Initiatives to create momentum and build excitement toward the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games (with 300 days to go till the Games)

We are pleased to announce that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government (TMG) is carrying out the following initiatives to mark the 300 day countdown to the opening of the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games (Wednesday October 28). These form part of the initiatives TMG is using to create momentum and build excitement toward the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, as well as to promote para sports.

Please note that all interviews, manga panels, short movies are in Japanese.

Notice

1 Presentation of interviews of people who support para sports and para athletes

We are posting interview articles with coaches, staff, guide runners, guides, prosthetists and orthotists and other people who play essential roles for para sports on our website and SNS.
To mark 300 days before the Games (October 28), we started posting interviews of people who support five sports in the first round of releases. Following this, we will add generally one sport per week.

Theme

Roles to support para sports and the appeal of para sports and athletes

Start of presentation

Wednesday October 28, 2020

Where the articles are posted

Website of Bureau of Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 Preparation
「NO LIMITS CHALLENGE」Twitter(External link)

*Sports released on Wednesday October 28

• Athletics (prosthetist and orthotist, mechanic):
  Usui Fumio
• Football 5-a-side (blind football) (head coach, guide):
  Nakagawa Eiji
• Para power lifting (coach):
  Yoshida Susumu
  Yoshida Hisako
• Wheelchair rugby (athletic trainer):
  Isa Kazutoshi
• Blind marathon (guide runner):
  Takada Hiroyuki

2 Exhibition of manga panels of para sports (TMG Office/WEB)

The first exhibition of manga panels for the para sports support project “TEAM BEYOND” opened at end of August in the South space on the first floor at TMG Office No. 1. These panels were replaced with new manga panels on Wednesday October 28 for the second exhibition.
Videos of the exhibits and exhibition space are posted on a feature page of the website of the Bureau of Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 Preparation so that you can view them from the comfort of home.

The first exhibition

Manga artists for sports displayed and their works (example)

• Boccia:
  Sugaya Mitsuru (Game Center Arashi)
• Canoe:
  Noda Satoru (Golden Kamuy)
• Bicycle racing:
  Watanabe Wataru (Yowamushi Pedal)
• Swimming:
  Takei Hiroyuki (Shaman King)
• Table tennis:
  Satonaka Machiko (Aries Maidens)
• Wheelchair fencing:
  Murakami Motoka (JIN)

3 Presentation of short movies conveying the excellence of para athletes

6-second videos showing the skills of para athletes in different situations have been posted on the website of TEAM BEYOND since Wednesday November 11. You can enjoy performances that are beyond imagination.

Athletes and their challenges (planned)

• Football 5-a-side:
  Kikushima Sora (Women’s blind football Japan national team member)
  “This is an amazing skill! A powerful shot wearing an eye mask”
• Wheelchair fencing:
  Kanou Shintaro (2019 IWAS World Cup Japan national team member)
  “No blinking! A high speed three-step thrust to win in an instant”
• Wheelchair basketball:
  Nagata Hiroyuki (Rio 2016 Paralympic Games Japan national team member)
  “Unmatched accuracy! Three-point shots in a row!

*Two more sports will be added in the future.

Where the videos are posted

• Website of TEAM BEYOND(External link)
• Website of Bureau of Olympic and Paralympic Games Tokyo 2020 Preparation(External link)
• Tokyo Douga(External link)

NO LIMITS CHALLENGE

The Tokyo Metropolitan Government is promoting this program about Paralympics in various locations around Tokyo. Attendants can experience different sports and also learn about the various attractions of Paralympics through the panel exhibitions that introduce sports and sporting equipment and talk shows with guest athletes.
“NO LIMITS” refers to the fact that para athletes should pursue their unlimited potential on the principle of “Do not worry about what you have lost but make the most of what you have,” while the word “CHALLENGE” makes it clear that this is a program that invites participation. With this title, we hope that this program will help more people come to know for themselves the appeal and thrill of the Paralympics.

• HP(External link)
• Twitter(External link)

TEAM BEYOND

This is a project that has been developed by TMG since FY 2016 aiming to increase the number of people who support para sports (meaning all sports for the disabled). All sorts of members, those who actually do the sports, those who view the sports, and those who support the sports, will come together to promote para sports as one team.

• HP(External link)
• Facebook(External link)
• Twitter(External link)
• Instagram(External link)

※This press release is also available in other languages. (日本語／English／中文／한국어)