1998 J.League
The 1998 J.League season was the sixth season of the J.League. The league began in March 21 and ended in November 14.
For this year, the division was contested by 18 teams. Júbilo Iwata won the 1st stage and Kashima Antlers won the 2nd stage. Kashima Antlers won the J.League title after winning both matches in the Suntory Championship.
Clubs
The following eighteen clubs participated in J.League during the 1998 season. Of these clubs, Consadole Sapporo was the only newly promoted team from Japan Football League.- Avispa Fukuoka
- Bellmare Hiratsuka
- Cerezo Osaka
- Consadole Sapporo
- Gamba Osaka
- JEF United Ichihara
- Júbilo Iwata
- Kashima Antlers
- Kashiwa Reysol
- Kyoto Purple Sanga
- Nagoya Grampus Eight
- Sanfrecce Hiroshima
- Shimizu S-Pulse
- Urawa Red Diamonds
- Verdy Kawasaki
- Vissel Kobe
- Yokohama Flügels
- Yokohama Marinos
Standings
First stage'''Second stage'''
Playoffs
Suntory Championship
----Relegation playoffs
On the aggregate table, JEF United Ichihara, Avispa Fukuoka, and Vissel Kobe had earned within the 15th-18th places in the tables for both 1997 and 1998, while Consadole Sapporo had achieved within the same span on its sole season on the J.League. These clubs thus were entered in an elimination promotion/relegation tournament along with Japan Football League runners-up Kawasaki Frontale, who unlike champions Tokyo Gas had a base more qualifiable for the J.League.First round
Kawasaki forms J.League Division 2 the next season. Fukuoka advances to the next round.Second round
The winners of this round stay in J.League Division 1 and the losers play a final elimination series to determine the club relegated to Division 2.----
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Final round
----Fukuoka stays in J.League Division 1. Consadole is relegated to new J.League Division 2.