Thought we might like an update...
The way it's balanced at the moment, every now & then teams get put into other Div IIs in Japan, outside of the logjam in II.1. There's currently even a solo manager in II.3. His top-salaried guy is on $5.1k. His entire roster salary is less than $30k. Yet this season, he's unbeaten, and all he has to do to promote to the JBBL is stick around. He'll get to the JBBL, and get absolutely crushed.
Which would be better, his current situation, or one where he starts in Div III, has pretty much the same experience as he does now, but when he promotes, promotes to a Div II where he'll have more competition, but not the godawful jump he's going to experience.
It makes a helluva lot of sense to start at the lowest point available, not the highest point available (as it is currently set).
http://with-malice.com/ - The half-crazed ramblings of a Lakers fanatic in Japan