Machi no Mirai dismisses president over improper fund outflows

Machi no Mirai, an affiliate and major shareholder of J2 League club Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo, has dismissed its president, Ken Sugai, following the discovery of improper fund outflows to his personal bank account. An investigation revealed that these actions, along with other misconduct, have damaged the company's financial foundation.

During an extraordinary general meeting of shareholders, Sugai was removed from both his position as representative director and his role as a director. Teppei Honma, a former executive at Ishiya Seika and former director of Consadole, has been appointed as the new representative director.

Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo stated that the misconduct was the result of Sugai's individual actions and that no club officers or employees were involved. While the company is considering strict legal measures, including civil and criminal complaints, it has noted that there is currently no direct impact on the club's operations.

Public discussion has also surfaced regarding Taisho Mikami, the current Football Division Manager at Gamba Osaka, who previously served as the president of Machi no Mirai from April 2023 to April 2025. It remains unclear if he has any connection to the recent financial irregularities.