Itoi GHD in Shibetsu City Establishes General Incorporated Association Blaze Sports Club

Itoi Group Holdings Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibetsu City, Representative Director: Daisuke Sugawara, hereinafter "Itoi GHD") announced the establishment of the "General Incorporated Association Blaze Sports Club" as of March 31, 2026. Representative Comment: In 2019, the youth baseball team in Asahi-cho, Shibetsu City, ceased to exist. With the sole desire to protect a place where children could be themselves, activities that became the predecessor of Blaze Academy were started. Initially, instructors and equipment were sought out, and the activities were sometimes ridiculed as 'just playing around.' However, when the junior team won their first rookie tournament in 2022, the 6th graders who couldn't play in the game rejoiced and shed tears for their juniors' victory as if it were their own. Their smiles and tears were far more wonderful than the dream envisioned when the activities began. We are now taking a big step forward. The transition from a corporate business to a highly public 'General Incorporated Association' is to make this activity a sustainable local culture, not a temporary trend. Our slogan is 'BE A PRO.' This does not simply mean aiming to be a technical professional. We aim to foster 'life professionals' who learn discipline through sports, cultivate a spirit of friendship, and burn with ambition towards their dreams. Furthermore, we aim for a society where no child gives up on sports due to family circumstances, living area, or economic reasons. We have also begun concrete challenges towards building a 'society where no one is left behind,' such as tuition fee exemptions for elementary school students (grades 1-4) and support for single-parent households. We aim to transform a place that was once said to be 'nice to have' into an 'indispensable' presence for the community. For the future of children and for a vibrant and bright local society, Blaze Sports Club will continue to run with all its might, together with everyone. Corporate Overview: Corporate Name: General Incorporated Association Blaze Sports Club. Location: 4527-89 Asahi-cho Chuo, Shibetsu City, Hokkaido. Representative: Daisuke Sugawara. Directors: Koki Matsuda, Ten Mabuchi. Auditor: Etsuki Nishimura. Established: March 31, 2026. Business Activities: Athlete development, planning and operation of various competitions and events, and community building activities.