As president and chairman of the Chiba Jets Funabashi, Shinji Shimada gained a reputation as an eminent sports businessman who rebuilt the club from financial crisis to one of the most successful and popular teams in the B. League.

Now as the chief of the entire league, the 49-year-old carries high expectations to bring the circuit to the next level.

Shimada officially took over the league July 1 receiving the baton from its first chairman Masaaki Okawa. Shimada has had little time to settle down at his new office, having been forced to respond to the financial difficulties facing the league due to the COVID-19 pandemic.