The J.League Division 1 is the top division of Japan Professional Football League and is the top professional association football league in Japan. It is one of the most successful leagues in Asian club football and the only league given top class 'A' ranking by the AFC. Currently, J. League Division 1 is the first level of the Japanese association football league system. The second tier is represented by J. League Division 2. The J.League Winning Eleven series is exclusive to Japan and has been released since 2007 before the release of Pro Evolution Soccer and World Soccer: Winning Eleven. Prior to 2007, the game was released after the earlier games were released. J.League Winning Eleven 2000 is the officially licensed action soccer game based on the second stage of the 1998 J.League season. It is the follow-up to J.league '98-99. The series is well known for its smooth gameplay and simplicity of controls.