2015 in Japanese football

2015 season

Japanese football in 2015.

J1 League
Main article: 2015 J1 League

Sanfrecce Hiroshima won the Clausura title, accumulating the most points in the overall table and thus getting a bye to the Championship final, where they met third-place Gamba Osaka, who had defeated Apertura champions Urawa Red Diamonds in the semifinal. Hiroshima won the two-legged final for their eighth overall Japanese title, regaining the record position they had set in 1970 and which they had held until the old Japan Soccer League folded.

Shimizu S-Pulse was relegated to the second tier for the first time, after being one of the co-founders of the J. League back in 1993 (a placement that was deemed questionable in many quarters due to their lack of JSL record). Following after cameo appearances were Montedio Yamagata, in their fourth season, and Matsumoto Yamaga, who was debuting in the top flight only four years after being promoted from what was the third tier at the time, the Japan Football League.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification or relegation
1 Sanfrecce Hiroshima (C) 34 23 5 6 73 30 +43 74 Club World Cup, Champions League group stage and J.League Championship Final
2 Urawa Red Diamonds 34 21 9 4 69 40 +29 72 Champions League group stage and J.League Championship 1st Round
3 Gamba Osaka 34 18 9 7 56 37 +19 63
4 FC Tokyo 34 19 6 9 45 33 +12 63 Champions League qualifying play-off[lower-alpha 1]
5 Kashima Antlers 34 18 5 11 57 41 +16 59
6 Kawasaki Frontale 34 17 6 11 62 48 +14 57
7 Yokohama F. Marinos 34 15 10 9 45 32 +13 55
8 Shonan Bellmare 34 13 9 12 40 44 −4 48
9 Nagoya Grampus 34 13 7 14 44 48 −4 46
10 Kashiwa Reysol 34 12 9 13 46 43 +3 45
11 Sagan Tosu 34 9 13 12 37 54 −17 40
12 Vissel Kobe 34 10 8 16 44 49 −5 38
13 Ventforet Kofu 34 10 7 17 26 43 −17 37
14 Vegalta Sendai 34 9 8 17 44 48 −4 35
15 Albirex Niigata 34 8 10 16 41 58 −17 34
16 Matsumoto Yamaga (R) 34 7 7 20 30 54 −24 28 Relegation to 2016 J2 League
17 Shimizu S-Pulse (R) 34 5 10 19 37 65 −28 25
18 Montedio Yamagata (R) 34 4 12 18 24 53 −29 24
Updated to match(es) played on 28 November 2015. Source: Meiji Yasuda J1 League Standings
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champion; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. The winner of the 2015 Emperor's Cup qualified for the Group Stage of the 2016 AFC Champions League. Since the Emperor's Cup winner was Gamba Osaka who were the third-placed team, the Qualifying Play-off spot was awarded to the fourth-placed team.

J2 League
Main article: 2015 J2 League

Omiya Ardija won the title and returned to the top flight at the first attempt. Júbilo Iwata followed after two years of second-tier football. In the playoffs, Avispa Fukuoka survived the final against fourth-placed Cerezo Osaka with a draw and was promoted, putting an end to four years of second-tier wilderness.

At the bottom, Tochigi SC were relegated after 6 years in the second division, while Oita Trinita had the most shocking downfall, being a former J. League Cup winner and having played first-tier football only two seasons before, and losing a test-match series to Machida Zelvia.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion, qualification or relegation
1 Omiya Ardija (C, P) 42 26 8 8 72 37 +35 86 Promotion to 2016 J1 League
2 Júbilo Iwata (P) 42 24 10 8 72 43 +29 82
3 Avispa Fukuoka (O, P) 42 24 10 8 63 37 +26 82 Qualification to promotion playoffs[lower-alpha 1]
4 Cerezo Osaka 42 18 13 11 57 40 +17 67
5 Ehime FC 42 19 8 15 47 39 +8 65
6 V-Varen Nagasaki 42 15 15 12 42 33 +9 60
7 Giravanz Kitakyushu 42 18 5 19 59 58 +1 59
8 Tokyo Verdy 42 16 10 16 43 41 +2 58
9 JEF United Chiba 42 15 12 15 50 45 +5 57
10 Consadole Sapporo 42 14 15 13 47 43 +4 57
11 Fagiano Okayama 42 12 18 12 40 35 +5 54
12 Zweigen Kanazawa 42 12 18 12 46 43 +3 54
13 Roasso Kumamoto 42 13 14 15 42 45 −3 53
14 Tokushima Vortis 42 13 14 15 35 44 −9 53
15 Yokohama FC 42 13 13 16 33 58 −25 52
16 Kamatamare Sanuki 42 12 15 15 30 33 −3 51
17 Kyoto Sanga 42 12 14 16 45 51 −6 50
18 Thespakusatsu Gunma 42 13 9 20 34 56 −22 48
19 Mito HollyHock 42 10 16 16 40 47 −7 46
20 FC Gifu 42 12 7 23 37 71 −34 43
21 Oita Trinita (R) 42 8 14 20 41 51 −10 38 Qualification to relegation playoffs[lower-alpha 2]
22 Tochigi SC (R) 42 7 14 21 39 64 −25 35 Relegation to 2016 J3 League
Updated to match(es) played on 23 November 2015. Source: Meiji Yasuda J2 League Standing
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored
(C) Champion; (O) Play-off winner; (P) Promoted; (R) Relegated.
Notes:
  1. Only teams that meet J1 license criteria can participate in promotion playoffs. If one or more teams fail to meet the criteria, only eligible teams that finished 3rd to 6th will participate and no replacement teams will be added.
  2. The playoffs and direct exchange between J2 and J3 are subject to eligibility of J2-licensed teams in top 2 of 2015 J3 League.

J3 League
Main article: 2015 J3 League

Only one season after being promoted from the fourth-tier JFL, Renofa Yamaguchi won the third tier at the first attempt. Machida Zelvia settled for second place but won the test match series easily against a crestfallen Oita Trinita.

There was no relegation from this division, but the Japan Football Association folded the U-22 team.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Renofa Yamaguchi (C, P) 36 25 3 8 96 36 +60 78 Promotion to 2016 J2 League
2 Machida Zelvia (P) 36 23 9 4 52 18 +34 78 Qualification to J2 League promotion playoffs[lower-alpha 1]
3 Nagano Parceiro 36 21 7 8 46 28 +18 70
4 SC Sagamihara 36 17 7 12 59 51 +8 58
5 Kataller Toyama 36 14 10 12 37 36 +1 52
6 Gainare Tottori 36 14 8 14 47 41 +6 50
7 Fukushima United 36 13 10 13 42 48 −6 49
8 Blaublitz Akita 36 12 9 15 37 40 −3 45
9 FC Ryukyu 36 12 9 15 45 51 −6 45
10 Fujieda MYFC 36 11 4 21 37 61 −24 37
11 Grulla Morioka 36 8 11 17 36 47 −11 35
12 J.League U-22 Selection (W) 36 7 7 22 28 71 −43 28 Folded by JFA after the season.
13 YSCC Yokohama 36 7 6 23 24 58 −34 27
Updated to match(es) played on 23 November 2015. Source: JLeague.jp
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4th) head-to-head results; 5th) disciplinary points; 6th) draw
(C) Champion; (P) Promoted; (W) Withdrawn.
Notes:
  1. Only teams that hold a J2 license are eligible for promotion.

Japan Football League
Main article: 2015 Japan Football League

Vanraure Hachinohe won the Apertura title and an entry to the 2015 Emperor's Cup but fell in the Clausura stage to eventual winner Sony Sendai as well as to Kagoshima United, who won fourth-place overall, good enough for promotion to the J3 League.

There was no relegation, but SP Kyoto FC withdrew after the season. They will be replaced by Regional Promotion Series finalists ReinMeer Aomori and Briobecca Urayasu.

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Promotion or relegation
1 Sony Sendai (C) 30 21 8 1 48 21 +27 71
2 Vanraure Hachinohe 30 17 8 5 36 21 +15 59
3 Honda FC 30 21 5 4 73 22 +51 68
4 Kagoshima United (P) 30 18 6 6 46 25 +21 60 Promotion to 2016 J3 League
5 Azul Claro Numazu 30 16 6 8 36 28 +8 54
6 SP Kyoto FC 30 14 8 8 51 26 +25 50 Withdrawn
7 Nara Club 30 13 7 10 33 28 +5 46
8 FC Osaka 30 13 5 12 45 35 +10 44
9 Honda Lock 30 11 7 12 31 37 −6 40
10 Verspah Oita 30 10 7 13 40 47 −7 37
11 MIO Biwako Shiga 30 9 7 14 36 41 −5 34
12 Yokogawa Musashino 30 8 6 16 31 40 −9 30
13 Maruyasu Okazaki 30 6 3 21 27 61 −34 21
14 Ryutsu Keizai Dragons 30 6 3 21 27 62 −35 21
15 Fagiano Okayama Next 30 6 2 22 25 59 −34 20
16 Tochigi Uva 30 5 4 21 29 61 −32 19
Updated to match(es) played on 15 November 2015. Source: JFL website (in Japanese)
Rules for classification: 1) Points; 2) Goal difference; 3) Goals scored; 4th) head-to-head results; 5th) disciplinary points; 6th) draw
Winners of each stage will be ranked 1st and 2nd based on the championship results regardless of their total points.
(C) Champion; (P) Promoted.

National team (Men)

Results
12 January 2015 AFC Asian CupJapan 4 – 0 Palestine Newcastle, Australia
18:00 UTC+11 Endo  8'
Okazaki  25'
Honda  43' (pen.)
Yoshida  49'		 AFC Report Stadium: Newcastle Stadium
Attendance: 17,147
Referee: Abdulrahman Abdou (Qatar)
16 January 2015 AFC Asian CupIraq 0 – 1 Japan Brisbane, Australia
19:00 UTC+10 AFC Report Honda  23' (pen.) Stadium: Brisbane Stadium
Attendance: 22,941
Referee: Alireza Faghani (Iran)
20 January 2015 AFC Asian CupJapan 2 – 0 Jordan Melbourne, Australia
20:00 UTC+11 Honda  24'
Kagawa  82'		 AFC Report Stadium: Melbourne Rectangular Stadium
Attendance: 25,016
Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)
23 January 2015 AFC Asian CupJapan 1 – 1 (a.e.t.)
(4 – 5 p)		 United Arab Emirates Sydney, Australia
20:30 UTC+11 Shibasaki  81' AFC Report Mabkhout  7' Stadium: Stadium Australia
Attendance: 19,094
Referee: Alireza Faghani (Iran)
Penalties
Honda
Hasebe
Shibasaki
Toyoda
Morishige
Kagawa 		O. Abdulrahman
Mabkhout
Esmaeel
Hassan
Fardan
I. Ahmed
27 March International FriendlyJapan 2 – 0 Tunisia Ōita, Japan
19:37 JST Okazaki  78'
Honda  83'		 JFA Report Stadium: Ōita Bank Dome
Attendance: 34,777
Referee: Ben Williams (Australia)
31 March International FriendlyJapan 5 – 1 Uzbekistan Chōfu, Tokyo, Japan
19:26 JST Aoyama  6'
Okazaki  54'
Shibasaki  80'
Usami  83'
Kawamata  90'		 JFA Report Tukhtakhodjaev  82' Stadium: Ajinomoto Stadium
Attendance: 46,007
Referee: Strebre Delovski (Australia)
11 June International FriendlyJapan 4 – 0 Iraq Yokohama, Japan
19:03 JST Honda  5'
Makino  9'
Okazaki  32'
Haraguchi  84'		 JFA Report Stadium: Nissan Stadium
Attendance: 63,877
Referee: Daniel Stefański (Poland)
16 June 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) Round 2Japan 0 – 0 Singapore Saitama, Japan
19:34 JST JFA Report Stadium: Saitama Stadium 2002
Attendance: 57,533
Referee: Mohanad Qasim Sarray (Iraq)
2 August 2015 EAFF East Asian CupNorth Korea 2 – 1 Japan Wuhan, China
18:20 UTC+8 Ri Hyok-chol  78'
Pak Hyon-il  88'		 EAFF Report Muto  3' Stadium: Wuhan Sports Center Stadium
Referee: Alireza Faghani (Iran)
5 August 2015 EAFF East Asian CupJapan 1 – 1 South Korea Wuhan, China
18:20 UTC+8 Yamaguchi  39' EAFF Report Jang Hyun-soo  26' (pen.) Stadium: Wuhan Sports Center Stadium
Referee: Muhammad Taqi Aljaafari (Singapore)
9 August 2015 EAFF East Asian CupChina PR 1 – 1 Japan Wuhan, China
20:10 UTC+8 Wu Lei  10' EAFF Report Muto  41' Stadium: Wuhan Sports Center Stadium
Referee: Fahad Al-Mirdasi (Saudi Arabia)
3 September 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) Round 2Japan 3 – 0 Cambodia Saitama, Japan
19:26 JST Honda  28'
Yoshida  50'
Kagawa  61'		 JFA Report Stadium: Saitama Stadium 2002
Attendance: 54,716
Referee: Kim Hee-gon (South Korea)
8 September 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) Round 2Afghanistan 0 – 6 Japan Tehran, Iran
16:55 UTC+4:30 FIFA Report Kagawa  10', 50'
Morishige  35'
Okazaki  57', 60'
Honda  74'		 Stadium: Azadi Stadium
Attendance: 8,650
Referee: Khamis Al-Kuwari (Qatar)
8 October 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) Round 2Syria 0 – 3 Japan Seeb, Oman
17:00 UTC+4:00 AFC Report Honda  55' (pen.)
Okazaki  70'
Usami  88'		 Stadium: Seeb Stadium
Attendance: 680
Referee: Ravshan Irmatov (Uzbekistan)
13 October International FriendlyIran 1 – 1 Japan Tehran, Iran
17:00 UTC+4:30 Torabi  45+1' FIFA Report Muto  48' Stadium: Azadi Stadium
Attendance: 15,000
Referee: Yaqoob Abdul Baki (Oman)
12 November 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) Round 2Singapore 0 – 3 Japan Kallang, Singapore
19:15 UTC+8:00 AFC Report Kanazaki  20'
Honda  26'
Yoshida  87'		 Stadium: National Stadium
Attendance: 33,868
Referee: Fahad Al-Mirdasi (Saudi Arabia)
17 November 2018 FIFA World Cup qualification (AFC) Round 2Cambodia 0 – 2 Japan Phnom Penh, Cambodia
19:14 UTC+7:00 AFC Report Laboravy  52' (o.g.)
Honda  90'		 Stadium: Olympic Stadium
Attendance: 29,871
Referee: Fu Ming (China)


  Win　   Draw　   Loss

Players statistics
Player-201401.1201.1601.2001.2303.2703.3106.1106.1608.0208.0508.0909.0309.0810.0810.1311.1211.172015Total
Yasuhito Endo148(14)O(1)OOO-------------4(1)152(15)
Shinji Okazaki85(40)O(1)OOOO(1)O(1)O(1)O---OO(2)O(1)O-O13(7)98(47)
Yasuyuki Konno84(2)-O--OO-----------3(0)87(2)
Makoto Hasebe83(2)OOOOO-OO---OOOOO-12(0)95(2)
Yuto Nagatomo76(3)OOOO--O----OOO-OO10(0)86(3)
Atsuto Uchida72(2)----OO-----------2(0)74(2)
Keisuke Honda65(24)O(1)O(1)O(1)OO(1)OO(1)O---O(1)O(1)O(1)OO(1)O(1)14(10)79(34)
Eiji Kawashima64(0)OOOO-OOO---------7(0)71(0)
Shinji Kagawa63(19)OOO(1)OOOOO---O(1)O(2)OOOO14(4)77(23)
Maya Yoshida48(3)O(1)OOOO-OO---O(1)OOOO(1)O13(3)61(6)
Hiroshi Kiyotake26(1)OOO-O--------OOO-7(0)33(1)
Hiroki Sakai19(0)----O-OO---OO--O-6(0)25(0)
Gotoku Sakai18(0)OOOO-O-------OO--7(0)25(0)
Masato Morishige17(1)OOOO-O--OOOOO(1)-OO-12(1)29(2)
Hotaru Yamaguchi15(0)----O-O-OO(1)OOOO--O9(1)24(1)
Shusaku Nishikawa15(0)--------OO-OOOOOO8(0)23(0)
Takashi Inui14(2)OOOO-O-----------5(0)19(2)
Tomoaki Makino14(1)----O-O(1)OOOO--O--O8(1)22(2)
Yuya Osako12(3)-----OOO---------3(0)15(3)
Shinzo Koroki12(0)--------OOOO-----4(0)16(0)
Toshihiro Aoyama7(0)-----O(1)-----------1(1)8(1)
Yoshinori Muto6(1)OOOOO-OO---OOOO(1)O-12(1)18(2)
Yohei Toyoda6(1)O--O-------------2(0)8(1)
Hiroki Mizumoto6(0)-----O-----------1(0)7(0)
Mu Kanazaki5(0)---------------O(1)-1(1)6(1)
Gaku Shibasaki4(1)--OO(1)-O(1)OOOOO---O--9(2)13(3)
Kosuke Ota4(0)-----O-O-O-------3(0)7(0)
Yosuke Kashiwagi4(0)--------------OOO3(0)7(0)
Genki Haraguchi3(0)------O(1)O---OOOOOO8(1)11(1)
Shuichi Gonda2(0)----O------------1(0)3(0)
Kensuke Nagai1(0)----O-O-OOO------5(0)6(0)
Takashi Usami0(0)----OO(1)OOOOOOOO(1)OOO13(2)13(2)
Kengo Kawamata0(0)----OO(1)--OOO------5(1)5(1)
Wataru Endo0(0)--------OOO-O---O5(0)5(0)
Hiroki Fujiharu0(0)----O---O-------O3(0)3(0)
Takuma Asano0(0)--------OOO------3(0)3(0)
Yuki Muto0(0)--------O(1)-O(1)------2(2)2(2)
Shogo Taniguchi0(0)------O-O--------2(0)2(0)
Daiki Niwa0(0)----------O---O--2(0)2(0)
Koki Yonekura0(0)----------O---O--2(0)2(0)
Takumi Minamino0(0)--------------O-O2(0)2(0)
Gen Shoji0(0)-----O-----------1(0)1(0)
Naoyuki Fujita0(0)---------O-------1(0)1(0)
Shu Kurata0(0)---------O-------1(0)1(0)
Masaaki Higashiguchi0(0)----------O------1(0)1(0)

National team (Women)

Results
2015.03.04 Japan1-2DenmarkPortugal
Ando  ?' ?  ?'
?  ?'
2015.03.06 Japan3-0PortugalPortugal
Kawamura  ?'
Yokoyama  ?'
Sugasawa  ?'
2015.03.09 Japan1-3FrancePortugal
Kawasumi  ?' ?  ?'
?  ?'
?  ?'
2015.03.11 Japan2-0IcelandPortugal
Miyama  ?', ?'
2015.05.24 Japan1-0New ZealandKagawa, Japan
Sawa  ?' Stadium: Kagawa Marugame Stadium
2015.05.28 Japan1-0ItalyNagano, Japan
Ogimi  ?' Stadium: Minami Nagano Sports Park Stadium
2015.06.08 Japan1-0SwitzerlandCanada
Miyama  ?'
2015.06.12 Japan2-1CameroonCanada
Sameshima  ?'
Sugasawa  ?'		 ?  ?'
2015.06.16 Japan1-0EcuadorCanada
Ogimi  ?'
2015.06.23 Japan2-1NetherlandsCanada
Ariyoshi  ?'
Sakaguchi  ?'		 ?  ?'
2015.06.27 Japan1-0AustraliaCanada
Iwabuchi  ?'
2015.07.01 Japan2-1EnglandCanada
Miyama  ?'
 ?' (o.g.)		 ?  ?'
2015.07.05 Japan2-5United StatesCanada
Ogimi  ?'
 ?' (o.g.)		 ?  ?'
?  ?'
?  ?'
?  ?'
?  ?'
2015.08.01 Japan2-4North KoreaChina
Masuya  ?'
Sugita  ?'		 ?  ?'
?  ?'
?  ?'
?  ?'
2015.08.04 Japan1-2South KoreaChina
Nakajima  ?' ?  ?'
?  ?'
2015.08.08 Japan2-0ChinaChina
Yokoyama  ?'
Sugita  ?'
2015.11.29 Japan1-3NetherlandsNetherlands
Sakaguchi  ?' ?  ?'
?  ?'
?  ?'

Players statistics
Player-201403.0403.0603.0903.1105.2405.2806.0806.1206.1606.2306.2707.0107.0508.0108.0408.0811.292015Total
Homare Sawa197(82)----O(1)OOOOOO-O----8(1)205(83)
Aya Miyama144(34)O-OO(2)OOO(1)OOOOO(1)O---O13(4)157(38)
Shinobu Ono125(39)O-OOOOOOOOOOO----12(0)137(39)
Kozue Ando119(18)O(1)OOOOOO----------7(1)126(19)
Yuki Ogimi112(52)O-OOOO(1)OOO(1)OOOO(1)---O13(3)125(55)
Azusa Iwashimizu109(11)O--OOOOO-OOOO----10(0)119(11)
Yukari Kinga92(5)O-O-OO-O---------5(0)97(5)
Mizuho Sakaguchi85(26)OOOO-OOO-O(1)OOO---O(1)12(2)97(28)
Miho Fukumoto75(0)-O-O-O--O--------4(0)79(0)
Rumi Utsugi74(5)OOOOOOOO-OOOO---O13(0)87(5)
Nahomi Kawasumi67(18)OOO(1)-OOOO-OOOO----11(1)78(19)
Saki Kumagai63(0)O-O-OOOO-OOOO---O11(0)74(0)
Aya Sameshima57(3)O-OOOO-O(1)OOOOO---O12(1)69(4)
Megumi Takase52(9)OOOO---------O-O-6(0)58(9)
Ayumi Kaihori46(0)--O--O-O-OOOO----7(0)53(0)
Asuna Tanaka30(3)-OOO----O-----OO-6(0)36(3)
Saori Ariyoshi30(0)OOOO-OO-OO(1)OOO---O12(1)42(1)
Megumi Kamionobe27(2)-O-O---OO----O---5(0)32(2)
Mana Iwabuchi25(3)--------OOO(1)OO----5(1)30(4)
Yuika Sugasawa24(8)OO(1)OOOOOO(1)O---OOOOO14(2)38(10)
Emi Nakajima21(5)--------------O(1)OO3(1)24(6)
Kana Osafune14(2)----------------O1(0)15(2)
Erina Yamane13(0)O---O-O------O--O5(0)18(0)
Yuri Kawamura11(1)-O(1)O-OOO-O----OOOO10(1)21(2)
Rika Masuya7(2)-------------O(1)-OO3(1)10(3)
Asano Nagasato7(1)OO-O----O--------4(0)11(1)
Kana Kitahara7(0)--------O----O---2(0)9(0)
Hikaru Naomoto6(0)-------------OO--2(0)8(0)
Mina Tanaka4(1)--------------OO-2(0)6(1)
Mai Kyokawa2(0)-------------OOO-3(0)5(0)
Saori Arimachi1(0)-------------OOOO4(0)5(0)
Ami Sugita1(0)-------------O(1)-O(1)O3(2)4(2)
Yumi Uetsuji1(0)-O-O----------O--3(0)4(0)
Ryoko Takara1(0)-------------O-O-2(0)3(0)
Shiho Kohata1(0)-------------O---1(0)2(0)
Rie Azami1(0)--------------O--1(0)2(0)
Kumi Yokoyama0(0)-O(1)-----------OOO(1)O5(2)5(2)
Ayaka Yamashita0(0)--------------OOO3(0)3(0)
Tomoko Muramatsu0(0)--------------OO-2(0)2(0)
Hanae Shibata0(0)--------------O--1(0)1(0)

References
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