The League of Legends Japan League (LJL) is the top level of professional League of Legends competition in Japan.[2][3][4] The league franchised prior to start of the 2019 season and had eight teams under partnership (which became six in 2024).[1]
Before 2024, the spring and summer champions qualified for the Mid-Season Invitational and World Championship respectively.[5] However, in 2024, the top three teams from each LJL split were seeded into the Pacific Championship Series (PCS) playoffs and competed with other PCS teams for a chance to represent the larger region at international events; LJL teams would no longer qualify directly to MSI and Worlds. Since 2025, the LJL is a second division to the League of Legends Championship Pacific (LCP).
Each annual season of play is divided into three splits, Forge, Storm and Ignite, which then conclude a with playoff tournament known as the LJL Finals. The winner of the LJL Finals qualifies for the LCP Promotion Tournament for the opportunity to qualify for the Asia-Pacific tier one league.
Format
Regular Season
Open Qualifiers
Prior to each split, up to sixty-four teams participate in open qualifiers
Depending on the number of teams entered, up to eight groups of eight are held, single round robin best-of-ones
The top sixteen teams compete in a single elimination bracket, with all matches being best-of-threes
Depending on how many spots need to be filled, loser's playoffs will be held after the qualifying round, also best-of-threes, to determine the remaining spots
Forge
The best teams from the prior season still existing (plus the remaining open qualifier teams) participate in a sixteen-team Swiss stage
All rounds in the Swiss stage are best-of-ones, with the prior season's best teams seeded ahead of the open qualifier teams
The best eight teams advance to the playoffs, with the quarter-finals and semi-finals being best-of-threes and final being a best of five
Storm
Top eight teams from open qualifiers plus top 4 from the Forge split participate in a "Storm Swiss" stage, consisting of best-of-ones
After the second round, the best 1-1 team is placed into the 2-0 group, with the worst 1-1 team being placed in the 0-2 group
The best six teams (all teams in the 2-0 group and winners of the 1-1 group) advance to the playoffs, with the quarter-finals and semi-finals being best-of-threes and final being a best of five
The winners of the 2-0 group earn a bye to the semi-finals
Ignite
Top eight teams from open qualifiers plus top 4 from the Storm split participate in a "Bounty" stage, lasting 6 rounds and consisting of best-of-ones
Teams earn 10 points plus triple the number of wins of their opponent per win (maximum of 25 points) and 4 points per loss
After each round, the lowest-ranked teams choose their opponents for the next round
The best six teams advance to the playoffs, with the quarter-finals and semi-finals being best-of-threes and final being a best of five
The top 2 teams on points earn a bye to the semi-finals
LJL Finals
The top six teams in championship points, earned from the regular season, participate in the LJL Finals
