http://www.nihonkiin.or.jp/english/topics/14/topics2014_12.htm

New System of Kisei Tournament!
  A tournament system of Kisei will be completely changed
from 40th Kisei tournament which has started from 11th December 2014.
  The new system has four leagues as S (6 players), A (8 players),
B (16 players) and C league (32 players) and Preliminary round
(about 400 players).
  A runners up of S league and a winner of each league will play
for the knockout tournament and the winner will play for the playoff match
to decide a challenger of Kisei title match with the winner of S league.
The playoff match will be the best of three games and a champion of
S league will be given a win as an advantage.
  At the new system, amateur players are also qualified to
the preliminary round.
  Those amateurs who place in the top four at the
`Internet amateur Kisei tournament' are qualified to the Preliminary round.
16 players will be qualified to C league from
  Preliminary round while 16 players from C league will be demoted
to preliminary round.
  B league players are selected according to performances of Kisei league
in the last three years. S and A league players are selected according to
the order of ranking in the 39th Kisei league. 
