Vissel Kobe,
Gamba Osaka and
Consadole Sapporo were relegated at the end of the
2012 season after finishing in the bottom three places of the table. Consadole Sapporo returned to J2 after only one season in the top flight, while Vissel Kobe was relegated after six seasons in the top flight. Gamba Osaka, instead, was relegated for the first time since the creation of J.League in 1993 and the first time since their forerunners, Matsushita Electric Soccer Club, were relegated to the second Division of the
Japan Soccer League after the
1986–87 season. The three relegated teams were replaced by
2012 J.League Division 2 champions
Ventforet Kofu, runners-up
Shonan Bellmare and sixth-placed and play-off winner team
Oita Trinita. Kofu made an immediate return to the top division, while Shonan returned after a two-year absence. In the end, Oita beat
JEF United Chiba in the playoff final and returned in J1 after three seasons in the second division. Due to Oita's promotion, it will be the first time to have 2 clubs in the top-flight league competitions from
Kyushu since
2006, and
Kansai region will have only one club competing in the top flight first time since
1994 season due to Kobe and Gamba's relegations.
Personnel and kits Foreign players ==League table==