Asian Debate: Is The J-League About To Become One Of The World's Biggest?

It is a league that is seeing a growing number of international players in its stadia, it has some of the best facilities in the world and it is already one of the most-watched football leagues around but the J-League is not about to stop there.

From the atmospheric old arenas like Shimizu S-Pulse’s Nihondaira Sports Stadium where fans can gaze at Mount Fuji if the football is not up to much and Kawasaki Frontale’s oddly shaped Todoroki Stadium, located in a picturesque park in the middle of a pleasant residential area to the space age World Cup arenas such as Urawa’s Saitama Stadium and the Kashima Soccer Stadium – the J-League is growing in stature and reputation.

Not only are fans flocking to such soccer sites, those back in Europe are able to watch a selection of Japanese action on television as an increasing number of sports channels shell out for the right to see the action. The biggest match of the opening weekend between Kashima Antlers take on Urawa Reds was not only watched by over 35,000 fans at the stadium, it was beamed around the world.

Last season the average attendance in the top flight of the J-League was just over 19,000 – a figure that compares well with any football league in the world apart from the Bundesliga, the Premier League and La Liga.

In terms of people in the stadium, Japan is on a par with the Netherlands and France and now has Serie A in its sights. An average of 24,652 fans watched Italy’s top tier last season and if things go according to the plans of J-League chairman Kenji Onitake in 2010, then Japan won’t be too far behind.

2009 saw 9.82 million fans attend games in leagues J1 and J2 as well as various cup games and the Asian Champions League.

In 2010, expectations are that the number of people watching matches in Japan will continue to rise. "It's just a matter of time before we surpass 10 million," Onitake told Japanese reporters last week. "This is the year to reach [11 million]. With the help of everyone associated with the J.League, I truly hope we can reach our goal.

The World Cup will help. Not just because excitement and anticipation rises before the big event but also due to the fact that the tournament is bringing some big stars home in search of regular playing time. The likes of Shunsuke Nakamura, Junichi Inamoto and Shinji Ono are also playing in the J-League this season after lengthy sojourns out west.

"Nakamura, Inamoto, Ono, the guys I used to play with and against are all back," said 2009 MVP and one-time European exile Mitsuo Ogasawara of Kashima Antlers, "I hope that will make the J.League even more exciting."

Onitake is confident that if everyone plays their part then a treat is in store.

"We do have a number of plans that we think will help, but at the end of the day, it comes down to the players. They have to go out on the pitch and fight, put on a great performance. They must be brave, they cannot be afraid."

“When we ask ourselves what we have to do to succeed on the Asian and world stage, a more competitive J.League is absolutely necessary,"

It is already that. Japanese title races have in recent years been so exciting that a handful of conspiracy theorists have suggested they are fixed. The 2005 title race set a benchmark that is regularly challenged – though it is hard to imagine how a finish that sees five teams start the final match of the season separated by just a single point can be bettered, especially as it was all settled in the last minute as one goal sent Cerezo Osaka down from first to fifth.

Kashima Antlers have won the last three titles but have had to be at their best to do so. A fourth trophy is not going to be easily lifted especially as the club wants to make its name in Asia this time round.

There is not only drama, the technical quality is good. Players like Yasuhito Endo and Kengo Nakamura are the kind of intelligent midfield players that Japan effortlessly produces. Strikers are more of a problem but forward lines are cosmopolitan. The likes of North Korea’s rampaging forward Jong Tae-se. South Korea’s Lee Keun-ho and Australian target man Josh Kennedy bring goals to the table as do the usual bevy of Brazilians such as Kashima’s goal machine Marquinhos.

All the above is wrapped in the package of colourful fans that pack the stadia -goalkeepers around Honshu, where all the top tier hail from this season, will be happy that Kashiwa Reysol and their blindingly bright yellow-clad followers have slipped into the second division. If yellow is not your colour then the sight of 60,000 Urawa Reds fans bouncing in Saitama Stadium is one to behold.

The three promoted teams this season all create derbies against existing top flight teams, not least the return of Cerezo Osaka to take on city rivals Gamba. Almost every weekend in 2010 will see some kind of grudge game.

South Korea has the oldest professional league and the unparalleled continental success, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have the big bucks and some big-name stars but the J-League is going from strength to strength.

John Duerden

Asia Editor

john.duerden@goal.com