Yazuya Group / Plans New Arena in Fukuoka’s Higashi Ward / 14,000m², Compliant with B.League Premier Standards
October 1, 2025 – Construction & Planning
Yazuya Group (Minami Ward, Fukuoka City), a company engaged in mail-order sales of health supplements, has announced plans to build a new arena in Kashii-Teriha, Higashi Ward, Fukuoka City. The structure will be a four-story steel-frame building with a total floor area of about 14,000m². In addition to serving as the new home court for the Rising Zephyr Fukuoka, a B.League Division 2 (B2) basketball team sponsored by the group, the arena will also host sporting events, exhibitions, and other functions. Construction is scheduled to begin in August 2026, with completion in December 2028 and opening in March 2029.
The planned site is within the grounds of the “Island Eye” complex, owned by Yazuya Group and operated by JLL Retail Management (Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo). The arena will be built on the west side of the complex, near the Rising Zephyr’s practice facility “Island Eye Court MIRAIBA.”
Tentatively named the “Fukuoka Arena,” the project will be privately financed and operated by Yazuya Group. After completion, it will be co-managed by Yazuya and JLL Retail Management. Seating capacity will be about 6,000 for basketball games, with a large 360-degree screen (200m wide, 8m high) to be installed. Designers and contractors have not yet been decided, and the total project cost is still under review.
The arena is being designed to meet the standards of the new B.League Premier (“B.Premier”), the top-tier category launching in autumn 2026. Entry requirements include an arena with at least 5,000 seats and VIP suites. To meet this, the new arena will include 18 VIP rooms, enabling Rising Zephyr to qualify for B.Premier entry by autumn 2029 once the facility is completed.
At a press conference in Fukuoka on September 29, Yazuya Group President Toru Yazuto explained:
“Although we missed the first season, we have resolved not to disappoint the local community any further, and so we ourselves have stepped forward to construct and operate a privately funded arena.” He added, “We aim to make this a base that leaves dreams and inspiration for the children and people of Fukuoka.”
