The J.League this week announced that Gamba Osaka, FC Tokyo and Cerezo Osaka will be allowed to field their Under-23 teams in the 2016 MEIJI YASUDA J3 League.

The decision by the league’s board of directors is intended to promote the development of younger players and provide them with more playing opportunities.

The youth sides will not be eligible for promotion to the MEIJI YASUDA J2 League, however.

A J.League U-22 selection had already been permitted to play in Japan’s third tier this season, in which they finished second from bottom.

With the announcement, 16 clubs will contest the J3 League in a home-and-away round-robin format over 30 rounds.

2016 MEIJI YASUDA J3 League Participating Clubs:

Grulla Morioka

Blaublitz Akita

Fukushima United

Tochigi SC

YSCC Yokohama

SC Sagamihara

AC Nagano Parceiro

Kataller Toyama

Fujieda MYFC

Gainare Tottori

Oita Trinita

Kagoshima United

FC Ryukyu

FC Tokyo U-23

Gamba Osaka U-23

Cerezo Osaka U-23