The 2013 J.League Division 2 season was the 42nd season of the second-tier club football in Japan and the 15th season since the establishment of J2 League. The regular season began on 3 March and ended on 24 November, followed by the promotion play-offs among four clubs ranked between 3rd and 6th at the end of regular season.

Gamba Osaka is a Japanese professional association football, football club based in Suita, Osaka Prefecture. The club plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country. The club's home stadium is Panasonic Stadium Suita. They form a ...

became champions, and

Vissel Kobe is a Japanese professional football club based in Kobe, Hyōgo Prefecture. The club plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country. They are currently the J1 League champions. The club's home stadium is Noevir Stad ...

became runners-up, both returned to J1 immediately after one season at J2. The other promoted team was third runners-up (fourth placers)

Tokushima Vortis is a Japanese professional football club located in Tokushima, capital of Tokushima Prefecture. The club currently playing in the J2 League, the Japanese second tier of professional football league. Name origin The name, "Vortis" was named in 19 ...

, who won the promotion playoff final, defeating

Kyoto Sanga FC is a Japanese professional football club based in Kyoto. The club plays in the J1 League, the top tier of football in the country. Its name "Sanga" comes from the Sanskrit word ''sangha'', a term meaning "group" or "club" and often used to deno ...

. With the win, Vortis made their J1 debut, becoming the first professional Shikoku football club to compete in the top division of their national league.

Clubs

Ventforet Kofu is a Japanese professional football club from Kōfu in Yamanashi Prefecture. The team currently competes in the J2 League, Japanese second tier of professional football, hosting their home matches in the JIT Recycle Ink Stadium, located in Kōf ...

and

Shonan Bellmare is a Japanese professional football club based in Hiratsuka, in the west of Kanagawa Prefecture, part of the Greater Tokyo Area. The club plays in the J1 League, which is the top tier of football in the country. Their home stadium is Hiratsuk ...

, champions and runners-up in the previous season, and

Oita Trinita is a Japanese football club located in Ōita, Capital of Ōita Prefecture. They currently play in J2 League, Japanese second tier of professional football. Name origin The club's name, ''Trinita'', is the Italian translation of the word ' ...

, winners of the promotion play-offs for 2012, were promoted to J1, then

Consadole Sapporo is a Japanese professional football club based in Sapporo, Hokkaido, Sapporo, on the island of Hokkaido. They will play in the 2025 J2 League, the second tier league of Japanese football, after relegation from the J1 League at conclusion of th ...

, and

were relegated to J2 instead. Sapporo returned to J2 only after one season in the top-flight, and Kobe returned to J2 second time after

2006 2006 was designated as the International Year of Deserts and Desertification. Events January * January 1– 4 – Russia temporarily cuts shipment of natural gas to Ukraine during a price dispute. * January 12 – A stampede during t ...

season, while Gamba suffered their very first relegation to the second-tier after J.League Division 2 was established in

1999 1999 was designated as the International Year of Older Persons. Events January * January 1 – The euro currency is established and the European Central Bank assumes its full powers. * January 3 – The Mars Polar Lander is launc ...

, and the first relegation since their former organization, Matsushita Electric Soccer Club, were relegated after the 1986–87 season of JSL.

V-Varen Nagasaki is a Japanese association football, football club based in Nagasaki, Capital of Nagasaki Prefecture. They currently play in J2 League, the Japanese second tier professional in football league. History The club was established in 1985 as Ari ...

, champions of the

2012 Japan Football League The was the fourteenth season of the Japan Football League, the third tier of the Japanese football league system. It has started on March 11, and finished on November 18. Clubs The league intended to run the season in the usual 18-team format, ...

, were promoted to J2 while

F.C. Machida Zelvia commonly known as is a Japanese professional football club based in Machida, Tokyo. They currently play in the J1 League, following promotion as J2 League champions in 2023. History Formation and election to the Prefectural League (1989–2 ...

, promoted to J2 from the previous season and ranked 22nd, were relegated back to

2013 Japan Football League The was the 17th season of the third tier of the Japanese football, and the 15th season since the establishment of Japan Football League. It started on 10 March and finished on 24 November. Clubs Due to unfortunate withdrawal of Arte Takasaki, ...

only after spending one season in J2. In February,

Thespa Kusatsu , formerly is a professional football (soccer) club based in Maebashi, Gunma Prefecture in Japan. The club currently play in the J3 League, the third tier of Japanese professional football. History The club was founded in 1995 in Kusatsu, on ...

changed their name to Thespakusatsu Gunma. The participant clubs were as follows:

Foreign Players

League table

Results

Play-offs

Promotion Playoffs to Division 1

2013 J.League Road To J1 play-offs (2013 J1昇格プレーオフ)
Teams that finished 3rd to 6th participate in play-off series for the last J1 promotion berth.

Semifinals

---- ---- If the score was tied after 90 minutes, no extra time was played and the winner was the team with the best league ranking.

Final

---- Tokushima Vortis were promoted to 2014 J.League Division 1

JFL Relegation Playoffs

2013 J2/JFL play-offs (2013 J2・JFL入れ替え戦)
The last-placed

Gainare Tottori are a Japanese football club, based in Tottori, capital of Tottori Prefecture. They play in the J3 League, the Japanese third tier of professional football league. Their team colour is green. Name origin Their team name ''Gainare'' derives fr ...

faced

runners-up

Kamatamare Sanuki Kamatamare Sanuki (カマタマーレ讃岐、''Kamatamāre Sanuki'') is a football club based in Takamatsu, the capital city of Kagawa Prefecture of Japan. They currently play in the J3 League, the Japanese third tier of professional football. ...

in a two-legged playoff series. ---- ---- Gainare Tottori was relegated to

2014 J3 League The 2014 J3 League (referred to as the 2014 Meiji Yasuda J3 League (2014 明治安田生命J3リーグ) for sponsorship reasons) was the 18th season of the third tier of the Japanese football, and the inaugural season of the professional J3 Leagu ...

Kamatamare Sanuki was promoted to

2014 J.League Division 2 The 2014 J.League Division 2 season was the 43rd season of the second-tier club football in Japan and the 16th season since the establishment of J2 League. The season commenced on 2 March and ended on 23 November. Post-season promotion and relega ...

Top scorers

Updated to games played on 24 November 2013
Source
J. League
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Awards

Player of the Month

Attendances

References

{{2013 in Japanese football J2 League seasons 2

Japan Japan is an island country in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean off the northeast coast of the Asia, Asian mainland, it is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan and extends from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea ...