A group of nearly two dozen Diet members launched a basketball-supporting parliamentarians' association and held its kickoff meeting on Tuesday at the members' office buildings of the House of Councilors in Tokyo's Nagatacho district.
The members include some influential politicians, such as Taro Aso, a former prime minister and ex-Japan Basketball Association president, and Hiroshi Hase, a former Olympic wrestler and the current Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.
Takeo Kawamura, a former chief cabinet secretary, is the hoop alliance's president and Toshiaki Endo, the Olympics minister, is the deputy president. Aso, who currently serves as the finance minister, is the honorary president.