V.League Women (Japan) 2023/24

The V.League Women operates as the second tier of professional volleyball in Japan, sitting below the SV.League and above the V.Challenge League. Organized by the Japan Volleyball League Organization, the competition underwent a significant restructuring in 2024 when the SV.League was established as the new top division. Prior to this shift, the league functioned as the premier national stage following its rebranding from the V.Premier League in 2018.

Unlike the stricter licensing requirements of the SV.League, which demand arena capacities exceeding 5,000 seats, the V.League serves as a developmental platform for clubs that do not meet those higher financial and infrastructure benchmarks. The current 2024–25 season features eleven clubs competing in a regular season followed by a 'Final Stage' playoff. Teams are grouped based on their regular season rankings to determine the division champion. This structure allows for varied formats, having utilised both single and double round-robin systems in recent years to manage the number of matches played.

There is a mechanism for movement between the second and third tiers through playoff matches known as *irekawarase-sen*. Typically, the bottom-placed team in Division 1 faces the winner of Division 2 in a single match or short series, with the victor earning promotion. This system ensures competitive balance and provides an opportunity for clubs to ascend the national pyramid.

Historically, the competition has been dominated by corporate-owned entities. Hitachi, now known as Hitachi Rivale, holds the record for most titles across all eras with seventeen wins. In the modern professional era since 1994, Hisamitsu Springs leads with eight championships, followed by NEC Red Rockets with seven. NEC Red Rockets claimed the title in the final V.League Division 1 season before the tier change. The league continues to feature notable teams such as Hisamitsu Springs and NEC Red Rockets, which remain central to the sport’s history in the country.