Softball: Rebranded 16-team Japan Diamond League to open season on 28 March

Softball: Rebranded 16-team Japan Diamond League to open season on 28 March
07/02/2022
The JD.League will replace the traditional Japan Softball League with a new brand and a new competition format.

Aiming to be the "strongest league in the world", the Japan Women's Softball League Organization announced the rebranded JD.League (Japan Diamond League) schedule for 2022. The regular season will open on 28 March in Chiba. The JD.League will replace the traditional Japan Softball League, including the rebranding of the league and a new competition format.

Toshimasa Shimada, JD.League chairman, said: "The name of JD.LEAGUE includes the diamond shape of the softball field and the meaning that we want you to shine like a jewel diamond as athletes.” 

JD.League Opening Day will be on 28 March at ZOZO Marine Stadium, venue that hosted the semi-finals and finals of the 2018 WBSC Women’s World Softball Championship in Chiba. The inaugural game will be played by three-time JSL champions Big Camera Takasaki Bee Queen and Toyota Motor Red Terriers, with Olympic gold-medal pitchers Yukiko Ueno and Miu Goto facing off.

The JD.League will present a new competition format. A total 16 teams will be split into two divisions: East and West. Each team will play 29 regular season games, including 21 games against the divisional rivals (7 as home team, 7 as visiting team, and 7 in a neutral venue), and 8 inter-divisional games. The teams in each division are:

  • East division: Honda Reverta, Bic Camera Takasaki Bee Queen, Taiyo Yuden Solfille, Toda Medics, Hitachi Sundiva, Ogaki Minamo , NEC Platforms Red Falcons and Denso Bright Pegasus.
  • West Division: Toyota Motor Red Terriers, Toyota Shining Vega, Tokai Cherry Blossoms, Nippon Seiko Brave Bearies, SG Holdings Galaxy Stars, Shionogi Rainbow Stokes, Iyobank Vertz, Takagi Kitakyushu Water Wave. 

The team with the highest winning percentage at the end of the regular season will be the "Divisional Champion". After that, the three teams with the highest winning percentages in each division will advance to the playoffs, along with a wild card. The playoffs will be played from 5-6 November, with the championship 'Diamond Series' slated for 12-13 November.

Full season schedule (in Japanese).