J. League

After a trying year that has tested Japan with severe floods, record-setting heat, and fierce typhoons, the country was yet again challenged in September when a magnitude 7 earthquake jolted the northern island of Hokkaido, causing dozens of deaths and leaving millions without electricity. But ...

Kawasaki Frontale's weekend began as so many recent weekends have: with the team staring up at what appeared to be an insurmountable point gap between it and runaway J. League leaders Sanfrecce Hiroshima. What a difference 90 minutes can make. Attacking explosions in both halves gave ...

Despite dominating possession and completing twice as many passes as their opponents, Cerezo Osaka needed a late equalizer from Spanish defender Osmar to salvage a 1-1 draw against Jubilo Iwata on Friday night. Jubilo came into the match five spots below fifth-place Cerezo following an ...

Kashima Antlers were held to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their Levain Cup quarterfinal against Kawasaki Frontale on Wednesday. In a fractious match during which referee Jumpei Iida dealt out seven yellow cards, Antlers opened scoring in the 19th minute when Yasushi ...

FC Tokyo's uphill battle for the J. League first division title failed to get any easier on Sunday after it was held to a scoreless draw at home by struggling Sagan Tosu. Tokyo's second straight scoreless draw left the third-place side winless in its last ...

Two goals from Sho Ito and a pair of Olivier Boumal assists delivered a much-needed win for Yokohama F. Marinos as they topped Kashiwa Reysol 3-1 on Saturday night. After suffering five defeats and picking up just two wins on the road in August, Marinos ...

Shonan Bellmare ran out comfortable 3-1 winners away to V-Varen Nagasaki in the J-League on Friday night. In the only J1 clash of the night, the visitors went into the break with a 1-0 lead thanks to a 32nd-minute opener from Tsukasa Umesaki. The 31-year-old midfielder, ...

Vegalta Sendai forward Takuma Nishimura will make a full transfer to Russian Premier League side CSKA Moscow, the J. League club announced Friday. It will be Nishimura's first stint with an overseas club, having spent his entire career with Vegalta since joining the J1 side ...

Vegalta Sendai forward Takuma Nishimura is poised for a move to Russian Premier League side CSKA Moscow, a source said Monday. The 21-year-old's 11 goals are tied for the most by a Japanese player in the J. League's first division this season. With negotiations between the ...

Cellar-dwellers Yokohama F. Marinos showed on Sunday that star power is not always the answer as they beat Vissel Kobe 2-0 on the road. Second-half goals from Takefusa Kubo and Teruhito Nakagawa gave Marinos their seventh win of the season and first in three league ...

Kawasaki Frontale maintained the pressure on J. League leaders Sanfrecce Hiroshima with a 1-0 win over Vegalta Sendai in steamy conditions on Saturday. Kengo Nakamura scored in the 55th minute at Todoroki Stadium to keep defending champions Frontale six points behind Sanfrecce — who beat ...