SHONAI CEO Daisuke Yamanaka Appointed as Director of Montedio Yamagata
Daisuke Yamanaka, CEO of SHONAI, has been appointed as a non-executive director of Montedio Yamagata, effective May 20, 2026. Leveraging SHONAI’s regional branding and business creation expertise, he will support the club’s transformation into a regional value-creation hub centered on a new stadium project.
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- 📰 Published: May 21, 2026 at 02:00
- 🔍 Collected: May 20, 2026 at 17:32
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: May 20, 2026 at 17:38 (6 min after Collected)
SHONAI Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tsuruoka City, Yamagata Prefecture; hereafter "the Company") announces that Daisuke Yamanaka, Representative Director, has been appointed as a Director (non-executive) of Montedio Yamagata Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Yamagata City, Yamagata Prefecture; President and Representative Director: Kentaro Aida; hereafter "Montedio Yamagata"), effective May 20, 2026.
By combining the Company’s real-world expertise and knowledge gained through implementing tourism, regional branding, and business creation projects from the regions with Montedio Yamagata’s regional revitalization efforts and new stadium initiative centered on sports, we aim to transform sports' centripetal force into new economic creation and pursue value creation that expands from Yamagata to the nation and the world.
Background and Purpose of the Appointment
Under the leadership of President Kentaro Aida, Montedio Yamagata is aiming to evolve into a "Regional Value Creation Hub" that transcends the framework of a sports club, with an eye toward the opening of its new stadium in August 2028. Moving forward, the key theme is how to create a "hub for exchange, economy, and culture" that enhances the value of Yamagata as a whole by connecting people, regions, and the economy through sports, rather than limiting efforts to fan acquisition and match operations.
SHONAI operates businesses in agriculture, tourism/real estate, corporate transformation, and education, starting from the Shonai region of Yamagata, under the vision of "Being the Hope of the Regions."
SHONAI acted as a bridge between Montedio Yamagata and ES-CON JAPAN Ltd., a company with which we have long maintained a business partnership. This led to ES-CON’s investment in Montedio Football Park Co., Ltd., setting the foundation for collaboration across sports, tourism, and regional development.
This appointment of Yamanaka to the board is a step toward advancing this flow into a phase of practice. We will apply our regional management expertise to the management of Montedio Yamagata to generate new flows of economy and culture.
Comment
Daisuke Yamanaka, Representative Director, SHONAI Co., Ltd.
"Montedio Yamagata is a 'living' team."
I have two dreams I want to realize as a director of Montedio Yamagata. The first is for Montedio Yamagata to qualify for the AFC Champions League. The second is for Yamagata to become the world’s number one sports town with Montedio at its core. To achieve this, my role as a director is singular: 'to acquire the funds necessary to realize these dreams.' I will act from Yamagata to realize a football team and hometown that the world can be proud of.
By combining the Company’s real-world expertise and knowledge gained through implementing tourism, regional branding, and business creation projects from the regions with Montedio Yamagata’s regional revitalization efforts and new stadium initiative centered on sports, we aim to transform sports' centripetal force into new economic creation and pursue value creation that expands from Yamagata to the nation and the world.
Background and Purpose of the Appointment
Under the leadership of President Kentaro Aida, Montedio Yamagata is aiming to evolve into a "Regional Value Creation Hub" that transcends the framework of a sports club, with an eye toward the opening of its new stadium in August 2028. Moving forward, the key theme is how to create a "hub for exchange, economy, and culture" that enhances the value of Yamagata as a whole by connecting people, regions, and the economy through sports, rather than limiting efforts to fan acquisition and match operations.
SHONAI operates businesses in agriculture, tourism/real estate, corporate transformation, and education, starting from the Shonai region of Yamagata, under the vision of "Being the Hope of the Regions."
SHONAI acted as a bridge between Montedio Yamagata and ES-CON JAPAN Ltd., a company with which we have long maintained a business partnership. This led to ES-CON’s investment in Montedio Football Park Co., Ltd., setting the foundation for collaboration across sports, tourism, and regional development.
This appointment of Yamanaka to the board is a step toward advancing this flow into a phase of practice. We will apply our regional management expertise to the management of Montedio Yamagata to generate new flows of economy and culture.
Comment
Daisuke Yamanaka, Representative Director, SHONAI Co., Ltd.
"Montedio Yamagata is a 'living' team."
I have two dreams I want to realize as a director of Montedio Yamagata. The first is for Montedio Yamagata to qualify for the AFC Champions League. The second is for Yamagata to become the world’s number one sports town with Montedio at its core. To achieve this, my role as a director is singular: 'to acquire the funds necessary to realize these dreams.' I will act from Yamagata to realize a football team and hometown that the world can be proud of.
FAQ
What is Daisuke Yamanaka's role at Montedio Yamagata?
As a non-executive director, he will support stadium funding and regional economic revitalization through branding.
What is the goal of the partnership between SHONAI and Montedio Yamagata?
To create a hub for exchange, economy, and culture centered on the new stadium, leveraging the synergy between sports and regional economy.
When is the new stadium project in Yamagata expected to be completed?
The project aims for the new stadium to open in August 2028.