Australia Mitchell Duke
Sagan Tosu South Korea Baek Sung-Dong South Korea Choi Sung-Keun South Korea Kim Min-Hyeok South Korea Kim Min-Woo
Sanfrecce Hiroshima Brazil Douglas Croatia Mihael Mikić South Korea Byeon Jun-Byum
FC Tokyo Italy Michele Canini
Ventforet Kofu Brazil Adriano Brazil Bruno Dybal Brazil Marquinhos Paraná
Vegalta Sendai Brazil Ramon Lopes Brazil Wilson South Korea Kim Min-Tae North Korea Ryang Yong-Gi
Vissel Kobe Brazil Ferrugem Brazil Marquinhos Brazil Pedro Júnior South Korea Jung Woo-Young Brazil Bueno
Matsumoto Yamaga Brazil Doriva Brazil Obina

Format changes

Teams play a single round-robin in the first stage and a single round-robin in the second stage.[3] After that a overall table is calculated and a championship stage is played.

League table

First stage

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Urawa Red Diamonds 7 5 2 0 10 4 +6 17 Qualification to championship stage
2 Kawasaki Frontale 7 4 2 1 16 8 +8 14
3 FC Tokyo 7 4 2 1 8 4 +4 14
4 Gamba Osaka 6 4 1 1 12 6 +6 13
5 Sagan Tosu 7 4 1 2 9 6 +3 13
6 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 7 4 1 2 8 5 +3 13
7 Vissel Kobe 7 3 2 2 11 9 +2 11
8 Yokohama F. Marinos 7 3 2 2 9 7 +2 11
9 Vegalta Sendai 7 2 3 2 8 7 +1 9
10 Kashima Antlers 7 2 2 3 11 11 0 8
11 Nagoya Grampus 7 2 2 3 11 11 0 8
12 Kashiwa Reysol 7 2 2 3 10 11 −1 8
13 Matsumoto Yamaga 7 2 2 3 7 9 −2 8
14 Shonan Bellmare 7 2 1 4 5 11 −6 7
15 Albirex Niigata 6 1 3 2 8 11 −3 6
16 Shimizu S-Pulse 7 1 1 5 7 12 −5 4
17 Montedio Yamagata 7 1 1 5 2 7 −5 4
18 Ventforet Kofu 7 1 0 6 2 15 −13 3
Updated to match(es) played on 25 April 2015. Source: Meiji Yasuda J1 League Standings
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored

Overall table

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Urawa Red Diamonds 7 5 2 0 10 4 +6 17 2016 AFC Champions League group stage and J. League Championship stage
2 Kawasaki Frontale 7 4 2 1 16 8 +8 14 2016 AFC Champions League group stage
3 FC Tokyo 7 4 2 1 8 4 +4 14 2016 AFC Champions League play-off stage
4 Gamba Osaka 6 4 1 1 12 6 +6 13
5 Sagan Tosu 7 4 1 2 9 6 +3 13
6 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 7 4 1 2 8 5 +3 13
7 Vissel Kobe 7 3 2 2 11 9 +2 11
8 Yokohama F. Marinos 7 3 2 2 9 7 +2 11
9 Vegalta Sendai 7 2 3 2 8 7 +1 9
10 Kashima Antlers 7 2 2 3 11 11 0 8
11 Nagoya Grampus 7 2 2 3 11 11 0 8
12 Kashiwa Reysol 7 2 2 3 10 11 −1 8
13 Matsumoto Yamaga 7 2 2 3 7 9 −2 8
14 Shonan Bellmare 7 2 1 4 5 11 −6 7
15 Albirex Niigata 6 1 3 2 8 11 −3 6
16 Shimizu S-Pulse 7 1 1 5 7 12 −5 4 Relegation to 2016 J. League Division 2
17 Montedio Yamagata 7 1 1 5 2 7 −5 4
18 Ventforet Kofu 7 1 0 6 2 15 −13 3
Updated to match(es) played on 25 April 2015. Source: Meiji Yasuda J1 League Standings
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored

Results

First stage

Home ╲ Away[1] ALB ANT BELFMAFROGAMGRAMONREDREYSAGSFRSSPTOKVEGVENVISYAM
Albirex Niigata 3–2 0–0 2–2
Kashima Antlers 1–1 1–2 3–1
Shonan Bellmare 0–2 1–3 0–1 0–0
Yokohama F. Marinos 1–3 1–0 1–1
Kawasaki Frontale 4–1 1–1 2–2
Gamba Osaka 3–1 2–2
Nagoya Grampus 1–1 2–0 3–1 3–3
Montedio Yamagata 1–2 1–0 0–0
Urawa Red Diamonds 2–1 1–0 1–0
Kashiwa Reysol 1–3 1–2 1–1
Sagan Tosu 2–1 1–0 1–0
Sanfrecce Hiroshima 0–0 2–0 0–1
Shimizu S-Pulse 3–1 2–3 0–1
FC Tokyo 0–0 1–2 1–0
Vegalta Sendai 2–3 2–0 2–1
Ventforet Kofu 0–2 1–0 0–3
Vissel Kobe 0–1 0–2 4–1
Matsumoto Yamaga 1–3 1–2

Updated to games played on 18 April 2015.
Source: J. League Data
1 ^ The home team is listed in the left-hand column.
Colours: Blue = home team win; Yellow = draw; Red = away team win.

Top scorers

Rank Scorer Club Goals
1 Japan Takashi Usami Gamba Osaka
7
2 Japan Yoshito Ōkubo Kawasaki Frontale
5
Brazil Rafael Silva Albirex Niigata
5
Japan Yoshinori Muto FC Tokyo
5
5 Brazil Wilson Vegalta Sendai
4
Japan Yohei Toyoda Sagan Tosu
4
7 Japan Mu Kanazaki Kashima Antlers
3
Japan Genki Omae Shimizu S-Pulse
3
Brazil Renato Kawasaki Frontale
3
10 Brazil Obina Matsumoto Yamaga
2
Brazil Patric Gamba Osaka
2
Japan Yasushi Endo Kashima Antlers
2
Japan Wataru Endo Shonan Bellmare
2
Japan Daisuke Ishizu Vissel Kobe
2
Japan Keijiro Ogawa Vissel Kobe
2
Japan Shunki Takahashi Vissel Kobe
2
Japan Kosuke Yamamoto Kashiwa Reysol
2
Japan Masato Kudo Kashiwa Reysol
2
Japan Hirofumi Watanabe Vegalta Sendai
2
Japan Kisho Yano Nagoya Grampus
2
Japan Kensuke Nagai Nagoya Grampus
2
Japan Kengo Kawamata Nagoya Grampus
2
Japan Sho Ito Yokohama F. Marinos
2
Japan Yuzo Kobayashi Yokohama F. Marinos
2

Updated to games played on 18 April 2015

Attendances

Pos Team Total High Low Average Change
1 Urawa Red Diamonds 141,552 40,802 29,803 35,388−0.3%
2 FC Tokyo 75,604 30,492 20,743 25,201+0.0%
3 Yokohama F. Marinos 92,247 38,123 13,529 23,062−0.1%
4 Kawasaki Frontale 81,277 24,992 16,953 20,319+21.9%
5 Vissel Kobe 60,739 24,027 15,494 20,246+34.8%
6 Nagoya Grampus 74,677 33,558 9,986 18,669+11.5%
7 Shimizu S-Pulse 54,866 19,736 16,027 18,289+28.7%
8 Albirex Niigata 53,798 19,537 16,068 17,933−21.9%
9 Matsumoto Yamaga 49,377 18,514 13,772 16,459+29.2%†
10 Sanfrecce Hiroshima 64,203 26,302 11,577 16,051+7.0%
11 Vegalta Sendai 47,725 19,375 13,644 15,908+4.8%
12 Gamba Osaka 46,451 18,332 10,702 15,484+4.9%
13 Shonan Bellmare 54,880 14,581 11,315 13,720+61.8%†
14 Kashima Antlers 48,370 17,295 8,539 12,093−31.5%
15 Sagan Tosu 47,369 17,695 8,852 11,842−16.2%
16 Ventforet Kofu 32,931 13,047 8,033 10,977−9.8%
17 Kashiwa Reysol 31,536 12,378 9,082 10,512−1.8%
18 Montedio Yamagata 37,993 12,081 7,067 9,498+49.6%†
League total 1,095,595 40,802 7,067 17,390+0.9%

Updated to games played on 26 April 2015
Source: J. League Data
Notes:
† Team played previous season in J2.

References

  1. ↑ "新年のご挨拶" (Press release) (in Japanese). J League (Official). 2015-01-01. Retrieved 2015-01-19.
  2. ↑ "Player registration and contracts". J. League. Retrieved 28 November 2014.
  3. ↑ http://www.jleague.jp/docs/aboutj/regulation/17.pdf