Japan Softball Association announces Karen Makishima as new President

Dr. Karen Makishima has been elected as the new President of the Japan Softball Association (JSA), succeeding Yutaka Miyake, who was in the position from 2020-2024 and now holds the title of Honorary President. The announcement was made during the JSA Congress held in June 2024.

Makishima, 47, has been a member of the House of Representatives in Japan since 2012. She was formally a Minister for Digital, Minister in charge of Administrative Reform, Minister of State for Regulatory Reform and Minister of State in charge of affairs concerning the Cybersecurity Strategic Headquarters.　

She is affiliated with the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), where she holds the positions of Deputy Secretary-General and Director of the Internet Media Division. She also worked at NHK's Washington D.C. Office as a coordinator for documentary programs while studying in the U.S.

Having graduated from Yokohama Futaba High School in 1995, Makishima went on to earn her bachelor's degree in Social Science from International Christian University in 2000, followed by a master's degree in political management from George Washington University in 2001. She also attended the Women’s Campaign School at Yale University and obtained a PhD in political science and public administration from International Christian University in 2008.

In her new role as JSA President, she is committed to leading the JSA and supporting the women's national team as they prepare for the LA28 Olympic Games, aiming for a third consecutive gold medal, a feat only the United States has achieved so far.

"I am pleased to announce my appointment as President of the Japan Softball Association, effective June 2024," Makishima said. "Following the retirement of the previous president, I was nominated by my peers and decided to dedicate myself to the future of softball in Japan. I am also active in politics, and I served as the youngest Cabinet Minister of Digital Affairs in 2021 and 2022. I believe both women and men can accomplish their goals, and women's empowerment is important in both sports and politics. I am also committed to the governance and transparency of the organisation, and I am ready for these tasks as President.

"In Japan, there are softball organisations throughout the country with a wide range of age groups from children to adults, and we also have the World Champion team. Therefore, softball is positioned as one of the most popular national sports. We aim to continue promoting softball players and teams that will be widely loved by the public. With our pride as the women’s gold medallists, and with your guidance, we hope to have more fans and supporters of softball all over the world. I wish everyone the best of luck."

Recently, Makishima led the JSA in welcoming the women's national team as the newly crowned World Champions, following their triumph at the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup Finals 2024 in Castions di Strada, Italy.

JSA Executive Board:

President: Ms. Karen Makishima
Vice Presidents: Ms. Taeko Utsugi, Ms. Reika Utsugi, Mr. Hidehito Ito
Executive Director: Mr. Tomoaki Okamoto
Executive Board Members: Mr. Shunichi Suzuki, Mr. Masayoshi Isoya, Mr. Yasuhiro Nishi, Mr. Nobuaki Ishii, Mr. Akira Setoyama, Mr. Kazuhiro Mitani, Mr. Yoshitaka Hatta, Mr. Kazuhiro Matsuda
Board Members: Mr. Koji Sasaki, Mr. Masataka Kameda, Mr. Yoshihiko Sugimoto, Mr. Keiji Tanita, Ms. Kyoko Kida, Ms. Yuko Suzuki, Ms. Mami Iwazaki, Ms. Rie Sato, Mr. Toru Kuramata, Ms. Rie Okada, Ms. Hikaru Shimizu, Ms. Hiroko Yamada
Auditors: Mr. Tomohiro Uemura, Mr. Toshio Suzuki, Mr. Yoichi Akagi
Secretary-General: Mr. Shinsuke Yabata