The big boys from J1 will kick off the J. League's Division Two season against the new boys from the JFL when the Urawa Reds face Mito Hollyhock at Urawa's Komaba Stadium on Saturday.
A total of 11 second division teams will compete in a single-stage format through Nov. 19. Unlike the first division, there will be no breaks for national team commitments, the Olympic Games or the Asian Cup. The teams will face each other four times and the top two finishers will earn promotion to Division One. However, the teams at the bottom will not be relegated to the lower Japan Football League.
The J. League will be hoping the standard of its lower division will continue to rise and having the high-profile and well-supported Reds for at least a season should boost the ratings of Division Two. In addition, 36 J1 players have opted to transfer to teams in the second division.