Tokushima Vortis became the last of four J. League first-division teams to be relegated this season after losing 4-2 to visiting Sanfrecce Hiroshima in the final round of fixtures on Saturday.
Tokushima started the day trailing Shimizu S-Pulse and Shonan Bellmare as the lowest-ranked of three teams still battling for survival. Their defeat ensured they would join the already-relegated Oita Trinita, Vegalta Sendai and Yokohama FC in the J2 next year.
Promoted Tokushima needed both a victory and for Shimizu to lose to avoid going straight back down. But after trailing 3-0 by the break at Pocari Sweat Stadium, they saw their J1 endeavor come to an end in one season, mirroring their previous one-year top-flight foray in 2014.