Arisa Anbara to Advance to U.S. NCAA Division I University; Special Event "LaLaport Presents PROJECT GLP" Featuring Evelyn Mawuli to be Held July 26 at LaLaport TOKYO-BAY

Sporta Japan Corporation (Head Office: Suginami-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Yusuke Katoku, hereinafter "Sporta") announces that, with Mitsui Fudosan Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Shun Ueda, hereinafter "Mitsui Fudosan") as an official sponsor, the "LaLaport Presents PROJECT GLP (Japan Got Next)" project, which supports Japanese women's basketball players in their overseas challenges, has selected its three members for the 2026 academic year.

Additionally, we are pleased to announce that Arisa Anbara, a participating player in PROJECT GLP, has decided to advance to the University of Richmond, a powerhouse in the U.S. NCAA Division I. This marks the first instance of a player advancing to an American university through PROJECT GLP, setting a new model case for the overseas career development of Japanese women's basketball players.

Furthermore, to widely promote this initiative, a special event, "LaLaport Presents PROJECT GLP – Japan Got Next –," will be held on Sunday, July 26, 2026, starting at 3:00 PM at Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport TOKYO-BAY.

About LaLaport Presents PROJECT GLP

LaLaport Presents PROJECT GLP (Japan Got Next) is a development and overseas challenge support project by Sporta Japan Corporation, aiming to create opportunities for Japanese women's basketball players to challenge themselves overseas and to produce players who will eventually play in the WNBA. It is operated with Mitsui Fudosan as the official sponsor.

Japan has many talented female players with the potential to compete on the world stage. However, until now, a lack of "connections, networks, and information" leading to U.S. universities (NCAA/National Collegiate Athletic Association) has prevented their talent from even getting a chance to compete. PROJECT GLP aims to become this missing pipeline. Now, as the market is expanding the most, we will send promising Japanese players to the global stage as early as possible.

Women's basketball in America is currently experiencing explosive popularity. The 2024 NCAA Women's Championship, which decides the top university team in Japan, was watched by an average of approximately 18.9 million people, surpassing the men's final for the first time in history. The professional WNBA also surpassed 3 million spectators for the first time in history, setting a new record. The broadcasting rights contract reached $2.2 billion over 11 years (over 300 billion yen), the largest in women's sports history, and the league is scheduled to expand to 18 teams by 2030. Popularity and economic value continue to grow steadily.

And the path to the WNBA, the highest stage, is almost entirely through the NCAA. The gateway to the WNBA is institutionally "via U.S. universities," and playing in the NCAA is the most reliable pipeline to reach the top of the world.

Specifically, we select promising female players aged 17-20 and create connections with American university basketball stakeholders through showcases in America and participation in local university programs. We provide opportunities to compete in a wide range of categories, including NCAA, NAIA, and JUCO, and support overseas studies and global career development.

2026 Academic Year Selected Members

Arisa Anbara: Decided to advance to NCAA Division I, University of Richmond

Kotonone Kurokawa: Received a scholarship offer from Oklahoma City University

Kizuna Tsunoda: Received a scholarship offer from Arizona Western College

These three players actually visited universities in America, interacted with local stakeholders, and participated in training and showcases, taking concrete steps toward their overseas challenges. Sporta Japan Corporation will continue to provide ongoing support.

Special Event Details

"LaLaport Presents PROJECT GLP – Japan Got Next –"

"Japan Got Next" – the belief that the next generation of Japanese players will shine on the world stage. With this conviction, we will widely communicate the new career possibilities of challenging overseas to society.

Date & Time: Sunday, July 26, 2026, 15:00~ Venue: Mitsui Shopping Park LaLaport TOKYO-BAY, North Gate 1F Midori Plaza

Admission is free and requires advance registration. We welcome not only basketball fans but also parents interested in their children's careers and overseas challenges.

Advance registration here: https://peatix.com/event/5045351

Event Program (Tentative)

Part 1: LaLaport Presents PROJECT GLP Special Talk Session Speakers: Evelyn Mawuli / Yusuke Katoku (President, Sporta Japan Corporation) Discussing the background of PROJECT GLP's launch and the possibilities of overseas challenges in Japanese women's basketball.

Part 2: Special Session on Overseas Challenges Speakers: Evelyn Mawuli / Arisa Anbara / Yusuke Katoku Deep dive into the real process leading to the decision to advance to the University of Richmond and prospects for a global career.

Part 3: Next Generation Players Talk Session Speakers: Evelyn Mawuli / Kotonone Kurokawa / Kizuna Tsunoda / Yusuke Katoku Exploring the experiences leading to scholarship offers and the decisions each player has made.

*Program details are subject to change.

For Media Inquiries

This event will bring together Arisa Anbara, who has decided to advance to NCAA Division I, Evelyn Mawuli, a silver medalist at the Tokyo Olympics, and next-generation players at the forefront of overseas challenges. Photo, video, and interview coverage requires advance application. As there are limited slots available, please contact the public relations representative below as soon as possible if you are interested.

Organizer Overview

Company Name: Sporta Japan Corporation

Representative: Yusuke Katoku

Business Activities: Sports technology business, international sports business

Locations: New York, USA / Tokyo, Japan

Official Contact: [email protected]

Sporta Japan Corporation is an international sports agency based in New York and Tokyo. Through the introduction of sports technology, sports marketing, and event production, our mission is to connect Japan and the world through the power of sports and energize people.

Inquiries Regarding This Matter

Sporta Japan Corporation Public Relations

Email: [email protected]

LaLaport Presents PROJECT GLP Special Event Registration: https://peatix.com/event/5045351