Sometimes making absurd demands can be the best way to drive people to better their efforts.

That's how it seems to be working for Japan's various men's basketball clubs in the race to form a unified league by 2016.

On Wednesday, the 47 clubs were officially notified of the criteria for joining the new men's top circuit, which would tip off in the fall of 2016, following the second meeting of Japan 2024 Task Force in Tokyo.