There were a few problems, though, that the league was forced to address. The first was the schedule. In 1995, as in the previous two years, the teams played a double round robin in both the first and second stages, ensuring that each team played home and away against all of its opponents during each stage. While this may have ensured "fairness", as the league grew inside it became too cumbersome to maintain.

In 1995, two teams joined the league -- Cerezo Osaka and Kashiwa Reysol -- raising the total number of teams to 14. As a result, each stage included 26 matches. This was simply too demanding a schedule, even though the league still had only one major Cup tournament (the traditional Emperor's Cup at the end of the year). By the end of the second stage, most teams were worn out, and the league realised that it had to change its format.

A second problem related to scoring. At its inception, the J.League played all matches to a conclusion, either through a "golden goal" victory in extra time or through penalty kicks. This format was selected mainly to differentiate football in Japan from baseball, its chief rival sport (in Japan, baseball games end in a draw if neither team can win in 11 innings).

However, many people complained that it was unfair to award the same number of points for a PK victory as for a victory in regulation time. To address this concern, the scoring system was changed in 1995. Teams received 3 points for a win a, regardless of how the win was achieved, and one point for a loss on PKs. While this was better than the original system, it still seemed to penalize teams that were able to remain level with their opponent for 120 minutes. The league would continue to adjust the scoring system for several more years.

1995 marked the high-water mark for the J.League's popularity. Although many would argue that its core fan base is actually stronger and more loyal today, in 1995 the J.League had become a "fad", especially among the young people of Japan. Teams played before packed stadiums and sales of uniforms and licensed goods filled the coffers of every team in the league. As a result, many stacked their lineups with well-known foreign players, including Europeans like Guido Buchwald, Salvatore Scillaci, Gary Lineker and Pierre Littbarsky, and South Americans like Jorghino, Leonardo, Ramon Diaz, Cesar Sampaio, Toninho and Mazinho.

Perhaps the greatest story of a foreign player who made good, though, is the story of Careca, who turned down a chance to play out the final year or two of his career in Europe and came to Japan to join JFL team Kashiwa Reysol. After two years in the lower division, Careca's tireless work with the young Reysol players, as well as his own brilliant scoring efforts, won Reysol promotion to the J.League, and in the second stage of 1995, Reysol amazed fans and foes alike by finishing fifth in therir first year after promotion. Sadly, this was the last hurrah for Careca. Nagging leg injuries would force him to retire in 1996.