A new endeavor: Partnering with an IP Athlete
As the inaugural partner in a new business launched by Sports Biz Co., Ltd., Sompo Group has entered into a global partnership with the beloved football manga Captain Tsubasa, a series that has inspired generations of fans around the world.
The new business, known as IP Athlete Management, introduces an innovative model for the sports industry. Rather than treating characters created through manga and anime simply as intellectual property to be licensed, it manages them as “athletes” in much the same way as real-world elite sportspeople are managed. By bringing together fictional sporting heroes and real athletes, the initiative seeks to expand the value and influence of sports in entirely new ways. We are proud to participate as its first partner.
Bringing to life the vision to unlock possibilities
Since its founding, Sompo Group has been guided by a simple aspiration: to give people greater peace of mind. Today, this aspiration is expressed through SOMPO’s Purpose of striving “for a future of health, wellbeing and financial protection.”
To help realize this in the long-term, we have recently established a new Group Vision that defines our goal over the next decade: “The vision to unlock possibilities.” At the heart of this vision is our desire to provide people with the confidence and security they need to take that next step toward the future through our products and services. To this end, we must all look ahead together, pool our expertise and insights as one team, and become a trusted partner that empowers individuals and businesses to realize their potential.
When we considered how best to communicate this commitment, both inside and outside the entire Sompo Group, Captain Tsubasa emerged as the ideal partner. The manga series embodies themes that resonate deeply with our vision: pursuing ambitious dreams, forging strong bonds with teammates, overcoming adversity without giving up, and taking on the world from Japan. By aligning these powerful stories, we hope to share our vision with society in a way that is both meaningful and accessible.
One Sompo: Writing the story
The partnership with Captain Tsubasa also plays an important role in how we communicate with employees across the Sompo Group.
For many years, group companies have each pursued their own initiatives to address business and social challenges. Through initiatives such as support for WE League (Japan’s professional women’s football league) and the SOMPO Ball Game Festa, our contribution to sports has extended beyond athletes and competitions to include youth development, community revitalization, and a wide range of social initiatives in local communities across the country.
Moving forward, we will begin supporting Nankatsu SC and Nankatsu SC WINGS, football clubs of which Captain Tsubasa creator Yoichi Takahashi is chairman. Through direct engagement, we will actively support these local clubs in bringing the vision presented in Captain Tsubasa to life on the football field.
We are also expanding “OUR STORIES,” a co-creation project with various stakeholders aiming to improve the environment for women in sports. The global partnership with Captain Tsubasa will extend the project’s reach and circle of co-creation, accelerating the realization of a society where everyone can embrace challenges with confidence.
We’re excited to connect these individual initiatives under a shared vision symbolized by Captain Tsubasa. By rallying around a common icon and harnessing the power of sports across our organization, we aim to strengthen collaboration beyond company and business boundaries as “One Sompo,” together creating new value for society.
Unlocking possibilities for the future
For decades, Captain Tsubasa has inspired countless elite athletes and continues to give people courage and motivation to pursue their dreams across generations and borders. Together with this extraordinary partner, Sompo Group aspires to stand with people throughout their lives, supporting them as they unlock new possibilities for the future.
We are working to help create a society where people can rise again after setbacks, continue embracing challenges, live longer lives in ways that reflect their individuality, and take on the world with teammates across borders and cultures.
We hope you will look forward to this new initiative as Sompo Group continues to support diverse ambitions, empowering each individual to pursue a life uniquely their own.
