By Barrier Free Japan
January 4 2024
JAPAN – 2025 is the year of Tokyo Deaflympics, which will be held from November 15 to 26, 2025 in Tokyo with other venues in Shizuoka and Fukushima. Despite being older than the Paralympics – the first Deaflympics was held in Paris, France in 1924 – it doesn’t receive as much attention as the Paralympics, although like the Paralympics it is recognized by the IOC. This event will commemorate the 100th anniversary of the Deaflympics, the Winter events being held in 2024 in Erzurum, Turkey.
Roughly 3,000 athletes from 70 to 80 countries and regions will participate. Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium is to be the venue for the opening and closing ceremonies. Swimming events will be held at Tokyo Aquatics Centre, while track and field events as well as volleyball matches will take place at Komazawa Olympic Park. Soccer and cycling are the only events that will be held outside Tokyo, at J-Village in Fukushima Prefecture and at Japan Cycle Sports Center in Shizuoka Prefecture, respectively.
Barrier Free Japan is also interested in the Osaka Expo which will take place from April 13 to October 13 in 2025. Osaka perviously held the ‘World Expo’ in 1970. A major theme of the 2025 Expo will be ‘Diversity’. According to the organizers:
“At the World Expo 2025 (Osaka Kansai Expo), based on “Designing Future Society for Our Lives” theme and “Unity in diversity” venue design concept, we respect the values and individuality of each person, regardless of his/her nationality, culture, race, sex, generation, whether he/she has disabilities or not, etc., and aim to implement a universal design that is easy to use for people from all over the world visiting the Osaka Kansai Expo.”
Episode Notes:
‘2025 Promises to be the Year for Deaf Athletes in Japan’:
Barrier Free Japan 
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