A majority of J. League clubs supported the introduction of an August start to the Japanese soccer season from the 2026-2027 season, with 52 of 60 from the first to third divisions on Thursday approving the move.
At a meeting in Tokyo, only one club opposed the proposed change that would bring the league in line with top competitions in Europe, while seven said the debate should continue for several more months. The J. League season currently kicks off in February.
The J. League is scheduled to make a final decision at next Tuesday's board meeting.
There have been calls for a shift to a summer start following the reformatting of the Asian Champions League, which moved its start to September from this season.
Running the season in parallel with Europe will also likely see more transfers between the J. League and the world's top leagues.
"There are still many issues that need to be resolved," senior J. League official Junya Higuchi said.
The issues include improving facilities for clubs based in areas that experience heavy snowfall during the winter months.