japan running news

by Sota Nakanishi The 100th running of the Hakone Ekiden took place Jan. 2-3, 2024 . Nobuhisa Sakata , 82, former deputy sports director at Nippon TV which began broadcasting Hakone with its 63rd edition in 1987, talked about the behind-the-scenes work that made the impossibility of a live broadcast of the massive two-day event a reality. Sakata became interested in the Hakone Ekiden with its 40th running when he started working at Nippon TV in 1964. The promising Juntendo University 2nd-year Keisuke Sawaki ran despite having knee pain pre-race. He finished 15th of 15 on the highly competitive Second Stage, but afterward head coach Hiroaki Chosa defended him, saying, "We need to have people we can put in charge of the Second Stage all four years or we'll never be able to win Hakone." Two years later during Sawaki's senior year Juntendo won for the first time. Sakata was deeply moved by the determination they had put into Hakone and their preparation for it. He im...

http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/20120920/ath12092020060002-n1.html translated by Brett Larner Speaking to members of the media on Sept. 20, Rikuren executive Susumu Takano evaluated the results of the Japanese Olympic team in athletics, where the team's record of one medal and two top eight performances fell short of the federation's goal of one medal and five top eight performances.  "It's a very disappointing result," he said.  "We beat ourselves."  Takano was positive about hammer thrower Koji Murofushi 's bronze  medal but identified the female marathoners' inability to cope with pace changes and the disqualifications of the race walkers as challenges that must be dealt with in the future. With regard to the men's and women's marathon teams' inability to score a medal, board member Toshihiko Seko  spoke frankly, saying, "The volume of their training is insufficient.  Kenyan athletes are training more than the Japane...

http://www.jiji.com/jc/zc?k=201009/2010091100119 translated by Mika Tokairin and Brett Larner Rikuren sources have confirmed that Yohei Kono , 73, is to be named to a 7th term as the Japanese federation's director at an executive committee meeting on Sept. 28. The new term, which will last two years, begins next April. This fall Rikuren will apply to the government for a new status as a semi-privatized corporate entity. Advisors on the move recommended that Kono's leadership be maintained through the transition period. With the exception of the director's position, Rikuren officials are currently required to retire at age 70. Under the new privatized regulations retirement rules will be significantly tighter, meaning Kono's 7th term is likely to be his last.

http://www.sanspo.com/sports/news/090804/spg0908041945001-n1.htm translated by Brett Larner On Aug. 4 Rikuren announced that beginning next year, the winning teams in the National Interprefectural Ekiden in Hiroshima and the National Interprefectural Women's Ekiden in Kyoto will receive new Emperor's Cup trophies. Rikuren director Yohei Kono received the two trophies from incoming Imperial Household Agency director Noriyuki Kazeoka at a ceremony at the Agency. Kono commented, "These cups will be a tremendous honor for the winning teams. Through the Emperor's blessing the Interprefectural Ekiden will from now on become an event of the utmost importance and respect to citizens nationwide." Click here for photos of the new Emperor's Cup trophies.

http://sports.nikkei.co.jp/flash.aspx?n=117381 translated by Brett Larner Following a meeting of its executive board on Apr. 4, Rikuren has announced some changes to the board's membership. Director Keisuke Sawaki (65) will remain in his current position, while former national soccer director Takeo Hirata (49) will join the board as a special advisor. Both positions will last two years. Former marathon aces Toshihiko Seko (52) and Yuko Arimori (42) have left the Rikuren board, while Osaka Gas vice-president Hiroshi Yokokawa (61) and Hiroshima Track and Field vice-director Katsuji Miyake (65) will join. Like Sawaki, special committee director Susumo Takano (47) and executive director Yohei Kono (72) will keep their current positions. The board also selected Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture as the site for the 2011 National Track and Field Championships.

http://www.nara-np.co.jp/n_all/081114/all081114b.shtml translated by Brett Larner The Nara Prefectural Track and Field Association held a press conference Nov. 13 at the head offices of the Nara Newspapers Group to announce that, with the support of Rikuren director Yohei Kono, it will stage a new marathon beginning in 2010 as part of the celebrations for the 1300th anniversary of Nara's status as the ancient capital of Japan . The Nara Marathon aims both to generate increased involvement in sports within Nara Prefecture and to attract the interest of those outside the prefecture in Nara's 1300 years of history. Nara T&F director Masahiro Morioka said that a race committee was in the process of being assembled and that it would hold its first meeting by the end of the year with the purpose of making preliminary decisions on the course and other basic organizational elements.

published in the Nikkei Newspaper, 11/20/08 translated by Mika Tokairin and Brett Larner Rikuren [JAAF] announced today that it has created a new 'Long Distance and Road Racing Special Committee' to separate oversight of Japanese long distance and marathon runners from other track and field events in an effort to strengthen Japanese distance running. The new division is to be headed by Rikuren executive board member Keisuke Sawaki. The committee responsible for sprints and field events will be headed by current Rikuren track and field director Susumu Takano. The final decision on creating the new division was made by Rikuren executive director Yohei Kono. "It was extremely embarrassing to see the result of the Beijing Olympic marathons," commented Kono. "Considering the size of our organization some might think setting up this new committee might be outrageous and too specific to one event, but our feeling is that this is necessary to deal with the current cris...