# Nippon Badminton Association

Nippon Badminton Association (NBA, 日本バドミントン協会; Nippon Badominton Kyōkai) is the national governing body for the sport of badminton in Japan.

## History

Badminton competition in Japan started as early as 1919 from YMCA across major cities in Japan. The Nippon Badminton Association is formed in 1946 and the association later joined International Badminton Federation in 1952.

## Presidents

The following is a list of individuals who have held the position of president or managing director of the Nippon Badminton Association. On 1 April 1957, when the association obtained corporate status, the title of president was changed to managing director. The Honorary President is Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado.
| Presidency | President | Took office | Left office |
| 1 | Genzaburou Shirayama | 1947 | 30 April 1948 |
| 2 | Fumio Yamada | 1 May 1948 | 27 October 1956 |
| 3 | Hirotoshi Honda | 28 October 1956 | 18 October 1981 |
| 4 | Yoshio Sakurauchi | 1 November 1981 | 5 September 2003 |
| 5 | Tamisuke Watanuki | 6 September 2003 | 9 June 2019 |
| 6 | Yoshio Sekine | 9 June 2019 | 30 November 2022 |
| 7 | Shinichi Nakamura | 30 November 2022 | 17 June 2023 |
| 8 | Mitsuru Murai | 18 June 2023 | Present |

## Controversies
### Administrative mismanagement of the association
#### Osaka International cancellation (2016)

The 2016 Osaka International tournament was canceled because the Nippon Badminton Association (NBA) missed the application deadline set by the Badminton World Federation (BWF). The BWF had informed the NBA in October 2014 that the deadline was changed from August to April, but a staff member overlooked this notification. Consequently, the NBA submitted its application in August 2015, which was four months after the deadline, resulting in its rejection. Kinji Zeniya, the NBA's executive director, issued an apology, acknowledging the disappointment of fans and those involved in the tournament preparations. Zeniya also stated that the NBA planned to reapply to host the tournament the following year.

#### Registration error prevents mixed doubles pair from competing in Japan Open (2022)

The NBA apologized for a registration error that prevented the mixed doubles pair of Hiroki Midorikawa and Natsu Saito from competing in the 2022 Japan Open. The NBA mistakenly registered Natsu Saito as her sister, Shiori Saito. This error was discovered after the entry deadline, which made it impossible for the pair to participate in the tournament. The NBA has taken responsibility for the mistake and is committed to preventing future occurrences. To address this, the NBA plans to review and strengthen its entry check procedures for international tournaments to ensure the accuracy of future entries and prevent a recurrence of this issue.

#### Aya Ohori misses Canada Open due to incomplete entry permit (2023)

On 4 July 2023,The NBA issued an apology for an administrative error that prevented women's singles player Aya Ohori from participating in the 2023 Canada Open. The tournament was a key event in the qualifying process for the 2024 Paris Olympics. Ohori was the second-highest ranked Japanese player, and her absence could impact her Olympic qualification chances. The association admitted to a "deficiency on the association's side in the submission of documents related to the entry application" for Ohori. While the NBA is exploring sending Ohori to other tournaments to compensate for the missed opportunity, the impact on her Olympic qualification remains a significant concern.
On 7 July 2023, in Tokyo, NBA President Mitsuru Murai explained that Aya Ohori could not compete in the Canada Open because the association failed to properly submit her entry permit application. The NBA acknowledged that its staff did not correctly submit the necessary documents for Ohori’s Electronic Travel Authorization (eTA), which is required to enter Canada. The NBA discovered the problem on 30 June 2023, just one day before Ohori was scheduled to travel. Despite efforts to correct the situation, Ohori was unable to obtain the necessary entry permit in time to participate.

#### Igarashi and Sakuramoto miss European World Tour due to registration errors (2024)

Following her bronze medal win in mixed doubles at the Paris Olympics, Arisa Igarashi formed a new women's doubles pair with Ayako Sakuramoto. Igarashi announced on the 13 September 2024 that she and her women's doubles partner were unable to participate in the 2024 Denmark Open due to a registration error by the NBA. Igarashi revealed this information at a press conference after receiving the Iwamizawa City Sports Honor Award in her hometown of Iwamizawa City. She conveyed her frustration, stating, "I have repeatedly asked to prevent this from happening again". She was notified of the Association's registration error while participating in the All Japan Members Championships. Igarashi described her first women's doubles match with Sakuramoto as challenging, stating, "There were some difficult parts to the match because I was angry and had a lot of other feelings". Although she and Sakuramoto finished as runners-up, Igarashi admitted that the error negatively affected her performance.
Igarashi was originally scheduled to participate in the 2024 Arctic Open in Finland, commencing on 8 October 2024, followed by the 2024 Denmark Open the subsequent week. However, she explained that while her entry to the Arctic Open was successful, a registration error by the NBA prevented her participation in the Denmark Open. Consequently, her trip was canceled, delaying her first international tournament appearance of the season with Sakuramoto.
Following Igarashi's expression of frustration, the NBA publicly acknowledged the entry error. The association confirmed that Igarashi and Sakuramoto's names were absent from the official entry list released on 6 September 2024. This discovery prompted an internal investigation, which revealed a mistake in the association's application process. Subsequently, the association issued a written statement, offering a "deep apology for the great inconvenience" resulting from their error. The association has also stated they are in discussions to send the pair to an alternative tournament.

#### Tonami players unable to compete in Bendigo International due to entry errors (2024)

On 30 September 2024, Kyodo News reported that the NBA had made multiple entry errors for athletes competing in international tournaments, which prevented three male players from participating in the Bendigo International. The NBA failed to properly enter men's singles player Shun Saito and the men's doubles pair of Yoshifumi Fujisawa and Shuntaro Mezaki, all of whom are from the Tonami Transportation team. The association only became aware of the error after the Tonami team notified them approximately two weeks prior to the article's publication.
On 1 October 2024, the NBA held a press conference in Tokyo regarding the issue, admitting to multiple entry errors for international tournaments that resulted in missed opportunities for Japanese athletes. These errors occurred because the entry staff forgot to include the players on the entry list despite receiving notification from the team. NBA President Mitsuru Murai apologized for the series of entry errors, expressed disappointment, and took responsibility for the repeated mistakes, calling the organization's structure "sloppy". He also stated his intention to implement changes to prevent future occurrences.

### The Corruption Scandal
#### Financial misconduct at the Nippon Badminton Association

The Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) called a full investigation of the NBA after it was discovered that a former employee embezzled approximately 6.8 million yen during the 2018 fiscal year. The JOC was concerned that the NBA concealed the embezzlement from the public and that its executives used personal funds to cover the losses.
On 25 March 2022, NBA Executive Director Kinji Zeniya held a press conference in Tokyo to discuss the non-disclosure of the embezzlement by a former employee. The embezzlement took place over a six-month period, ending in March 2019. The misappropriated funds totaled approximately 6.8 million yen and included fees collected from national team training camps (10,000 yen per player) and prize money from international competitions. Instead of depositing the money into the NBA's account, the employee used it for personal purposes.
The NBA did not immediately announce this incident, but discussed it internally during a board meeting in late November 2019. To cover the financial shortfall, the board members and auditors loaned the misappropriated amount to the former employee. The NBA decided not to disclose this information earlier to protect the former employee and the athletes. They cited concerns about the impact on the athletes and members, the former employee's social standing, and human rights considerations as reasons for withholding the information. As a result of the incident, the executive director and the secretary general received pay reductions for their management oversight.
The NBA also revealed a separate incident involving the misinterpretation of a government grant. This incident involved a Japan-Korea high school exchange program conducted in November 2019, which was a government-funded project. The former secretary general, who was responsible for the grant, misinterpreted the requirements, resulting in the NBA receiving approximately 230,000 yen in government subsidies that it was not entitled to. The NBA is currently waiting for instructions from the JOC regarding the final settlement process for this matter.
The NBA only became aware of both incidents after receiving an investigation request from the JOC in late October 2021. Following this, the NBA formed a third-party investigation committee, including external lawyers, and submitted an investigation report to the JOC in late November.

#### Prime Minister's Cup withheld due to scandal at All Japan Championships

The NBA faced a significant scandal involving embezzlement and a subsequent cover-up, which led to the Prime Minister's Cup and the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Cup not being awarded at the 2022 All Japan Championships. This decision resulted from the government's dissatisfaction with the NBA's insufficient response to the scandal and slow implementation of preventive measures. Consequently, the tournament's name was altered to remove references to these awards. Additionally, the Japan Sports Agency [ja] (JSA), the Tokyo Metropolitan Government, and the Tokyo Metropolitan Sports Association withdrew their sponsorship of the championships due to the NBA's poor handling of the scandals.
The Prime Minister's Cup is typically awarded at many sporting events, requiring sports organizations to submit applications to the JSA at least two months before a tournament. However, the NBA submitted its application for the All Japan Championships only about a month prior to the event. While the late application contributed to the denial, the primary reason for the denial was the NBA's mishandling of the scandals.
The Prime Minister's Cup was designated for the winners of the men's and women's singles tournaments, and The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Cup for the winning men's, women's and mixed doubles pairs. The absence of these trophies, which are traditionally symbolic of victory, prompted disappointment from players like Kento Momota, who said, "This is like a proof of victory... It's sad".
This decision has sparked criticism online, with many expressing sympathy for the winning athletes who were not involved in the scandal but will not receive the awards. The NBA's new leadership is still temporary, which is hampering efforts to resolve the situation and obtain the awards. Public sentiment underscores the unfairness of punishing the athletes for the association's misconduct.

#### Japan Olympic Committee Penalizes Badminton Association for Financial Misconduct

On 26 January 2023, the JOC penalized the NBA due to scandals, including the systematic concealment of embezzlement. Consequently, the NBA's training grant for the fiscal year 2022 was reduced by 20%. The JOC also expressed concerns about the NBA's delay in verifying and publicly announcing the facts of the issue, as well as its failure to proactively improve its governance, which caused anxiety among players. Furthermore, the national budget for the NBA's training was also cut by 20% for fiscal year 2023.
Following the JOC Board of Directors' approval of these penalties, the NBA's President and Executive Director were notified. Subsequently, the JOC report recommended seven immediate actions to improve the NBA's governance. These included: reviewing the composition of the Board of Directors to improve its effectiveness; creating an administrative manual for accounting procedures; and establishing a system of checks and approvals involving multiple officials and staff. The JOC requested a written report on the NBA's progress by the end of June, followed by progress reports every three months to ensure these changes were effective. The NBA has the option to apply for arbitration within 30 days of notification if they disagree with the disciplinary measures, as per the rules of the Sports Arbitration Agency.

### The Financial Crisis
#### Discontinuation of Osaka International

The NBA announced on 27 October 2023, that the Osaka International will not be held in 2024 and has been discontinued. The tournament, which had been overseen by the Osaka Prefectural Badminton Association since 2007, was sanctioned by the BWF and hosted by the NBA. This decision was made after discussions with tournament stakeholders, and the Badminton Asia and the BWF were notified.
The NBA's current re-evaluation of its overall business structure led to the decision to end the tournament. The Osaka IC received significantly more funding than other tournaments. When the NBA proposed to the Osaka Prefectural Badminton Association that future funding be adjusted to align with other events, the Osaka Prefectural Badminton Association responded that they would relinquish hosting the tournament because it would be difficult to continue.
The Osaka IC has been a significant event for many years, playing a crucial role in developing the skills of players and garnering support from badminton fans. It served as a popular stepping stone for young talent, providing a platform for rising young players worldwide and Japan's B national team players. The decision to end the tournament is deeply regrettable.

#### Badminton Association Faces Second Consecutive Year of 300 Million Yen Deficit

On 19 February 2024 in Tokyo, NBA President Mitsuru Murai announced the organization's financial recovery plan. Murai, who was appointed in June 2023 following an embezzlement scandal in 2022, attributed the financial problems to a "lack of sensitivity". Despite implementing reforms such as restructuring the board of directors, strengthening the secretariat, and improving accounting practices, the NBA still projects a deficit of 300 million for fiscal year 2023.
The NBA's financial difficulties began with a deficit of 370 million yen in fiscal year 2022, primarily caused by inflated costs for international competitions such as the World Championships. This was followed by another deficit in fiscal year 2023, exacerbated by reduced government subsidies. Government subsidies have decreased significantly since the Tokyo Olympics, and were further reduced by 20% due to the 2022 embezzlement scandal, resulting in subsidies being "almost halved," according to President Murai. The deficits also resulted from increased travel expenses for the Paris Olympics qualifying events and the weak yen. The NBA used its internal reserves to cover these expenses. Although the complete financial results for 2023 will not be available until June, the NBA is already aware of its difficult financial situation. The 2022 deficit, which was actually 370 million yen, was the first of two consecutive years of financial losses, raising concerns about potential debt. The NBA risks losing its certification as a Public Interest Incorporated Foundation if the debt continues to grow. President Murai stated, "The badminton world has no future if we continue to spend as we have been doing," and announced a policy focused on drastically cutting costs and increasing revenue. To cut costs, the NBA will review expenses and encourage remote work. Murai also emphasized close monitoring of finances, saying, "We are watching our cash flow in units of 10,000 yen and several thousand yen".
After the Paris Olympics, the NBA plans to reduce national team travel and seek additional sponsors. Current support for the national team will continue through the Paris Olympics, after which the number of tournaments and training camps the team participates in will be reduced. Despite the budget cuts, the NBA will continue to focus on developing young players for the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics through grants. As a result of the reduced national team training, guidelines will be created for self-funded athletes. President Murai has stated that these budget cuts are temporary and necessary to secure the future of badminton. He has pledged to return his full salary and to seek new sponsors to rebuild the association. The NBA is taking a dual approach, focusing on the Paris Olympics in the short term and the Los Angeles Olympics in the long term. The frequency and scale of training camps and overseas trips will be reduced after the Olympics. President Murai has gained a broad understanding of the badminton world by observing about 30 tournaments in Japan and overseas. He has stated that the association will not abandon badminton, despite acknowledging the financial difficulties of fiscal year 2024. He also said that the NBA needs to temporarily reduce its level of activity to facilitate future growth.

## Tournaments
### International

* Japan Open Super 750, an annual open tournament that attracts the world's elite players and currently part of BWF World Tour.
* Japan Masters Super 500, new tournament held since 2023 and part of BWF World Tour.
* Osaka International, an annual tournament held in Osaka since 2007. (Discontinued)
* Akita Masters, Super 100 tournament. (Discontinued)

### Domestic

* All Japan Badminton Championships
* All Japan Members Badminton Championships
* Japan Ranking Circuit Tournament