I feel like Yoshimoto doesn't want to compete with the likes of NiziU just yet JYP got them good in that front. They have NMB but I don't know how would that stop them from getting a new girl group under Lapone instead. Maybe it's just that the Produce market in Japan (and the kpop fans who primarily watch this show) are mostly female and they don't tend to be the target audience for girl groups, but still... I would have loved a girl season. The format is also weird this time around. It's gonna be rough on the new trainees, and the contracts will surely be more leonine.
JO1 is on J-Melo on NHKWorld today. Check your local times. https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/tv/ "Miyano Mamoru and JO1 J-MELO Join May J. for Japanese music! This week: Miyano Mamoru (a voice actor and a hugely popular singer) and JO1 (an 11-member all-male group who've been generating a buzz since their debut this year)."
At least MNET helps them cater to KPOP fans... Although I would have loved it to be a 48G x Random Trainees colab girl season