Serialization by Japan National Soccer Team 'Best View 2026' Official Ambassador 'JI BLUE' Starts in Comprehensive Sports Magazine 'Sports Graphic Number' Releasing April 9!

Bungeishunju Ltd. (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo; President: Shigeyuki Iikubo) will start the serialization "I want to see JI BLUE's best view!" by the Japan national soccer team "Best View 2026" Official Ambassador "JI BLUE" in the comprehensive sports magazine 'Sports Graphic Number' releasing on April 9.

"JI BLUE" is a unit formed by a total of 12 members, 6 selected from each of the highly popular global boy groups "JO1" and "INI".

In order to drum up support for the Japan national team competing in the North and Central America World Cup opening in June, the 12 members will take on various projects in this serialization. The first installment will feature Hiromu Takatsuka (INI), Takumi Kawanishi (JO1), Sukai Kinjo (JO1), and Rihito Ikezaki (INI) across 4 pages, studying the history of the World Cup in a quiz format, from the 1998 France tournament when Japan first participated, up to the present.

From the next issue onwards, the member composition will change every issue as they appear in the magazine.

Since a serialization in a comprehensive sports magazine is a first-time endeavor for them as well, JI BLUE members Sho Yonashiro (JO1) and Rihito Ikezaki shared their enthusiasm.

Comment from Mr. Yonashiro I heard it's the first time a boy group like ours, JI BLUE, has been allowed to do a serialization in Number. I'm incredibly happy to be able to have a serialization as JI BLUE! Thank you so much!!

Through Number, which conveys the appeal of sports, we also hope to deepen our knowledge about soccer.

And I want to enjoy it together with all the readers so that we can see the best view!

Comment from Mr. Ikezaki It is truly an honor to start a serialization in the historic comprehensive sports magazine Number!

I immediately participated in the first installment and learned a lot about the history of the Japan national team in the World Cup!

Since I was young, it's a sport I've loved, watching soccer matches on TV with my family, and actually playing it in elementary school, but there was a lot of history I didn't know, so it was a great learning experience.

As an ambassador supporting the Japan national team, in order to unite with the people of our nation, I just think I have to increase my soccer knowledge more and more!

I want to learn together with everyone, so please continue to check it out!