Sony Group Corporation ("Sony") and the Japan Ladies Professional Golfers' Association ("JLPGA") have signed a special sponsorship agreement under which Sony will be the tournament title partner of the JLPGA Championship hosted by the JLPGA for three years from 2024 to 2026.

The JLPGA Championship has a long history of more than 55 years since its establishment in 1968. As one of the four major official events representing women's professional golf in Japan, the tournament has continued to impress golf fans with the participation of many of the country's top players each year. Coinciding with the start of Sony's special sponsorship, the name of the tournament will be changed to the "SONY JLPGA CHAMPIONSHIP."

Tournament logo

Hiroki Totoki, President, COO and CFO,
Sony Group Corporation (Left)
Hiromi Kobayashi, Chairman, JLPGA (Right)

Sony considers sports to be a complete form of entertainment that generates Kando (emotion) and has been engaged in a variety of related initiatives around the world. Focusing on the diversity and potential of sports, these initiatives have included the use of technology to visualize and judge athletic data, the development of sports prostheses, evolving fan engagement, and supporting corporate sports teams comprised of employee athletes in field hockey, handball, and other sports. In the area of golf, through its longstanding sponsorship of the "Sony Open in Hawaii," the largest charity sporting event in Hawaii, Sony is contributing to the local community, promoting sports, and strengthening its relationships with stakeholders. With this special sponsorship of the JLPGA Championship, Sony, together with Sony Life Insurance Co., Ltd. and its other group companies within Japan, also aims to enhance fan engagement, create new Kando experiences and contribute to the further development of the sport.

Comment from Hiroki Totoki, President, COO and CFO, Sony Group Corporation

"We are honored to have the opportunity to be the special sponsor of this historic tournament that has supported the development of women's professional golf in Japan for over 55 years. Sports is among the ultimate forms of live entertainment that unites diverse people around the world beyond countries and regions, through the shared sense of joy and accomplishment that brings players and fans together. Sony's Purpose is to "fill the world with emotion, through the power of creativity and technology," and we are committed to further expanding the Kando of sports and delivering it to the world. This special sponsorship is another way for us to continue to contribute to the development of sports."

Comment from Hiromi Kobayashi, Chairman, Japan Ladies Professional Golfers' Association

"We are honored to have Sony as a special sponsor of the JLPGA Championship, the official event with the longest history on the Japan Ladies' Professional Golf Tour (JLPGA Tour), which tells the story of 56 years of women's professional golf in Japan. This tournament started as a competition to determine the "No.1 women's professional golfer in Japan," and now, in light of the fact that players from various countries are expanding their activities globally, players from across Asia are invited to participate to determine the "No.1 women's professional golfer in Asia." We are working to evolve the event while continuing its tradition and prestige, and this includes renewing the logo. With support from Sony, we will continue to develop the tournament as a major event that will further evolve to deliver the excitement of live professional sports and the enjoyment of entertainment to fans both in Japan and globally."