Matsumoto Yamaga were relegated last season. Here’s what they’ll be wearing in J2. Green home, white away, red and blue are the ‘keepers’ gear!

Graphic for Shimizu S-Pulse home shirt for their J2 season in 2016.

And S-Pulse neighbours Jubilo Iwata, who have switched places with them in J1 for 2016.

Vissel Kobe home and away, with a special close-up on their home shirt, too.

Kawasaki Frontale 2016 20th Anniversary “Gremio” shirt!

Kawasaki Frontale Home, away, “cup” shirts

V-Varen Nagasaki home (orange) and away

Yokohama F•Marinos home (blue), away (pink) and three cool GK shirts

Albirex Niigata home (orange) and away

Ventforet Kofu home (blue) and away

Kashiwa Reysol home (yellow) and blue GK shirt

Urawa Reds

Thespakusatsu Gunma home (blue away (white) and two GK shirts

FC Tokyo home / away authentic version

Nagoya Grampus home and away

Kashima Antlers home (red) and away

Fujieda MYFC home

Nara Club (JFL), home, away, GK

Montedio Yamagata away

Mito HollyHock home (blue) and away

Zweigen Kanazawa home

Here’s the text with that video … August 4th, 2011, RIP Naoki Matsuda

Former Japan international defender Naoki Matsuda died on Thursday, two days after collapsing with a heart attack during training, leaving the country’s football community in mourning.
His death aged 34 was announced by his club Matsumoto Yamaga of the Japan Football League, the third-tier division, where he moved this year after 16 years at J-League first-division side Yokohama Marinos.

Matsuda fell into a coma after a warm-up run on Tuesday morning. He was rushed to hospital, where he was put on life support.
Fans, along with past and present team-mates, flocked to the hospital in the mountain city of Matsumoto, 180 kilometres (110 miles) northwest of Tokyo, as Matsuda fought for his life.

His death came just over two weeks after Japan’s women’s team won the World Cup for the first time.

“I never got to know Matsuda directly but knew what a great player he was having watched him in the J.League last year,” Japan coach Alberto Zaccheroni said, according to Kyodo news agency.

Matsuda, known as a gutsy player and valued for his 183-centimetre (six foot) height, was capped 40 times. He played all four of Japan’s matches at the 2002 World Cup, when the Blue Samurai reached the last 16 at home. But his international career ended in 2005 when he fell out with then national coach and Brazilian legend Zico.

Matsuda said in his farewell speech to Yokohama fans in December that he lived for the game. “Seriously, I love football for the heck of it,” he said.

… and another worth your time:

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Matsumoto Yamaga – debut J1 season

 FC Gifu Home

Shimizu S-Pulse Home (Orange) Away (White)

Vegalta Sendai Home

Kawasaki Frontale

Urawa Reds (home – rumoured)

Oita Trinita  2-1  Thespakusatsu Gunma
Kamatamare Sanuki  2-2  Kyoto Sanga
Matsumoto Yamaga  0-0  Montedio Yamagata
Giravanz Kitakyushu  2-1  V-Varen Nagasaki
Tokyo Verdy  1-1  Yokohama FC
Kataller Toyama  0-2  Roasso Kumamoto
Avispa Fukuoka  1-0  FC Gifu
Mito HollyHock  0-0  Ehime FC
Fagiano Okayama  1-0  JEF United Chiba
Shonan Bellmare   1-1  Jubilo Iwata

Table at http://www.jsoccer.com/tables/

Starting at the top, Ventforet Kofu clinched the J2 Championship in an away victory over Avispa Fukuoka, while Kyoto Sanga put away their inconsistency for a while (?) and made 2nd spot their own with a 3-1 win over FC Gifu. Kyoto also have a game in hand – to be played this week at Tokushima Vortis – and COULD go four points clear of 3rd placed Shonan Bellmare with a win. With three games to go after that match is played, it would be a HUGE three points for the Kansai team.

Meanwhile, fighting for the play-off spots we saw Montedio Yamagata stay in the hunt with a 1-0 win over Giravanz Kitakyushu, who are now out of the running. Shonan Bellmare fought out a 1-1 draw and are in 3rd (66 points) and 6th (33) respectively. Oita Trinita went down away to Gainare Tottori in a shock result that sees Oita left in 4th on 64 points. In 5th we see Yokohama FC, who pulled off single goal away win at Roasso Kumamoto. Hanging around just outside the play-off zone, in 7th we see Tokyo Verdy, only edged out be JEF on goal difference, it must be said, who beat up Tochigi 4-1, effectively ending the losing team’s play-off hopes, although not mathematically, and this IS J2 we are discussing!

Montedio are in 8th and still in the fight and a special mention for Matsumoto Yamaga, in their debut year in J2, up to 9th (with a win over Mito HollyHock) and, technically still in with a chance, too – but, more importantly well clear of relegation and a nicely-consolidated place in J2 for 2013.

Fagiano Okayama likely lost their slim hopes of making the play-offs with a 1-0 defeat at Thespa Kusatsu, while aforementioned defeats for Kitakyushi, Mito and Tochigi sees those teams consigned to middle-table “obscurity” for this season now.

At the bottom Machida Zelvia went down 4-2 at home to Ehime FC and are now six points adrift of FC Gifu, in 21st position in J2 and are staring relegation from J2 in the face, J.League with associate members V-Varen Nagasaki well clear at the top of the JFL. For a full explanation of the possibilities of J2/JFL relegation/promotion see JSoccer Magazine Issue 5 page 27.

In J1 AND J2 we are in for BIG finish – be there with JSoccer Magazine and JSoccer.com