Sumitomo Mitsui Financial : Women's Basketball Team Joins W-League

【NEWS RELEASE】

April 23, 2024

Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation

Women's Basketball Team Joins W-League

TOKYO, April 23, 2024 - The Women's Basketball Team, which belongs to Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Ltd. (President & CEO: Akihiro Fukutome, hereinafter "SMBC"), a subsidiary of Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, Ltd. (President & Group CEO: Toru Nakashima, hereinafter "the SMBC Group"), has been approved by the Board of Directors of the Women's Japan Basketball League (WJBL) to join the "W- League (*1)" and will participate from the 27th W-League(2025-26 season).

SMBC has been a sponsor of several sport activities, such as Nippon Professional Baseball Organization's "the Nippon Series", a Japanese national rugby team, a professional Japanese dance league "D.LEAGUE", and others that share the mutual mindset as the SMBC Group's management philosophy and Five Values (*2). In addition to that, with this challenge, we aim to develop a career model for future of women athletes who desire to balance work and sports.

Recently, Women's basketball in Japan won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics and is one of the best in the world. Meanwhile, to prevent the decrease of player population after the graduation, the W-League announced its transition to a two-division system in July 2023 so that the new teams could join the league easily. This transition will realize one of the League's visions; "a Well-being league that nurtures people working in society and fulfills their lives".

SMBC will support women athletes who wish to success not only in sports, but also in work, and let them find their future career at the SMBC Group even after their retirement as sports players. Through this challenge, SMBC will contribute to the further development of the basketball society and create social communities between the players and locals as well. Also, SMBC will aim to promote the theme "Create social value", which is declared in the current Mid-Term Management Plan.

Details of the team including the team's name will be announced as soon as it is decided. We would kindly appreciate your support to the Women's Basketball Team.

[Team Summary]

Establishment: 1959

Address: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo

League (Current) : Member of Japan Society Basketball Federation's Area League (East Japan)

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Recent record: 25 consecutive participations to the "All Japan Society Basketball Championship"

*1 W-League

Women's Basketball Japan League

*2 Five Values

Values that should be shared by all executives and employees;

"Integrity"... As a professional, always act with sincerity and a high ethical standard.

"Customer First"... Always look at it from the customer's point of view, and provide value based on their individual needs.

"Proactive & Innovative" ... Embrace new ideas and perspectives, don't be deterred by failure.

"Speed & Quality"... Differentiate ourselves through the speed and quality of our decision-making and service delivery.

"Team 'SMBC Group' "... Respect and leverage the knowledge and diverse talent of our global organization, as a team.

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