FIBA, the international governing body for basketball, grew concerned with the division and disorganization of the sport within the country.
The 2016-17 season commenced with an inaugural match between four-time JBL/NBL champions Alvark Tokyo, who finished on top of the NBL ladder in 2015-16,[REF] and four-time bj-league champions Ryukyu Golden Kings, who won the 2015-16 bj-league championship,[REF] at Yoyogi National Gymnasium on 22 September 2016 [REF].