Paralympic Medalist Junichi Kawai Seen as Candidate for Sports Agency Head

From Jiji

August 30 2025

TOKYO – Junichi Kawai, a Paralympic gold medalist in swimming and chairman of the Japanese Paralympic Committee, is seen as a candidate for the next commissioner of the Japan Sports Agency, sources said Saturday. 
   Kawai, 50, would succeed current Commissioner Koji Murofushi, 50, who will reach the end of his term at the end of September.
   Kawai competed in six consecutive Paralympic Games, starting with the 1992 Barcelona Games, and won 21 medals including five golds.
   He became chairman of the Japanese Paralympic Committee in 2020 and led the Japanese national team at the Tokyo Summer Paralympics in 2021 and the Beijing Winter Paralympics in 2022.
   The top post of the agency, set up in 2015, has been held exclusively by Olympic gold medalists, namely the first commissioner, Daichi Suzuki, 58, and his successor, Murofushi.