A group of nearly two dozen Diet members launched a basketball-supporting parliamentarians¡¯ association and held its kickoff meeting on Tuesday at the members¡¯ office buildings of the House of Councilors in Tokyo¡¯s Nagatacho district.

The members include some influential politicians, such as Taro Aso, a former prime minister and ex-Japan Basketball Association president, and Hiroshi Hase, a former Olympic wrestler and the current Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology.

Takeo Kawamura, a former chief cabinet secretary, is the hoop alliance¡¯s president and Toshiaki Endo, the Olympics minister, is the deputy president. Aso, who currently serves as the finance minister, is the honorary president.