The J.League announced that three Japan Football League (JFL) clubs have been licensed to participate in the 2016 edition of the MEIJI YASUDA J3 League.

Azul Claro Numazu, Nara Club and Kagoshima United FC were all awarded J3 Hundred Year Vision licences on Thursday.

These side will be eligible for promotion to the J.League’s third division should they finish in the JFL’s top four, and in the top two amongst Hundred Year Vision clubs, this season. 

As part of the licensing process, the clubs are required to maintain an average attendance of over 2,000, and earn at least 150,000,000 yen per year in terms of revenue.

Vanraure Hachinohe, whose new home ground will not be completed until October 2016, were denied a licence as they do not yet possess an alternate ground which aligns with J3 standards.