比赛队伍共有16队，以双循环作赛（双循环：两队球队分别以主场及作客身份对赛两次。）每个循环为一个阶段，每个阶段有15轮赛事。积分亦以每个阶段计算：每场赛事胜方得3分，负方无分，和局两队各得1分。最后以积分多寡排名次序，若积分相同则以得失球差来区别排名。两个阶段的冠军球队分别以主、客身份进行两场附加赛以争夺总冠军。如同一队伍囊括两个阶段的冠 ，则无需进行附加赛，由该队伍自动成为总冠军。

另外，甲组联赛两阶段结束后累积分数最少的2队为降班队伍；空缺由乙组联赛榜首2队球队升上甲组联赛填补。（视乎日本足协评核其资格是否可以升班）。

新赛季的日本联赛将从2004年的3月到12月进行，除联赛最后的冠军附加赛和几项杯赛的决赛外，所有的比赛都将在正常的90分钟后结束。获胜方将可积到3分，失利方积0分，如果两队打平，则各积1分，而不在进行加时赛。新的赛制也与当今国际间大多数协会的联赛赛制相一致。

■J-League Champions－－J联赛总冠军
1993 Verdy Kawasaki 川崎贝尔迪
1994 Verdy Kawasaki 川崎贝尔迪
1995 Yokohama Marinos 横滨马里诺斯
1996 Kashima Antlers 鹿岛鹿角
1997 Jubilo Iwata 磐田具比洛
1998 Kashima Antlers 鹿岛鹿角
1999 Jubilo Iwata 磐田具比洛
2000 Kashima Antlers 鹿岛鹿角
2001 Kashima Antlers 鹿岛鹿角
2002 Jubilo Iwata 磐田具比洛
2003 Yokohama F-Marinos FC横滨马里诺斯
2004 Yokohama F-Marinos FC横滨马里诺斯

■Stage Champions－－日本J联赛分两阶段冠军，分别为：
1993〔1st〕Kashima Antlers (13-5)
〔2nd〕Verdy Kawasaki (16-2)
1994〔1st〕Sanfrecce Hirosima (17-5)
〔2nd〕Verdy Kawasaki (17-5)
1995〔1st〕Yokohama Marinos (17-9)
〔2nd〕Verdy Kawasaki (19-7)
1996 Kashima Antlers (21-9)
1997〔1st〕Kashima Antlers (13-3)
〔2nd〕Jubilo Iwata (14-2)
1998〔1st〕Jubilo Iwata (13-4)
〔2nd〕Kashima Antlers (15-2)
1999〔1st〕Jubilo Iwata (12-3-0)
〔2nd〕Shimizu S-Pulse (12-3-0)
2000〔1st〕Yokohama F-Marinos (10-5-0)
〔2nd〕Kashima Antlers (10-1-4)
2001〔1st〕Jubilo Iwata (13-1-1)
〔2nd〕Kashima Antlers (13-2-0)
2002〔1st〕Jubilo Iwata (13-1-1)
〔2nd〕Jubilo Iwata (13-2-0)
2003〔1st〕Yokohama F-Marinos (10-3-2)
〔2nd〕Yokohama F-Marinos (7-3-5)
2004〔1st〕Yokohama F-Marinos (11-1-3)
〔2nd〕Urawa Reds (12-2-1)

■J-League Championship Games－－J联赛总决赛结果
*two games/total-goal format *OT...over time

1993 Game 1: 01-09-1994 Verdy Kawasaki 2, Kashima Antlers 0
Game 2: 01-16-1994 Verdy Kawasaki 1, Kashima Antlers 1

1994 Game 1: 11-26-1994 Verdy Kawasaki 1, Sanfrecce Hiroshima 0
Game 2: 12-02-1994 Verdy Kawasaki 1, Sanfrecce Hiroshima 0

1995 Game 1: 11-30-1995 Yokohama Marinos 1, Verdy Kawasaki 0
Game 2: 12-06-1995 Yokohama Marinos 1, Verdy Kawasaki 0

1996 No Championship Games (One Stage format)

1997 Game 1: 12-06-1997 Jubilo Iwata 3, Kashima Antlers 2 (OT)
Game 2: 12-13-1997 Jubilo Iwata 1, Kashima Antlers 0

1998 Game 1: 11-21-1998 Kashima Antlers 2, Jubilo Iwata 1 (OT)
Game 2: 11-28-1998 Kashima Antlers 2, Jubilo Iwata 1

1999 Game 1: 12-04-1999 Jubilo Iwata 1, Shimizu S-Pulse 0 (OT)
Game 2: 12-11-1999 Shimizu S-Pulse 2, Jubilo Iwata 1 (OT)
*Tiebreaker PS.....Jubilo Iwata 4, Shimizu S-Pulse 2

2000 Game 1: 12-02-2000 Kashima Antler 0, Yokohama F-Marinos 0
Game 2: 12-09-2000 Kashima Antler 3, Yokohama F-Marinos 0

2001 Game 1: 12-02-2001 Kashima Antler 2, Jubilo Iwata 2
Game 2: 12-08-2001 Kashima Antler 1, Jubilo Iwata 0 (OT)

2002 No Championship Games (Jubilo Iwata won both Stages)

2003 No Championship Games (Yokohama F-Marinos won both Stages)

2004 Game 1: 12-05-2004 Yokohama F-Marinos 1, Urawa Reds 0
Game 2: 12-11-2004 Urawa Reds 1, Yokohama F-Marinos 0 (OT)
*Tiebreaker PS.....Yokohama F-Marinos 4, Urawa Reds 2