IPPON Shoji Inc. is a sports business company founded by Naohisa Takato, judo -60kg gold medalist.
Through online coaching, product development, and media outreach, we create new value for athletes and the future of sports.
We operate three businesses to transform the future of sports.
Passing the knowledge of a gold medalist to the next generation. A new judo academy delivering video analysis, mental coaching, and technical instruction online.
From TV and social media appearances to judo classes and lectures — initiatives that deliver the value of sports directly to society.
Japan’s registered judo population fell by 38% over 19 years, from 202,025 in 2004 to 124,559 in 2023. Registered junior high school students fell by 45% over the same period, from 48,485 to 26,703.
Source: 全日本柔道連盟「登録人口推移 2004年〜2023年」 (2023)
In 2024, Toyota, Panasonic and Bridgestone ended their IOC top-tier (TOP) sponsorship contracts by the end of the year. For the first time in history, there were no Japanese companies among the top-tier sponsors.
Source: 日本経済新聞「オリンピック最高位スポンサー、初の日本勢ゼロ」（2024年10月2日） (2024)
A survey of Japan Olympians Association members (2014, n=300) found that 55.7% were in regular employment after retiring from competition. Contract employees and staff on shokutaku contracts accounted for 16.7%, part-time and casual workers for 4.7%, and temporary agency workers for 1.0%; more than 20% were in non-regular employment.
Source: 笹川スポーツ財団「オリンピアンのキャリアに関する実態調査」（2014年） (2014)
IPPON Shoji Inc. is a sports business company founded in Yokohama in November 2022 by Naohisa Takato, a gold medalist in the judo -60kg category. Its businesses include operating the online judo academy Next Athlete Lab, planning and selling judogi, and media appearances and event planning.
The company’s representative is Naohisa Takato. In the judo -60kg category, he won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, bronze at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics, and four World Championship titles.
Next Athlete Lab is an online judo academy led by Naohisa Takato. It provides video analysis, technical instruction and mental coaching online, with a launch planned for autumn 2026. For details, visit nextathletelab.com.
A new judogi brand is in preparation. The brand name and launch date will be announced on this website once they have been decided.
Please use the contact form on this website. Select the relevant category (media and speaking / partnerships and sponsorship / services and products / other) and submit your enquiry.
The company is located at Mont Blanc Tana 102, 33-13 Tana-cho, Aoba-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 227-0064, Japan.
Our team will respond based on the nature of your inquiry.
