Former Japan National Soccer Team Player Akihiro Endo to Serve as Head Judge for "Japan National Soccer Team Mental No. 1 Championship" Talk Live Event

Idea Human Support Service Co., Ltd. (Head Office: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, President: Mariko Ukiyo, hereinafter referred to as Idea Human Support Service), which operates the Idea Mental Training Individual School, will co-host a talk live event titled "Japan National Soccer Team Mental No. 1 Championship" with the Japan Mental Trainer Association (Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Kumiko Imura, hereinafter referred to as Japan Mental Trainer Association). The event will feature former Japan National Soccer Team player Akihiro Endo as the head judge and will be held on Sunday, July 19, 2026.

Background and Objectives

As sports activities intensify during the summer, with international competitions and tournaments held across Japan, attention turns to the performances of top athletes, including members of the Japan national team. What top athletes competing on the world stage have in common is not just their skill and physical strength, but also their "mental toughness" that allows them to perform under extreme pressure. Therefore, this talk live event is being held to provide a platform where participants can directly learn from top athletes about what constitutes world-class mentality and how to cultivate it.

Idea Human Support Service has supported the mental well-being of many top athletes, including Olympic athletes. In recent years, the Idea Mental Training Individual School has developed and introduced "IDEAR Neuro Training (Idea NT)," a program that combines a brain science-based approach to improve various cognitive abilities such as spatial awareness and selective attention with mental training, to enhance sports performance.

Against this backdrop, the Japan Mental Trainer Association, established and operated primarily by athletes, is holding the "Japan National Soccer Team Mental No. 1 Championship," where participants post on X who they believe is the mentally strongest player on the national team. Based on the voting results, a talk live event will be held to explore "what kind of mentality is needed to compete globally," with a former national team player serving as the head judge. A spatial awareness challenge experience using Idea NT will also be offered exclusively to attendees at the Shibuya venue, providing an opportunity to experience the mental training methods practiced by top athletes.

"Japan National Soccer Team Mental No. 1 Championship" Talk Live Event Overview

This event will be held in two parts, with two former national team players serving as head judges, each announcing their picks for the mentally strongest player. For the first part, we are pleased to welcome Akihiro Endo, former Japan National Soccer Team player, who was instrumental in the "Miami Miracle."

【Event Name】Japan National Soccer Team Mental No. 1 Championship

【Part 1】Sunday, July 19, 2026, 19:30-21:00 Head Judge: Akihiro Endo (Former Japan National Soccer Team Player)

【Part 2】Friday, July 24, 2026, 19:30-21:00 Head Judge: Koji Morisaki (Former Japan National Soccer Team Player)

【Format】

Shibuya Venue: Cocolo Goto Cafe, 1F, SANWA Aoyama Building, 2-9-9 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Online: Simultaneous streaming via Zoom

【Participation Fee】Regular Price: ¥11,000 → Special Price for Survey Respondents: ¥3,500

【Capacity】Shibuya Venue: First 30 people (first-come, first-served)

【Organizers】Japan Mental Trainer Association / Idea Mental Training Individual School

【Application & Details】https://www.idear.co.jp/mental-kobetsu/sports-2026-mental-championship-l/

【1】Interactive Talk Live

Based on the results of freely recommending and commenting on current national team players on the official X account of the Japan Mental Trainer Association, the discussion will be further deepened in a talk live with Mr. Endo. Mr. Endo will announce the No. 1 mentally strongest player from his unique perspective.

【2】Former Japan National Soccer Team Player Shares "Real-World Mental Strategies"

Mr. Endo will candidly share his experiences competing on the world stage and his insights into mental fortitude. The content will cover practical strategies such as maintaining composure under pressure and recovering from mistakes, which can be applied not only by athletes but also by business professionals and students.

【3】Shibuya Venue Attendees Only | Spatial Awareness Training Experience (Idea NT Experience)

Attendees at the Shibuya venue will have the opportunity to experience Idea NT. You can challenge Mr. Endo's spatial awareness abilities directly.

Head Judge Profile

<Akihiro Endo>

Joined Yokohama F. Marinos in 1994 after graduating from Kagoshima Jitsugyo High School, and played professionally for 14 years as a key midfielder. Controlled the game with his abundant stamina and innate soccer sense. Contributed to Marinos' three league championship titles. Wore the No. 10 jersey in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, orchestrating the "Miami Miracle." After retiring, he has been dedicated to promoting sports and mental well-being, and currently serves as a Mental Training Ambassador for Idea Human Support Service.

Former Japan National Soccer Team Player Akihiro Endo

About the Japan Mental Trainer Association

Japan Mental Trainer Association

Under the slogan "Mentality Evolves Through Training," the Japan Mental Trainer Association was founded in 2012, primarily for athletes. We aim to provide results-oriented support by enabling more people to utilize mental training in their daily lives, leading to improved performance and achievement of goals.

We utilize programs that have delivered results for many individuals, including top athletes such as Olympic and professional players, as well as business professionals and children. In addition to sports, we offer programs for companies to improve productivity and motivation, and for education, we provide mental training to foster resilience for exams and club activities. We also offer programs for the arts to enhance acting skills and prepare for auditions. Many companies, organizations, and individuals have adopted mental training.

Organization Name: General Incorporated Association Japan Mental Trainer Association

Representative Director: Kumiko Imura (Beijing Olympics Women's Long Jump Representative)

Location: 7F, SANWA Aoyama Building, 2-9-9 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

URL: https://mentaltrainer.or.jp/

About Idea Mental Training Individual School

Idea Mental Training Individual School

Many children give up easily, unable to visualize success in their studies or sports. Recognizing the infinite potential of children, we opened the "Idea Mental Training Individual School" with the aim of cultivating a foundation for success in studies, sports, arts, and daily life – in other words, "the will to live" – through mental training. Based on the expertise gained from providing mental training to many top athletes, including professional sports players and Olympians, Idea Human Support Service offers personalized programs. We also have programs for adults, such as training for achieving business results and preparing for certification exams.

Furthermore, the period when one cannot attend school is referred to as "Step Phase®," and it is treated as a period for self-reflection and preparation for stepping into a new stage, spent in a positive manner.

Idea Mental Training Individual School Aoyama Shibuya Main Branch

Location: 8F, SANWA Aoyama Building, 2-9-9 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo

Phone: 03-6450-6075

URL: https://www.idear.co.jp/mental-kobetsu/

About Idea Human Support Service

Idea Human Support Service

Idea Human Support Service operates under the philosophy of "Solving Social Issues Through Counseling and Mental Training" and supports career changes for working adults as specialists in mental care. We have an extensive network with doctors, therapists, psychological counselors, and mental trainers in the United States and introduce the latest overseas programs.

In the field of mental training, we have worked with a wide range of athletes in sports such as soccer, golf, baseball, gymnastics, tennis, swimming, track and field, figure skating, and table tennis. These programs have been applied to prevent employee turnover and mental health issues in organizations, and many companies have adopted them since 2000. We also provide mental support to company executives and artists, and offer mental care following disasters, incidents, and accidents, including post-earthquake support for the Great Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake and the Great East Japan Earthquake, and mental care for Ukrainian refugees. In SNS counseling, in cooperation with the National Federation of Psychological Services (Zen-shin-ren), we have produced many SNS supervisors and SNS counselors for initiatives such as the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare's Suicide Prevention Project, educational consultations, child abuse prevention consultations for children and parents, consultations for women, and disaster mental care.

Company Name: Idea Human Support Service Co., Ltd.

Representative: President Mariko Ukiyo

Location: 9F, SANWA Aoyama Building, 2-9-9 Shibuya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-0002

URL: https://www.idear.co.jp/