# 2021 in Japanese football

This article summarizes Japanese football in the 2021 season.

## National team results and fixtures
### Men's
#### U-23

* Games of the XXXII Olympiad – JFA.jp
* 2021 Schedules – JFA.jp (as of 16 December 2020)

#### U-20

The 2020 AFC U-19 Championship was cancelled after the draw for the group stage was conducted.

#### U-17

* Fixtures & Results – JFA.jp
* 2021 schedules – JFA.jp (as of 16 December 2020)

#### Futsal

* Fixtures & Results (Futsal 2021), JFA.jp

#### Beach soccer

* Fixtures & Results (Beach soccer 2021)

### Women's
#### Futsal
## Club competitions
### Men's
#### Promotion and relegation

| League | Promoted to league | Relegated from league |
| J1 League | Tokushima Vortis Avispa Fukuoka | No relegation |
| J2 League | Blaublitz Akita SC Sagamihara | No relegation |
| J3 League | Tegevajaro Miyazaki | No relegation |
| Japan Football League | Criacao Shinjuku | No relegation |

#### J1 League

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | Kawasaki Frontale (C) | 38 | 28 | 8 | 2 | 81 | 28 | +53 | 92 | Qualification for the AFC Champions League group stage |
| 2 | Yokohama F. Marinos | 38 | 24 | 7 | 7 | 82 | 35 | +47 | 79 | Qualification for the AFC Champions League group stage |
| 3 | Vissel Kobe | 38 | 21 | 10 | 7 | 62 | 36 | +26 | 73 | Qualification for the AFC Champions League play-off round |
| 4 | Kashima Antlers | 38 | 21 | 6 | 11 | 62 | 36 | +26 | 69 | |
| 5 | Nagoya Grampus | 38 | 19 | 9 | 10 | 44 | 30 | +14 | 66 | |
| 6 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 38 | 18 | 9 | 11 | 45 | 38 | +7 | 63 | Qualification for the AFC Champions League group stage |
| 7 | Sagan Tosu | 38 | 16 | 11 | 11 | 43 | 35 | +8 | 59 | |
| 8 | Avispa Fukuoka | 38 | 14 | 12 | 12 | 42 | 37 | +5 | 54 | |
| 9 | FC Tokyo | 38 | 15 | 8 | 15 | 49 | 53 | −4 | 53 | |
| 10 | Consadole Sapporo | 38 | 14 | 9 | 15 | 48 | 50 | −2 | 51 | |
| 11 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima | 38 | 12 | 13 | 13 | 44 | 42 | +2 | 49 | |
| 12 | Cerezo Osaka | 38 | 13 | 9 | 16 | 47 | 51 | −4 | 48 | |
| 13 | Gamba Osaka | 38 | 12 | 8 | 18 | 33 | 49 | −16 | 44 | |
| 14 | Shimizu S-Pulse | 38 | 10 | 12 | 16 | 37 | 54 | −17 | 42 | |
| 15 | Kashiwa Reysol | 38 | 12 | 5 | 21 | 37 | 56 | −19 | 41 | |
| 16 | Shonan Bellmare | 38 | 7 | 16 | 15 | 36 | 41 | −5 | 37 | |
| 17 | Tokushima Vortis (R) | 38 | 10 | 6 | 22 | 34 | 55 | −21 | 36 | Relegation to the J2 League |
| 18 | Oita Trinita (R) | 38 | 9 | 8 | 21 | 31 | 55 | −24 | 35 | Relegation to the J2 League |
| 19 | Vegalta Sendai (R) | 38 | 5 | 13 | 20 | 31 | 62 | −31 | 28 | Relegation to the J2 League |
| 20 | Yokohama FC (R) | 38 | 6 | 9 | 23 | 32 | 77 | −45 | 27 | Relegation to the J2 League |
* ↑ The Mongolia v Japan match was played in Chiba, Japan.
* 1 2 The JPFL awarded a 3–0 win to Shonan Bellmare after Urawa Red Diamonds fielded Zion Suzuki who was an ineligible player. The original score was 3–2 for Shonan Bellmare.
* ↑ Qualified as the 2021 Emperor's Cup winners.

#### J2 League

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| 1 | Júbilo Iwata (C, P) | 42 | 27 | 10 | 5 | 75 | 42 | +33 | 91 | Promotion to J1 League |
| 2 | Kyoto Sanga (P) | 42 | 24 | 12 | 6 | 59 | 31 | +28 | 84 | Promotion to J1 League |
| 3 | Ventforet Kofu | 42 | 23 | 11 | 8 | 65 | 38 | +27 | 80 | |
| 4 | V-Varen Nagasaki | 42 | 23 | 9 | 10 | 69 | 44 | +25 | 78 | |
| 5 | Machida Zelvia | 42 | 20 | 12 | 10 | 64 | 38 | +26 | 72 | |
| 6 | Albirex Niigata | 42 | 18 | 14 | 10 | 61 | 40 | +21 | 68 | |
| 7 | Montedio Yamagata | 42 | 20 | 8 | 14 | 61 | 49 | +12 | 68 | |
| 8 | JEF United Chiba | 42 | 17 | 15 | 10 | 48 | 36 | +12 | 66 | |
| 9 | FC Ryukyu | 42 | 18 | 11 | 13 | 57 | 47 | +10 | 65 | |
| 10 | Mito HollyHock | 42 | 16 | 11 | 15 | 59 | 50 | +9 | 59 | |
| 11 | Fagiano Okayama | 42 | 15 | 14 | 13 | 40 | 36 | +4 | 59 | |
| 12 | Tokyo Verdy | 42 | 16 | 10 | 16 | 62 | 66 | −4 | 58 | |
| 13 | Blaublitz Akita | 42 | 11 | 14 | 17 | 41 | 53 | −12 | 47 | |
| 14 | Tochigi SC | 42 | 10 | 15 | 17 | 37 | 51 | −14 | 45 | |
| 15 | Renofa Yamaguchi | 42 | 10 | 13 | 19 | 37 | 51 | −14 | 43 | |
| 16 | Omiya Ardija | 42 | 9 | 15 | 18 | 51 | 56 | −5 | 42 | |
| 17 | Zweigen Kanazawa | 42 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 39 | 60 | −21 | 41 | |
| 18 | Thespakusatsu Gunma | 42 | 9 | 14 | 19 | 35 | 56 | −21 | 41 | |
| 19 | SC Sagamihara (R) | 42 | 8 | 14 | 20 | 33 | 54 | −21 | 38 | Relegation to J3 League |
| 20 | Ehime FC (R) | 42 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 38 | 67 | −29 | 35 | Relegation to J3 League |
| 21 | Giravanz Kitakyushu (R) | 42 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 35 | 66 | −31 | 35 | Relegation to J3 League |
| 22 | Matsumoto Yamaga (R) | 42 | 7 | 13 | 22 | 36 | 71 | −35 | 34 | Relegation to J3 League |
* 1 2 The team did not hold a J1 license, and so was ineligible for promotion to the 2022 J1 League.

#### J3 League

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion |
| 1 | Roasso Kumamoto (C, P) | 28 | 15 | 9 | 4 | 39 | 20 | +19 | 54 | Promotion to J2 League |
| 2 | Iwate Grulla Morioka (P) | 28 | 15 | 8 | 5 | 43 | 28 | +15 | 53 | Promotion to J2 League |
| 3 | Tegevajaro Miyazaki | 28 | 16 | 5 | 7 | 44 | 31 | +13 | 53 | |
| 4 | Kataller Toyama | 28 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 40 | 34 | +6 | 46 | |
| 5 | Fukushima United | 28 | 13 | 6 | 9 | 41 | 32 | +9 | 45 | |
| 6 | FC Gifu | 28 | 12 | 5 | 11 | 38 | 35 | +3 | 41 | |
| 7 | Kagoshima United | 28 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 34 | 35 | −1 | 40 | |
| 8 | YSCC Yokohama | 28 | 11 | 7 | 10 | 31 | 33 | −2 | 40 | |
| 9 | Nagano Parceiro | 28 | 8 | 12 | 8 | 35 | 28 | +7 | 36 | |
| 10 | Fujieda MYFC | 28 | 8 | 8 | 12 | 42 | 42 | 0 | 32 | |
| 11 | FC Imabari | 28 | 7 | 9 | 12 | 34 | 33 | +1 | 30 | |
| 12 | Gainare Tottori | 28 | 9 | 2 | 17 | 36 | 53 | −17 | 29 | |
| 13 | Vanraure Hachinohe | 28 | 7 | 8 | 13 | 24 | 44 | −20 | 29 | |
| 14 | Azul Claro Numazu | 28 | 7 | 6 | 15 | 32 | 44 | −12 | 27 | |
| 15 | Kamatamare Sanuki | 28 | 4 | 9 | 15 | 20 | 41 | −21 | 21 | |
* ↑ Only teams that hold a J2 license are eligible for promotion.
* 1 2 3 4 The team held neither a J1 nor J2 license, and so was ineligible for promotion to the J2 League.
* 1 2 The match between Fukushima United and Vanraure Hachinohe resulted in a 2–0 win for Fukushima, but was changed to an awarded 0–3 scoreline by the J.League, after Fukushima allowed a player who had not received a negative test to play in the game. The original result was restored following a decision by the JFA Appeal Committee.

#### Japan Football League

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Promotion or qualification |
| 1 | Iwaki FC (C, P) | 32 | 21 | 8 | 3 | 65 | 28 | +37 | 71 | Promotion to J3 League |
| 2 | Honda FC | 32 | 20 | 7 | 5 | 69 | 25 | +44 | 67 | |
| 3 | Verspah Oita | 32 | 19 | 5 | 8 | 46 | 24 | +22 | 62 | |
| 4 | Suzuka Point Getters | 32 | 15 | 5 | 12 | 51 | 46 | +5 | 50 | |
| 5 | Matsue City | 32 | 14 | 8 | 10 | 38 | 37 | +1 | 50 | |
| 6 | Sony Sendai | 32 | 14 | 6 | 12 | 52 | 39 | +13 | 48 | |
| 7 | F.C. Osaka | 32 | 13 | 9 | 10 | 37 | 35 | +2 | 48 | |
| 8 | Tiamo Hirakata | 32 | 14 | 6 | 12 | 58 | 57 | +1 | 48 | |
| 9 | ReinMeer Aomori | 32 | 12 | 9 | 11 | 41 | 49 | −8 | 45 | |
| 10 | Nara Club | 32 | 10 | 13 | 9 | 39 | 36 | +3 | 43 | |
| 11 | Veertien Mie | 32 | 10 | 10 | 12 | 40 | 43 | −3 | 40 | |
| 12 | MIO Biwako Shiga | 32 | 10 | 7 | 15 | 35 | 48 | −13 | 37 | |
| 13 | Kochi United | 32 | 9 | 6 | 17 | 30 | 49 | −19 | 33 | |
| 14 | Maruyasu Okazaki | 32 | 8 | 9 | 15 | 27 | 46 | −19 | 33 | |
| 15 | Tokyo Musashino United | 32 | 9 | 5 | 18 | 38 | 53 | −15 | 32 | |
| 16 | Honda Lock (O) | 32 | 6 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 48 | −22 | 27 | Qualification for relegation play-offs |
| 17 | FC Kariya (R) | 32 | 4 | 6 | 22 | 26 | 55 | −29 | 18 | Qualification for relegation play-offs |
* 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 J.League 100 Year Plan clubs
* ↑ Promotion was conditional on holding a J3 license (marked in bold in the table), finishing in the top 4 of the JFL, and finishing in the top 2 of the J.League 100 Year Plan clubs.
* ↑ Relegation will occur as follows. In case of 1 team promoted to J3: Japan Regional Football Champions League winners will play the 17th-placed team in JFL, and runners-up will also play the 16th-placed team in JFL.

#### Regional Leagues
### Women's
#### WE League

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| 1 | INAC Kobe Leonessa | 20 | 16 | 2 | 2 | 35 | 9 | +26 | 50 | League Winner |
| 2 | Urawa Red Diamonds | 20 | 13 | 3 | 4 | 40 | 24 | +16 | 42 | |
| 3 | Tokyo Verdy Beleza | 20 | 10 | 4 | 6 | 32 | 18 | +14 | 34 | |
| 4 | JEF United Chiba | 20 | 9 | 7 | 4 | 26 | 18 | +8 | 34 | |
| 5 | Mynavi Sendai | 20 | 9 | 4 | 7 | 25 | 16 | +9 | 31 | |
| 6 | Sanfrecce Hiroshima Regina | 20 | 7 | 4 | 9 | 24 | 26 | −2 | 25 | |
| 7 | AC Nagano Parceiro | 20 | 5 | 6 | 9 | 15 | 24 | −9 | 21 | |
| 8 | Albirex Niigata | 20 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 20 | 30 | −10 | 19 | |
| 9 | Omiya Ardija Ventus | 20 | 3 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 31 | −14 | 18 | |
| 10 | Nojima Stella Kanagawa | 20 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 13 | 31 | −18 | 13 | |
| 11 | AS Elfen Saitama | 20 | 2 | 7 | 11 | 13 | 33 | −20 | 13 | |