The current organization that increases anti-J.League #2
Personally, I’m a member of one J.League club’s fan club, and I cheer them on at the stadium wearing their uniform.
However, since Chairman Nonomura took over, the J.League’s tactic of pressuring local governments by threatening to deny club licenses feels extremely distasteful.
As mentioned previously, the B.League has appointed a true business executive as its Chairman. Starting in 2026, it will implement major reforms that completely break away from the J.League-style league management model, shifting focus to emphasizing the management capabilities of club teams
In other words, we believe the B.League judged that the current J.League-style league management model cannot achieve financial independence as a professional sport. That’s why we think they’ve made a significant shift away from that model.
We believe this is truly a reform driven by a business executive’s perspective.
This time, the reason why we’re posting a blog criticizing the J.League is because we feel disgusted by the trend that has become salient under Chairman Nonomura’s regime that “while relying on tax money, only the ideals have become extremely lofty.”
We feel the current J.League is swindling local government out of tax money under the pretext of “for the children’s future”.
There’s a Japanese proverb, “Profit at someone else’s expense”, which perfectly describes the recent management of the J.League.
We would like to address each point that many people have pointed out as problematic.
Regarding J.League exclusive stadiums
The biggest problem is the ‘J-League exclusive stadia’ constructed with huge amounts of tax money for the profit of private corporate club teams.
It’s not that building a soccer exclusive stadium with tax money is inherently bad.
The problem is that the stadium is exclusively monopolized by a single private company.
The J.League states that current stadium regulations require an environment suitable for professional sports matches.
However, it makes us wonder just how shameless it is to demand it be constructed with tax money.
Also, since it’s constructed with tax money, it becomes a public facility ostensibly, even though it’s a stadium exclusively used by a single private company.
This means the maintenance costs for a stadium exclusively monopolized by a private company need to be covered by tax money.
What makes the conditions even worse is that the J.League stadium regulations require a roof over the spectator stands and natural grass on the field.
Natural grass means that the turf damaged during matches must be allowed to recover. However, the roof over the spectator stands affects sunlight exposure, meaning the grass requires recovery time on all days except the two monthly matches.
This means the local government only receives revenue from two matches per month, while the enormous maintenance costs are covered by tax money.
Also, since citizens cannot use the soccer field, it does not contribute to citizen sports. For this reason, it is called a J.League-exclusive stadium, not a soccer-exclusive stadium.
Some people claim that J.League-exclusive stadiums have public value under the pretext of being multipurpose facilities.
However, the public value actually lies in facilities like training gyms and conference rooms installed within the stadium. Therefore, if public value is the concern, the J.League-exclusive soccer field requires enormous construction and maintenance costs and is unnecessary. It would be sufficient to build only the parts with public value.
An individual complained to the mayor who rejected construction of a new J-League exclusive stadium, “You don’t understand how great it is to have a pro sports team.”
Honestly, I think it’s embarrassing as a professional sport to complain when a local government refuses to construct a stadium that would be exclusively used by a private company’s club team. Also, it is not community-based professional sports that demands tax money be spent even if it burdens citizens’ lives.
For example, if that individual claimed “I will negotiate with the J.League to have the enormously costly conditions removed, so please renovate the current stadium,” that would be somewhat understandable. (we don’t think small local governments have the capability to maintain multiple stadiums).
By the way, below is one of the solutions many people have suggested for the J.League’s exclusive stadium problem.
- The J.League, club teams, and supporters construct exclusive stadiums – Club teams can have exclusive use of the stadium.
- The J.League accepts artificial turf – Ensures public benefit as citizens can use the stadium.
- J.League abolishes the requirement for spectator stands to have roofs − This significantly reduces costs and allows existing stadiums to be utilized.
- J.League and club teams fully bear all maintenance and operational costs, including grass maintenance based on J.League requirements − This formally ensures public benefit.
- Reform of J.League operations (operating rules, number of teams, stadium regulations, etc.) − Evolve the J.League to suit the changing times.
We feel that a club team as a private company occupying a stadium constructed with tax money, receiving club operating expenses and stadium maintenance fees under the pretext of facility management fees, while paying players high annual salaries, is completely unsustainable as a professional sport.
We firmly believe that local governments can confidently claim reasons like ‘regional revitalization through sports’ or ‘the J.League is a regional treasure’ for constructing J-League exclusive stadiums precisely because they are confident they can provide sufficient services to citizens and local businesses.
We believe that considering construction and maintenance costs, services like water bills and buses could be made free.
Also, the local businesses that pay taxes are treasures too. We believe similar benefits should be extended to them as well.
Reference: THE YOMIURI SHINBUN ONLINE (2026/02/04)
https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/sports/soccer/jleague/20260119-GYT1T00393
Reference: THE ASAHI SHINBUN (2026/02/04)
https://www.asahi.com/articles/ASV183S6BV18UBUB001M.html
Reference: ABS(Akita Broadcasting System Inc.)(Youtube) (2026/20/21)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jlJvdgdtfls
Reference: ABS(Akita Broadcasting System Inc.)(Youtube) (2026/20/21)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42cFMShwKow
Reference: J-League Club Licensing Issuance Rules (2024/08/30)
https://www.jleague.jp/docs/aboutj/clublicense2014_01.pdf
Reference: B.LEAGUE [ B.LEAGUE INNOVATION ] (2024/08/17)
https://www.bleague.jp/new-bleague/renewal
Reference: B.LEAGUE [ B.Innovation INTERVIEW ] (2024/08/17)
https://www.bleague.jp/new-bleague/interview
Reference: Kaisha SHIKIHO [Japan Company Handbook] ONLINE “Influential Chairman Nonomura’s blueprint for a ‘profitable J.League’: The key is the creation of a ’20 billion yen club“ (2024/08/15)
https://shikiho.toyokeizai.net/news/0/774109
Reference: The Nikkei “The Value of ‘J’: The Road to Redefinition: Mitsuru Murai, Former J. League Chairman, Reflecting on 30 Years of the J. League (4)” (2024/08/15)
https://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXZQODH0837M0Y3A500C2000000
Thanks.