Kosei Inoue 
A commemorative photo with other participants from Japan at the technical seminar hosted by the International Judo Federation. The December 2024 meeting, held in Istanbul, Turkey, adopted several rule changes. (© AJJF/JUDOs）
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Greetings fellow readers of JAPAN Forward and thank you for checking out my first column for 2025. Again this year I would like to share the progress of judo and other sports, along with the activities in which I am personally involved. I hope you will enjoy our bi-monthly reports.
It is amazing that February has already arrived. From the end of 2024 to the beginning of this year, I was able to take an extended break for the first time in several years. At long last, I could spend leisure time with my family. We visited onsen hot spring resorts and theme parks, and I trained with my children.
My schedule afforded me more free time than in past years. That allowed my family and me to slow down and relax. Perhaps for that reason, I feel calmer than usual and can begin work in the new year with a fresh mind.
A New Olympic Cycle Begins
2025 marks the first year of a new Olympic cycle, leading up to the 2028 Los Angeles Summer Olympic Games. Every sport has begun preparations for the big event unfolding four years from now. There have also been developments in judo, with the International Judo Federation (IJF) announcing proposed rule revisions last December.
The IJF reviews its rules after each Olympic Games. This time, too, it began considering proposed rule revisions following the Paris Olympics. I attended a rules review meeting in October and a technical seminar in December. In making the revisions, the discussion focused on the best options to increase the number of matches clearly decided by technique (waza). These matches are the greatest attraction of judo.
As a result, the proposed amendments include the reinstatement of yuko, the smallest point awarded in scoring. This scoring rule was abolished in 2017. The revised rules will be introduced on a trial basis, beginning with the IJF Tour tournament in February to the World Judo Championships in June. An official decision on whether to reintroduce yuko points will be made after considering how they worked in actual matches.
Here in Japan, the All Japan Judo Federation will publish the rule changes and detailed explanations about them on its website. It will also gradually announce the tournaments in which they will be applied.
As a participant in rules revision meetings, I am eager to convey the content and intent of the revisions to as many people as possible. I also consider it my duty to disseminate information that helps to increase the appeal and value of judo.
A Year of Ambitious Spirit and Bold Challenges
As for myself, I would like to make this a year of new challenges.
That means doing my best in my respective roles. I am a dedicated judoka, but also a member of the faculty at Tokai University and chairman of the certified NPO JUDOs. And I am someone affiliated with the Japanese Olympic Committee.
To achieve this will require increasing the amount of time I spend studying and valuing my connections to others. In doing this, I hope to broaden my knowledge and increase my personal experiences in every way possible.
Contribute to the development of society through judo and sports and being of whatever use I can be to others ー this is my code of conduct and my belief. This year, I will take on new challenges without fear of failure but with a strong desire to improve.
RELATED:
- Kosei Inoue: Reflections on the Paris Olympics and the Benefits of Competition
- Maki Tsukada Named New Coach of Japan Women's Judo Squad
- Japan's Judo Journey: Olympic Excellence Through the Decades
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.
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