Japan's Pickleball World Unites: JPA and PJF Officially Integrate, New Organization "Pickleball Japan (PJ)" Launched
Key facts
- Japan's Pickleball World Unites: JPA and PJF Officially Integrate, New Organization "Pickleball Japan (PJ)" Launched
- The Japan Pickleball Association (JPA) and the Pickleball Japan Federation (PJF) have integrated to form a new organization, "Pickleball Japan (PJ)". This establishes a unified system to promote the spread and development of pickleball in Japan.
- Source: PR Times
- Date: April 10, 2026
Direct answer
The Japan Pickleball Association (JPA) and the Pickleball Japan Federation (PJF) have integrated to form a new organization, "Pickleball Japan (PJ)". This establishes a unified system to promote the spread and development of pickleball in Japan.
- Citation
- Japan's Pickleball World Unites: JPA and PJF Officially Integrate, New Organization "Pickleball Japan (PJ)" Launched (April 10, 2026), PR Times
- Source
- PR Times
- Date
- April 10, 2026
The Japan Pickleball Association (JPA) and the Pickleball Japan Federation (PJF) have integrated to form a new organization, "Pickleball Japan (PJ)". This establishes a unified system to promote the spread and development of pickleball in Japan.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 10, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 11, 2026 at 00:27 (5h 27m after Published)
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 20, 2026 at 01:55 (217h 27m after Collected)
The Japan Pickleball Association (JPA) and the Pickleball Japan Federation (PJF) have agreed to integrate with the aim of achieving sustainable development of pickleball in Japan and establishing a unified competitive system. An integration agreement was signed on March 13, 2026. This integration officially came into effect on April 14, 2026.
On April 10, 2026, the new organization was announced, marking a new start as the governing body for pickleball in Japan.
This integration was agreed upon by both organizations on an equal footing and will be operated under a new governance structure.
Moving forward, the external name for the Pickleball Japan Federation will be used as:
**Pickleball Japan (PJ)**
and will promote the popularization and competitive development of pickleball in Japan.
Furthermore, the new logo incorporates the colors of the Japan Pickleball Association (JPA) based on the traditional PJF logo, creating a design that symbolizes integration and a new beginning.
**■ New Structure (Governance)**
With the integration, a new board of directors has been established.
**Chairperson**
Rika Riordan
**Vice Chairperson**
Shigeru Nishigami
**Secretary General**
Gaku Koizumi
**Executive Directors (in alphabetical order)**
Kento Sasaki
Koki Sugimoto
Yuki Tanaka
Chiharu Hachiya Lorenzoni
Masahiro Marutani
**■ Basic Philosophy**
**【Core Statement】**
Pickleball, the sport that connects people.
**【Mission】**
Through pickleball, we contribute to the development of a sports culture that connects people and fosters rich communities and healthy lives.
On April 10, 2026, the new organization was announced, marking a new start as the governing body for pickleball in Japan.
This integration was agreed upon by both organizations on an equal footing and will be operated under a new governance structure.
Moving forward, the external name for the Pickleball Japan Federation will be used as:
**Pickleball Japan (PJ)**
and will promote the popularization and competitive development of pickleball in Japan.
Furthermore, the new logo incorporates the colors of the Japan Pickleball Association (JPA) based on the traditional PJF logo, creating a design that symbolizes integration and a new beginning.
**■ New Structure (Governance)**
With the integration, a new board of directors has been established.
**Chairperson**
Rika Riordan
**Vice Chairperson**
Shigeru Nishigami
**Secretary General**
Gaku Koizumi
**Executive Directors (in alphabetical order)**
Kento Sasaki
Koki Sugimoto
Yuki Tanaka
Chiharu Hachiya Lorenzoni
Masahiro Marutani
**■ Basic Philosophy**
**【Core Statement】**
Pickleball, the sport that connects people.
**【Mission】**
Through pickleball, we contribute to the development of a sports culture that connects people and fosters rich communities and healthy lives.
FAQ
When did the Japan Pickleball Association and Pickleball Japan Federation officially sign their integration agreement?
The Japan Pickleball Association and Pickleball Japan Federation signed their integration agreement on March 13, 2026.
What is the official name of the new unified pickleball organization in Japan following the integration?
The new unified organization is officially named Pickleball Japan (PJ), effective April 14, 2026.
On what date was the new organization Pickleball Japan (PJ) publicly announced before its official launch?
The new organization Pickleball Japan (PJ) was publicly announced on April 10, 2026.
Who has been appointed as the Chairperson of the newly integrated Pickleball Japan (PJ) organization?
Rika Riordan has been appointed as the Chairperson of the newly integrated Pickleball Japan (PJ).
What does the new Pickleball Japan (PJ) logo symbolize and how does it reflect the integration?
The new Pickleball Japan (PJ) logo combines the PJF design with JPA colors to symbolize integration and a new beginning for the sport.