Star Player Exception & Contract Rules
How the ¥150M star clause works, minimum salaries by division, and the housing and transport deductions you need to track.
The salary cap isn't just about a total number. Understanding the star player exception, minimum salaries, and deductible benefits is what separates clubs that stay compliant from those that face penalties.
The Star Player Exception
Each club can designate one player earning ¥150,000,000 or more (the club's highest-paid player at season end) as their "star player." For cap calculation purposes, this player's salary counts as only ¥150,000,000 (excluding consumption tax), regardless of their actual compensation. This provides significant cap relief for clubs investing in a franchise-level player.
Minimum Salaries by Division
| Division | Player Type | Minimum Salary |
|---|---|---|
| PREMIER | Standard player | ¥8,000,000/year |
| PREMIER | Rookie | Per draft compensation table |
| ONE | Standard player | ¥3,600,000/year |
| ONE | Rookie (max) | ¥4,600,000/year |
| ONE | High school graduate | ¥1,200,000/season |
| ONE | University graduate | ¥3,000,000/season |
| NEXT | Standard player | ¥2,900,000/year |
| NEXT | Rookie (max) | ¥4,600,000/year |
| NEXT | High school graduate | ¥1,200,000/season |
| NEXT | University graduate | ¥3,000,000/season |
All amounts exclude consumption tax.
Deductible Benefits
Certain benefits provided to players can be deducted from the salary cap calculation (PREMIER and ONE only):
| Benefit | Condition | Deductible Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Housing | Studio / 2DK or smaller | ¥80,000/month |
| Housing | 2LDK or larger | ¥100,000/month |
| Vehicle | Per automobile | ¥40,000/month |
| Domestic airfare | Per season | ¥500,000/season |
| International airfare | Per season | ¥2,000,000/season |
If benefits are paid as direct allowances, the stated amount applies. Bicycle provisions have no cap conversion.
Variable Incentive Rules
Fixed incentives (signing bonuses, guaranteed contract payments) count directly toward the salary cap. Variable performance bonuses (appearance fees, win bonuses) are normally uncapped, but when a club is in a salary cap penalty situation, total variable incentives cannot exceed 20% of the team's total base salary.
Excluded from this limit: league/sanctioning body prize money (FIBA, JBA), merchandise royalties, and event/media appearance fees.
Payment Deadline: August 31
All contracted compensation for a given season must be paid by August 31 following the season's conclusion. Clubs cannot defer payments past this date to avoid cap inclusion. If post-season settlements (disputes, termination compensation) trigger additional payments after the September board meeting, those amounts are retroactively counted toward the season's salary cap and may trigger penalty payments.
Exchange Rate for Foreign Contracts
Foreign-currency contracts are converted using the average closing exchange rate (17:00 JST) from July 1 to June 30, two seasons prior. This ensures clubs have a known, stable conversion rate when planning international signings.