General view of the Olympic rings at Place de la Bastille in Paris on July 16, 2024. (©Abdul Saboor/Reuters)
Greetings fellow JAPAN Forward readers and judo fans. This is judoka Kosei Inoue. The Paris 2024 Summer Olympic Games are upon us, running for 19 days from July 24 until August 11. For Team Japan, they kicked off in soccer and rugby sevens from July 24, and the opening ceremony is on July 26. In all, there will be 320 events in 32 categories of sports.
Team Japan is represented at the Paris 2024 Games by more than 740 athletes. They make up the largest number of Japanese athletes ever to participate in an overseas Olympic Games.
Representing Japan and the Hinomaru
On July 5, 317 of these athletes participated in a send-off ceremony for Japan's Olympic team. I also participated in my capacity as a representative and deputy chef de mission. I joined all the athletes, coaches, and staff for each sport in renewing our determination to fight together for victory in the Olympic competitions.
Among those present were the two athletes who were selected to carry the Japanese Hinomaru (Rising Sun) flag in the opening ceremony. They are the breaking maven Shigeyuki Nakarai (better known by breaking fans as B-Boy Shigekix) and female fencer Misaki Emura.
Nakarai won the All Japan Breaking Championship, the top event in Japan for the new sport, three times in a row. Emura is a two-time world champion in the women's sabre fencing event. I believe the pair were good choices to serve as the "face" of Japan's Olympic team.
For me, serving as the Team Japan flag bearer at the 2000 Sydney Olympics was a memorable experience. In fact, I remember being nervous at the opening ceremony. While waiting, I chatted with flag bearers from other countries. But then I was overcome with emotion when we entered the stadium to thunderous cheers. I remember being indescribably moved by the experience.
In Paris, I hope Shigekix and Emura will prioritize their own performances first, but also learn many things through the experience of serving as flag bearers. It is an experience that will benefit them later in their lives.
Team Japan Continues to Hold Online Study Sessions
Japan has been preparing for the Paris Olympics ever since the closing of the Tokyo Olympics three years ago.
During that time, I have been involved in Team Japan's strategic preparations in two capacities. First, as a project leader for the Paris Summer Olympics and Paralympics. And second, since March of 2024, as deputy chef de mission for Team Japan.
One aspect of my duties is observing competitions and training camps for individual sports. Besides that, I have been involved in online study sessions that have been held regularly since 2023.
These online study sessions have been held for both coaches and athletes. I have spoken as a lecturer and participated as a student in instructor-oriented seminars. Above all, they provided valuable opportunities for sharing information and exchanging opinions with people involved in different sports. They also provided each of us a chance to make fresh discoveries and learn something new.
I don't know if the time we have devoted to these study sessions will produce successful results in Olympic competitions. However, the athletes who participated in them have gained new awareness and pride in representing Japan. Also, these events have provided them with opportunities to stop and think about the value of sports and what they can do for society as Olympic athletes.
Team Japan has faced various challenges. However, as you can see, it has been steadily preparing for the Paris Olympics. I look forward to all our athletes performing at their absolute best and proving their ability to achieve their individual goals. Let's go all out to support them.
Fellow JAPAN Forward readers, please join me in supporting Team Japan and other Olympic athletes from around the world!
Follow the Games
The judo competition begins at 9 AM local time in Paris (5 PM in Tokyo) on Saturday, July 27. Check the Paris 2024 Olympics homepage for your favorite teams' competition schedule, and follow the news on JAPAN Forward's dedicated sports page, SportsLook.
Happy Olympic Games!
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- [ODDS and EVENS] Expect a Plethora of Olympic Medals for Japan in Paris
- Kosei Inoue: Excitement for World Judo Championships and Checking Out Europe Ahead of Paris Olympics
(Read the column in Japanese.)
Learn more about the sport of judo and Kosei Inoue, former Olympic gold medalist and former national men's team judo coach who now serves in key positions for All Japan Judo Federation, on the website of JUDOs, a certified Japanese NPO. And find further columns by and about Kosei Inoue in English on JAPAN Forward and SportsLook.
