LeRIRO Fukuoka, NTT Japan Rugby League One Team, Begins Collaboration with Oki Town, Fukuoka Prefecture, Appointing Staff as Community Revitalization Officers

LeRIRO Fukuoka, a team in the NTT Japan Rugby League One (operated by LeRIRO Corporation, headquartered in Ukiha City, Fukuoka Prefecture; CEO: Daiki Shimokawa), held an appointment ceremony on Wednesday, July 1, 2026, at Oki Town Hall in Fukuoka Prefecture, appointing Genki Tokushige (team staff) as a 'Community Revitalization Officer'.

This initiative is based on a regional partnership agreement among Oki Town, Oki Town Chamber of Commerce, and LeRIRO Corporation, aiming to solve regional challenges, support local businesses, and revitalize the community by leveraging the human resources and networks of a professional sports team.

Objectives and Overview of the Collaboration

LeRIRO Fukuoka will collaborate with Oki Town, utilizing the team’s human resources and networks, with the following three main objectives:

- Fostering a vibrant local society: Promoting exchanges through rugby and revitalizing the local community - Developing future generations: Youth development and educational support through the values of sports - Building the foundation for a community-based rugby team: Establishing a fan base rooted in the region

Specific Activities of the Community Revitalization Officers

Starting July 1, 2025, two staff members—Yuma Usu (team staff, referee), who has been active previously, and Genki Tokushige (team staff, partner sales)—will carry out the following activities as Community Revitalization Officers in Oki Town:

- Promoting Community Engagement

The officers will participate in local events and festivals and engage with various groups such as senior citizens’ associations, organizations, and schools to increase awareness of LeRIRO Fukuoka among residents, facilitating interactions with players to deepen the team’s integration into the community.

- Supporting Local Business Operations

In collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce, the officers will facilitate business matching among companies associated with LeRIRO Fukuoka, aiming to address challenges such as succession and labor shortages among local businesses, while also creating new business opportunities to revitalize the local economy.

- Addressing Regional Challenges

By sharing regional issues identified through community activities and visits to local businesses with Oki Town, the officers will help uncover previously unrecognized challenges and work toward their resolution.

Profile of the Community Revitalization Officers

### ■ Genki Tokushige

- Hometown: Kagoshima Prefecture - Date of Birth: August 27, 1990 (35 years old) - Career: Kagoshima Jitsugyo High School → Kyushu Koryu University → Coca-Cola Red Sparks → Akita Northern Bullets → Yakult Levins

About the Rugby Team 'LeRIRO Fukuoka'

LeRIRO Fukuoka is the only independent rugby team in Kyushu, established in April 2022 with its base in Ukiha City, Fukuoka Prefecture, and designating the southern Fukuoka region as its hometown.

In its inaugural year, 2022, the team won the Top Kyushu A League and was confirmed for entry into the NTT Japan Rugby League One, Japan’s highest-level rugby competition, for the 2024–2025 season.

The team currently competes in Division 3.

LeRIRO Corporation, which operates LeRIRO Fukuoka, runs not only the 'professional rugby team business' but also the 'regional trading business' with functions supporting local businesses and the 'future-building business' focused on tourism promotion, migration encouragement, and education to shape the region’s future. The company aims to contribute to Ukiha City and the broader southern Fukuoka region through regional contribution and economic revitalization.

By connecting the region’s rich resources and industries with professional athletes, the company creates and circulates new value to contribute to the revitalization of local communities and society.

(Website: https://leriro-fukuoka.com/)