Governor Koike Opens the MOWA (Museum of World Athletics) Tokyo 2025 Exhibition

Governor Koike attended the opening ceremony of the MOWA (Museum of World Athletics) Heritage Athletics Exhibition  Tokyo 2025 on July 6 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Government No.1 Building.

 

The exhibition, featuring athletics memorabilia, is scheduled for July 6-September 21 in celebration of the World Athletics Championships Tokyo 2025 to be held in the Japanese capital September 13-21. The show is hosted by the sports event’s Local Organizing Committee. 

The ceremony, held at the north side exhibition space on the second floor of the building, also brought together leading Japanese athletics officials and stars, past and present, including Arimori Yuko, President of the Japan Association of Athletics Federations, and Ogata Mitsugi, President of the Local Organizing Committee of the Tokyo 2025 World Athletics Championships . Ms. Arimori, an Olympic women’s marathon silver and bronze medalist, is a member of the World Athletics Council.

Also present were Koyama Naoki, a male marathon runner booked for the Tokyo championships; Taniguchi Hiromi, who won the men’s marathon gold at the 1991 world championships in Tokyo; Noguchi Mizuki, the 2004 Olympic women’s marathon champion; and retired female discus and hammer thrower Murofushi Yuka.

Governor Koike told the ceremony, “I am very delighted to welcome the MOWA Heritage Athletics Exhibition to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government building here in conjunction with the World Athletics Championships, which we will host in September.”

She noted that the exhibition’s theme is “Tokyo 91 – Tokyo 25,” acknowledging the 1991 and 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo.

“On display here are life-size panels of legendary athletes such as Mr. Taniguchi Hiromi, the marathon gold medalist at the 1991 championships, who is here with us today. We also see a collection of items donated by athletes,” the governor said. ”You can touch some of them, and I hope as many people as possible will enjoy them.”

Governor Koike commented : “We have two months to go until the championships. I hope to join hands with World Athletics (organization), the Local Organizing Committee and the Japan Association of Athletics Federations as well as all of you, who are gathered here today, to fill up the National Stadium and make the championships one to be remembered for a long time to come.”