Japan’s Wheelchair Tennis Star Tokito Oda Completes Career Golden Slam
Tokito Oda, 19, became the youngest player to achieve the feat of winning all of the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon, U.S. Open and Paralympic titles.
Category: Para Sports
Japan Para Swimmer Mayumi Narita Dies Aged 55
Mayumi Narita, one of Japan’s most accomplished para swimmers and a six-time Paralympian, died Friday at the age of 55 after battling intrahepatic bile duct cancer, the Japanese Para Swimming Federation said. Born in Kawasaki, Kanagawa Prefecture, Narita became a wheelchair user in her teens due to transverse myelitis and later a traffic accident, but went on to dominate the Paralympic stage, winning 15 gold medals and 20 overall between 1996 and 2004. She was named Best Female Athlete by the International Paralympic Committee in 2005, retired after the 2008 Beijing Games, and later contributed to Tokyo’s successful bid for the 2020 Games before making a remarkable comeback to compete in Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2020 at age 51. Known for her resilience and innovation, she continued training despite pandemic restrictions and had planned to remain active in the sport at her home club, the Yokohama Sakura Swimming School.
Para Swimmer Mayumi Narita Dies at 55, 15 Gold Medals Earned in Career
The Japanese Para Swimming Federation announced Friday that Mayumi Narita, one of Japan’s most celebrated para swimmers, has died at the age of 55 after an illness. A native of Kanagawa Prefecture, Narita competed in four consecutive Paralympic Games from Atlanta in 1996 to Beijing in 2008 before returning in 2015 to race at Rio 2016 and Tokyo 2021. Excelling in freestyle and backstroke, she became a dominant figure in global para swimming and retired following the Tokyo Games.
Paralympic Medalist Junichi Kawai Seen as Candidate for Sports Agency Head
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.
Deaflympics: Tech innovation to immerse athletes, spectators in sport
Digital technology is set to play an exciting role at the Tokyo Deaflympics in November, with organizers aiming to create an immersive experience that engages athletes and spectators with hearing impairments. Sounds such as those made when a ball is hit, or when fans cheer, are translated into onomatopoeic words and displayed at the table tennis venue during the Deaflympics. Monitors near the table display written characters in sync with the decisive moments of a match, offering a more immersive and visually engaging experience for spectators.
273 Japanese Athletes to Compete in Deaflympics in November; Event to Be Held in Japan for 1st Time
A record number of Japanese athletes will participate in the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics in November, it was announced on Thursday. A record 273 athletes — 160 male and 113 female — will compete in all 21 sports during the Deaflympics, an international event for athletes that have hearing impairments. This is the first time for Japan to host the event. Japan aims to surpass the previous record of 30 medals that the nation won during the previous Deaflympics.
Japan to promote sign language with new law ahead of Deaflympics [Podcast Episode]
Election time is over and yes the right wing Sanseito party made gains, winning about 14 seats. In other news, Japan’s central and local governments are required under a new law to take steps to promote the use of sign language, aiming to build momentum ahead of hosting the Deaflympics in November. The law took effect on June 25 following the approval in parliament of legislation drafted by cross-party lawmakers. It marks the first time Japan has enacted a law specifically on sign language, according to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry. Calling the legislation “historic,” the Japanese Federation of the Deaf said in a statement it is “deeply moved” when thinking of the predecessors who worked tirelessly to raise awareness of sign language.
Japan to promote sign language with new law ahead of Deaflympics
Japan’s central and local governments are required under a new law to take steps to promote the use of sign language, aiming to build momentum ahead of hosting the Deaflympics in November. The law took effect on June 25 following the approval in parliament of legislation drafted by cross-party lawmakers. It marks the first time Japan has enacted a law specifically on sign language, according to the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry. Calling the legislation “historic,” the Japanese Federation of the Deaf said in a statement it is “deeply moved” when thinking of the predecessors who worked tirelessly to raise awareness of sign language.
Tennis: Japan’s Tokito Oda fights back to win 2nd Wimbledon wheelchair crown
Japan’s Tokito Oda won his second Wimbledon wheelchair tennis title in three years, coming from a set down to beat Britain’s Alfie Hewett on Sunday.
Japan’s Paris Paralympics representative Yumi Tanaka wins women’s 100m hurdles at Japan Athletics Championships, Asuka Terada places 6th in her last Japan Championships
The final day of the Japan Athletics Championships (sponsored by Yomiuri Shimbun), which also serves as the main qualifying tournament for the World Championships in Tokyo in September, was held at the National Stadium on the 6th, and in the women’s 100m hurdles, Yumi Tanaka (Fujitsu), who represented Japan at the Paris Olympics, won in a time of 12.86 seconds.
Barrier Free Japan 