Nippon Paint Group Announces Contract Renewal with Female Table Tennis Players Hitomi Sato and Saki Shibata
Nippon Paint Group has signed contract renewals with female table tennis players Hitomi Sato and Saki Shibata. Both players will continue to participate in the T-League as members of Nippon Paint Mallets and contribute to the company's brand recognition through their activities in major domestic and international tournaments.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 23, 2026 at 00:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 23, 2026 at 00:02 (2 min after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 23, 2026 at 03:17 (3h 15m after Collected)
Hitomi Sato and Saki Shibata, through this contract, will continue to participate in major domestic and international tournaments as contracted players belonging to Nippon Paint Group, following last year. They will also join the T-League as members of "Nippon Paint Mallets" for the 2026-2027 season.
The profiles of players Sato and Shibata are as follows:
Player Hitomi Sato
Playing Style: Right-handed shakehand cut style
Date of Birth (Hometown): December 23, 1997 (Hokkaido)
World Ranking (as of March 31): 22nd
[Recent Major Achievements]
2026 All Japan Table Tennis Championships, Women's Singles Top 8
WTT Star Contender Chennai 2026, Women's Singles Top 8
Comment from Player Hitomi Sato:
"I am pleased to continue my activities as a contracted player of 'Nippon Paint Group' this year. I am grateful for the environment that allows me to dedicate myself to the competition with the support of 'Nippon Paint Group'. I will do my best to repay this kindness with results!"
Player Saki Shibata
Playing Style: Right-handed shakehand drive style
Date of Birth (Hometown): August 25, 1997 (Chiba Prefecture)
World Ranking (as of March 31): 44th
[Recent Major Achievements]
2026 All Japan Table Tennis Championships, Women's Singles Top 8
WTT Star Contender Doha 2026, Women's Singles Top 8
Comment from Player Saki Shibata:
"Thank you always for your support. I am very happy to be able to contract with 'Nippon Paint Group' again this year. I will do my best to be more active both domestically and internationally than last year, contribute to improving the recognition of 'Nippon Paint Group', and repay the kindness of those who support me. I look forward to your continued support."
[Contact Information]
Nippon Paint Corporate Solutions Co., Ltd. Nippon Paint Mallets
Email: mallets@nipponpaint.jp
The profiles of players Sato and Shibata are as follows:
Player Hitomi Sato
Playing Style: Right-handed shakehand cut style
Date of Birth (Hometown): December 23, 1997 (Hokkaido)
World Ranking (as of March 31): 22nd
[Recent Major Achievements]
2026 All Japan Table Tennis Championships, Women's Singles Top 8
WTT Star Contender Chennai 2026, Women's Singles Top 8
Comment from Player Hitomi Sato:
"I am pleased to continue my activities as a contracted player of 'Nippon Paint Group' this year. I am grateful for the environment that allows me to dedicate myself to the competition with the support of 'Nippon Paint Group'. I will do my best to repay this kindness with results!"
Player Saki Shibata
Playing Style: Right-handed shakehand drive style
Date of Birth (Hometown): August 25, 1997 (Chiba Prefecture)
World Ranking (as of March 31): 44th
[Recent Major Achievements]
2026 All Japan Table Tennis Championships, Women's Singles Top 8
WTT Star Contender Doha 2026, Women's Singles Top 8
Comment from Player Saki Shibata:
"Thank you always for your support. I am very happy to be able to contract with 'Nippon Paint Group' again this year. I will do my best to be more active both domestically and internationally than last year, contribute to improving the recognition of 'Nippon Paint Group', and repay the kindness of those who support me. I look forward to your continued support."
[Contact Information]
Nippon Paint Corporate Solutions Co., Ltd. Nippon Paint Mallets
Email: mallets@nipponpaint.jp