J.League 100 Year Plan club status

J.League 100 Year Plan club status, Jei Rīgu hyakunen kōsō kurabu (Jリーグ百年構想クラブ) is a status given to Japanese non-league football clubs. The applicant must have an intention to become a professional club and to join the professional league, J.League, that governs the top three levels of the Japanese football pyramid. Usually clubs from the fourth level, Japan Football League, which is the top tier for amateur clubs, apply for the status; however, it is open for all amateur clubs down to prefectural leagues. The applications are reviewed and inspected by a committee formed by the league. From the 2014 to 2022 seasons, the associate membership was the main criteria for J3 promotion. The system allows the League to identify such clubs, to provide necessary resources/advice, and to ease the transition to professionalism.