UNIRITA Hires Para Table Tennis Player as Athlete Employee

UNIRITA Inc. (Headquarters: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President and Representative Director: Hiroyuki Kitano; TSE Standard Market: 3800; hereinafter "UNIRITA") has hired para table tennis player Izumi Saito as an athlete employee, effective April 1, 2026, as part of its efforts to promote DE&I and support corporate sports.

Ms. Saito is a para-athlete who has garnered attention for overcoming a long battle with the designated intractable disease "Sjögren's syndrome," which causes joint pain and systemic fatigue, and reaching the top level of domestic competition in just three years. In addition to the interpersonal support skills she cultivated during her experience as a teacher in public elementary and junior high schools, she possesses a strong drive to take on challenges, fueled by her experience overcoming illness. We look forward to her significant contributions to promoting diversity at UNIRITA.

About Izumi Saito Profile ・Name: Izumi Saito ・Background: Public elementary and junior high school teacher/counselor, private tutoring school owner

She has demonstrated coaching and counseling abilities by being attentive to the characteristics and circumstances of each individual student and parent.

Major Competitive Achievements Competition Class: Class 2 (Players are divided into classes 1-10 based on international classification rules according to the impact of their impairment on table tennis play. The lower the number, the greater the severity; Class 2 is the second most severe category among wheelchair users.)

・Tokyo Disability Sports Games (2024): Winner ・National Sports Games for People with Disabilities (2024/2025): Consecutive wins in Division 10 ・All Japan Para Table Tennis Championships (2025): Mixed Doubles Winner / Singles 3rd Place ・Atami City Sports Festival (2025): Winner ・All Japan Open Para Table Tennis Championships (2026): G2 Singles Runner-up

Due to her remarkable growth, she is expected to become a candidate for national team training and to excel in world tournaments.

By welcoming Ms. Saito, who embodies the spirit of continuous challenge, UNIRITA will further promote the cultivation of a corporate culture where diverse talent can thrive. We will also continue to work on social contribution through sports and the creation of an environment where everyone can work comfortably, regardless of whether they have a disability or not.

[Image: Ms. Saito during a match]

[Inquiries regarding this matter] UNIRITA Inc., Corporate Operations Division, Human Resources Strategy Department https://www.unirita.co.jp/inquiry/form.html

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