Japanese sprinter Maki Yamada won the men’s 400-meter race at the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics on Wednesday, earning Japan its first gold medal at the ongoing event. Yamada finished the race in 47.61 seconds, rewriting his own deaf Japan record. “I’ve worked hard to win a gold medal at the Tokyo Games,” he said. “My efforts have paid off.”
Japan’s first judo podium came on Nov. 14, when Kazuma Gamo secured bronze in the men’s 73-kilogram division. The remaining medals followed on Nov. 17, with Yuto Fukasawa taking bronze in the men’s 81-kg class, Mizuki Mizutare in the men’s 90-kg, and Tomoki Takahashi in the men’s 100-kg. In the women’s events, Akira Kinugawa added another bronze in the 70-kg category.
The developer of the “starting light” device hopes that the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics, which began on Saturday, will raise awareness about the deaf community. The device will be used alongside the starting pistol for track events at the quadrennial sports festival for people with hearing difficulties. “I hope people become more aware of the difficulties that those who are hard of hearing go through,” said Masahisa Takemi, a 50-year-old teacher at the Central School for the Deaf, run by the Tokyo metropolitan government, who was involved in the development of the device.
India’s Dhanush Srikanth won the men’s 10-meter air rifle event at the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics, setting a new world record and giving India an early gold, while South Korea’s Jeong Suk-hwa claimed her country’s first gold of the Games in the women’s 10-meter air rifle.
The former officer, Masato Takeuchi, and another suspect arrested over the case, 55-year-old company employee Hiromi Ishichi, are apparently denying the allegations. The Deaflympics officially opened Saturday in Tokyo, marking the first time Japan has hosted the international sporting event for the deaf or hard of hearing.
The Deaflympics officially opened Saturday in Tokyo, marking the first time Japan has hosted the international sporting event for the deaf or hard of hearing. A record 3,081 athletes from 81 countries and regions, as well as a refugee team and a neutral team competing under the Deaflympics flag, have made the final entry list for the games, with the opening ceremony held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in the heart of the Japanese capital.
Japan is preparing to host its first-ever Deaflympics from Nov. 15 to 26, with events held in Tokyo, Shizuoka, and Fukushima, and Narita airport stepping up accessibility measures for the thousands of athletes and visitors expected from around 80 countries. The airport has introduced pictogram signage, written communication tools, and staff training sessions led by people with hearing impairments to improve interactions with deaf and hard-of-hearing travelers. Meanwhile, the Tokyo metropolitan government is offering sign language lessons to its employees to ensure smooth event operations and promote greater understanding of the deaf community ahead of the 12-day international sporting event.
Japan is preparing to host its first-ever Deaflympics from Nov. 15 to 26, with events held in Tokyo, Shizuoka, and Fukushima, and Narita airport stepping up accessibility measures for the thousands of athletes and visitors expected from around 80 countries. The airport has introduced pictogram signage, written communication tools, and staff training sessions led by people with hearing impairments to improve interactions with deaf and hard-of-hearing travelers. Meanwhile, the Tokyo metropolitan government is offering sign language lessons to its employees to ensure smooth event operations and promote greater understanding of the deaf community ahead of the 12-day international sporting event.
At the Deaflympics to kick off in Tokyo next week, “start lamps” will be used along with pistols on the racetrack as one of the innovative ways competitions are being adapted for hearing-impaired athletes.Masahisa Takemi, 50, a teacher at Tokyo Metropolitan Chuo School for the Deaf, created the signals to be used at the Nov. 15-26 games. “I want to create an environment where people do not have to give up despite their disabilities,” he said.
Two deaf students have appealed to Japan’s Supreme Court after lower courts rejected their claim that being denied classes in Japanese Sign Language violated their right to education. The pair are seeking 11 million yen in damages from the Hokkaidō government, a case their lawyer called a test of basic human rights protections for people with disabilities.
Barrier Free Japan