Yokohama F. Marinos defender Tomoki Iwata took the J League's most valuable player award Monday while making his first appearance in a Best XI featuring five members from the newly crowned champions.
Runners-up Kawasaki Frontale, winners of four of the past five J1 championships, also had five players named to the ceremonial side.
The 25-year-old Iwata became just the fourth defender to claim the league's top individual accolade and the first since former Japan center back Marcus Tulio Tanaka won it in 2006 with Urawa Reds.