On Tuesday the 6th, a press conference announcing the new structure of the Meiji Yasuda J1 Centennial Vision League was held at Saitama Stadium.



The entire press conference was hosted by Natsumi Asai, a familiar face in stadium announcements. This time, in addition to the media, a new initiative was implemented in which 15 fans and supporters selected by lottery from among Urawa Reds members and REX CLUB members were also able to watch the event at the venue.

Representative Makoto Taguchi opened the event by saying, "Last season was a year with a lot to reflect on. We take this very seriously and will sincerely address areas where we need to improve," and then declared about the Centennial Project League, which will be held from February to June, "This is a very important tournament with the right to participate in the ACL (AFC Champions League) at stake. At the same time, it is also an important preparation period for the 2026/27 season, which begins on a new schedule in August this year. We have positioned this league, which begins next month, as 'a six-month period in which we will challenge ourselves and aim to be at the top.'"



Next, Teikei Corporation was introduced as a new "partner," with whom the company has signed a top partner agreement. Taguchi said, "They have long contributed to the safety and security of Japanese society, primarily through their security business. This is in line with our goal of creating safe, comfortable, and exciting stadiums filled to capacity." Teikei Corporation's Representative Director Yoshiaki Kageyama commented, "We are honored to partner with such a passionate, big club, which has been one of the original 10 since the J.League's founding and boasts the highest attendance numbers in the J.League, and we are both truly grateful."



Taguchi also explained that "we will take advantage of this partnership to jointly implement new initiatives, such as using security robots for security at home games held at Saitama Stadium." The autonomous mobile security robot "SQ-2," which was also active at the Osaka-Kansai Expo, and folding security guards known as "Orikei" will be introduced at home games at Saitama Stadium from the new season.



Afterwards, Sports Director (SD) Satoshi Horinouchi explained the training system, followed by an inaugural address and question and answer session by Technical Director (TD) Ikenishi Nozomi, who took over as the new manager this season.

First, SD Horinouchi introduced TD Ikenishi, saying, "(TD Ikenishi) is a graduate of Urawa Reds' academy, and then worked for a private company before gaining experience at many clubs from J1 to J3, where he has demonstrated his skills. I am very encouraged that he will be joining us."



TD Ikenishi said, "I was not able to return to Urawa Reds as a professional soccer player (after graduating from Urawa Reds Youth), but I have lived my life with the desire to one day dedicate myself to Urawa Reds. I am truly happy to be able to work for Urawa Reds in this role, and to work hard to aim for victory together with our partners, fans and supporters." He added, "This is not the goal. My goal is to win with Urawa Reds and achieve results together with you all, and I believe my job is to devote myself to that goal and work myself to the bone."



Regarding the style and football they should aim for, SD Horinouchi explained, "The first and foremost thing is to further improve what we have built up until last year. I spoke about this with Coach Maciej (Skorja) after the end of last season. However, I also said that we will not be able to reach our goals with just a little bit of progress. With the start of this season, we have also talked about trying new things, especially during the Okinawa camp." He avoided mentioning detailed tactics, but he conveyed that, like Taguchi, he is determined to take on challenges and aim to reach the top.



At the end of the press conference, a total of 11 players, including new players and players returning from loan transfers, appeared.

SD Horinouchi introduced the players, saying, "We believe that we have players who will bring new energy to the team, in addition to the strength we had last season." The players then introduced themselves, including their selling points.

32 DF Eiichi Katayama
"As a native of Saitama Prefecture, I am extremely happy to be joining such a special club. However, I don't just want to join; I want to focus on what I can do here and what I can leave behind. I believe my strengths are my versatility and ability to play in a variety of positions, so I want to work hard every day to become someone who can address the needs of this team."


35 GK Rusei Sato
"I am very happy to be joining Urawa Reds. I hope that people will be able to see my signature dynamic play. I will treat each day as a battle, and will work hard to contribute to Urawa Reds' victory as soon as possible."


36 FW Renji Hidano
"Being a university graduate, I am seen as an immediate asset, so I would like to work hard and aim to be in the starting lineup for the opening game. My strengths are my forward momentum, getting behind the defense, and shooting with my left foot. I would like to contribute to the team's victory and title by scoring goals."


37 MF Hayate Ueki
"My strengths are my game control and my left-footed kicks. I will do my best to make the most of these and contribute to Urawa Reds' victory."


38 FW Matsunaga Sota
"My strengths are the techniques I developed at Shizuoka Gakuen and the passes and shots I can make from them. I will do my best to help Urawa Reds win the championship."


40 DF Luca Didulica
"My strong point is the long ball. I will do my best to help the team."


42 DF Yoshimine Tanaka
"My strengths are my heading, physical play, and the variety of plays I can make in attack. I will continue to improve every day so that I can step onto the pitch at Saitama Stadium as soon as possible."


43 MF Takeshi Wada
"I will not be satisfied with just having a professional contract, and I will not be complacent about my age (16), but I will continue to work hard at my daily training. My speciality is that I enjoy soccer more than anything else, so I will do my best to play in a way that will entertain the people watching."


41 FW Rio Nitta
"I've returned after a six-month loan. I want to give back to the club what I've gained from playing in Trial over the past six months. My strengths are my eagerness to score goals and my ability to run more than anyone else, so I want to be myself, be positive, and have a desire to improve, even in training."


2 DF Yuta Miyamoto
"Being on the outside, I felt strongly that this team had to win the title. That's why I came back. I want to give it my all so that we can win the title."


31 GK Shun Yoshida
"Now that I've been able to return to Urawa Reds, I want to take on even more responsibility and resolve, and hope to inspire everyone in Urawa Reds family. I will also work hard every day to play in Trial, and remain humble."


Afterwards, they answered questions from the media, including SD Horinouchi, and each spoke about their hopes for the new season.



The full interview is available on Site Members
https://sp.urawa-reds.co.jp/

Click here to see the press conference announcing the new Meiji Yasuda J1 Centennial League structure

[Urawa Reds Official Media (URD:OM)]