Jon and James begin their big review of the J2 season by looking at the five teams that finished in the bottom quarter of the standings in 2024.

In Part 1 of this episode, the relegation zone comes under the microscope as the boys cover Gunma (Start to 08:00), Kagoshima (08:00 to 12:50), and Tochigi SC (12:50 to 19:40).

Then in Part 2, the focus shifts to just above the drop zone, with Ehime (19:40 to 26:45) and Oita (26:45 to Finish) being analyzed in detail.

We hope everyone enjoys the pod - more review episodes coming soon!

Jonny and Ben welcomed Dan Orlowitz back to the pod to chat about Japan's World Cup qualifying victories over China and Indonesia, and how Hajime Moriyasu might approach more than a year of 'dead rubbers' after the Samurai Blue clinch qualification, which will almost certainly come in the next international break, in March (to 27:20), and also Peter Cklamovski's departure from FC Tokyo, after a year and a half in charge (to 39:35).

Then in Part 2 we round up the two J1 games played last weekend, and look ahead to the resumption of Urawa v Kawasaki on Friday, and the big one: The Emperor's Cup Final between Gamba Osaka and Kobe, at the National Stadium on Saturday.

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In this week’s standalone J-Talk: Short Corner, Mike Innes has a full review of all the action from anentertaining penultimate round of J3 fixtures, and a preview of what promises to be a dramatic final day of the regular season.

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Jon Steele and James Taylor have all the important action from the final day of the regular J2 season, with the second automatic promotion spot and the playoff participants still to be decided. In Part 1, Jon talks us through the matches that decided 2nd place, Yamaguchi v Yokohama FC and Nagasaki v Ehime (start to 17:25). In part 2, James leads a clockwatch roundup of the playoff contenders’ games: Kagoshima v Okayama, Yamagata v JEF United, and Sendai v Oita (17:25 to 42:25). After that, there’s a look far ahead into the future to preview the playoff semi finals (42:25 to 58:00), and then it’s time to elect the final Most Bravo Player of the regular season (58:00 to end).

Thanks as always for your support of JTET, JTSC, and the J-Talk Podcast!

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In this standalone episode of 'J-Talk: Short Corner', Mike 'The Magic' Innes looks back at another big weekend of J3 results as Japan's third tier enters the final stretch. Congratulations are in order for Imabari, as they seal promotion to J2 for 2025!

There's also a preview of the upcoming Round 37 fixtures, and a handy explainer for the post-season J3 Play-Offs and the Relegation Play-Off between J3 and the Japan Football League.

Enjoy the show!

On this week's episode Ryo Nakagawara makes a very welcome return, to chat about the big games involving the top three teams in J1 in Matchday 36.

We begin with Hiroshima's dirty Sunday afternoon at Saitama Stadium, where their title hopes took a massive blow as they slumped to a 3-0 defeat to hosts Urawa, then move on to Kobe's trip to Tokyo Verdy - the champions stunned by a late equalizer but actually pulling a further point clear of Sanfrecce. And finally with Ryo we do a deep dive on Machida 3-0 FC Tokyo at the National Stadium on Saturday (to 1:10:35).

In Part 2 Jonny and Ben run through the other seven games, including some amazing late drama in the relegation dogfight.

Check out Ryo's Shogun Soccer newsletter, and he's definitely worth a follow on Twitter if you aren't already.

Time is running out for promotion playoff hopefuls in Japan’s 2nd and 3nd tiers, and James Taylor, Jon Steele and Mike Innes bring you every twist and turn in the battle to finish in the top 6. First, James and Jon discuss games involving J2’s top 7: Shimizu v Iwaki, Yokohama FC V Tochigi and JEF United v Nagasaki (start to 12:05); Okayama v Fujieda, Mito v Yamagata, and Kumamoto v Sendai (12:05 to 26:10). Then they choose their Most Bravo Players (26:10 to 30:00) and look ahead to the final day of the regular season (30:00 to 40:15). After that, the action just keeps coming, as Mike brings you a full roundup of another dramatic J3 matchday in J-Talk: Short Corner (40:15 to end).

Thanks as always for your support of JTET, JTSC, and the J-Talk Podcast!

• Join the JLeague chat Discord server here: https://discord.gg/p6PVbF9E
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On this week's bumper episode of the pod Jonny is joined by special guest (though we still think of him as part of the furniture) Sam Robson, to review that wet, wild and wooly Levain Cup final that saw Nagoya triumph on penalties over Niigata.

It was also a seismic weekend in the J1 title race, and its advantage Kobe after the defending champions won on Friday night, with Hiroshima slipping up at home on Sunday to Kyoto, who themselves, like Shonan at FC Tokyo, practically sealed their safety. The guys chat about the ramifications at both ends of the table, round up all of the games, then look ahead to another national team squad selection, and the Matchday 36 slate.