japan running news

The Nagasaki Music Fes Marathon is taking a turn for the international. Its producers, the Tokyo Marathon Foundation, have signed a partnership agreement with a Saudi Arabian organization for the promotion and development of running sports. Tokyo Marathon Foundation chair Tadaaki Hayano , said that the contract with the Saudi sports promotion agency will "enhance the city's brand value and have positive impacts on areas including the tourism, accommodations and transportation sectors." Hayano said that the Saudi agency, which produces the Riyadh Marathon, will help with the production of the Nagasaki Music Fes Marathon in Isahaya and Unzen, Nagasaki next January. "The Nagasaki Music Fes Marathon is based on the concepts of "peace" and "irreplaceable things," and is more than just a marathon or sporting event," said Hayano. "We hope to spread this awareness and the concept of "sports for all" beyond our own borders and into Sau...

Citing increased operating costs as a result of rising prices, the Tokyo Marathon Foundation announced on Jan. 22 that it will be raising entry fees for the 2026 edition of the race. Including taxes and fees, entry for residents of Japan will increase 20% from ¥16,500 to ¥19,800. International entries will increase 43.75% from $160 USD to $230 USD. The move was approved at a board meeting on the 22nd. A statement cited the effects of rising prices on the event's operating costs, the need to improve services offered to participants, and the extra work needed to cope with higher numbers of international participants. Entry fees for the accompanying 10.7 km race will remain unchanged given its relatively small scale and the fees charged at other similar events. source article: https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/4dca2eee7254fa5cbb26aa1a77bcc7928f7b24f1 translated and edited by Brett Larner

At an executive board meeting in Tokyo on June 24, the Tokyo Marathon Foundation set next year's race date as Mar. 2. In addition to the male and female categories available in the mass-participation division the TMF also added a non-binary category for those who do not identify as either, a progressive initiative for the country's largest race. source article: https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/5dcfb7760f200697a2e50f316c45f39e9851c528 translated by Brett Larner

As part of the countermeasures established by the Tokyo Marathon Foundation to ensure the safety of participants by preventing clusters of new coronavirus infections at the 2021 Tokyo Marathon held on Sunday, Mar. 6, 2022, the TMF established a countermeasure review committee and study group to develop effective measures for dealing with infectious disease risk for the purpose of conducting a safe and secure event. A summary of the results from PCR testing done on runners before the race by event medical partners F Medical Equipment Co., Ltd. and Tokyo TMS Clinic are as follows. The complete report is linked at the bottom. Of 19.527 tests conducted on runners in the three days prior to the race, 108 positive cases were discovered, a positivity rate of 0.55%. No defective tests were discovered. None of the participants who tested positive had temperatures measured at 37.5˚C or higher when they came to runner check-in at the event expo. In telephone interviews Tokyo TMS Clinic doctors f...

The Tokyo Marathon Foundation announced today that it's launching a new elite and mass-participation half marathon on Oct. 16, The Tokyo Legacy Half , with a field of 15,000 and a price tag to match, 20,700 yen for the privilege of starting and finishing in the Tokyo Olympic Stadium. The course follows a scaled-back version of the MGC and Paralympic marathon courses, downhill at the start, turning around at Nihonbashi and the Imperial Palace, then back up the hill to the stadium. Entries for the first year will be restricted to Japan-only, at least for the mass-participation field, with the note that they might open it up to international tour groups later. More info including course map and elevation here .

On Jan. 19 it was learned that men's marathon world record holder and two-time Olympic marathon gold medalist Eliud Kipchoge , 37, may run the Mar. 6 Tokyo Marathon. Multiple sources involved in the situation said that the Tokyo Marathon organizers have extended an offer to Kipchoge for his participation. If he does run, there is a strong possibility that he will break both the course and all-comers' records of 2:03:58 set in 2017 by Wilson Kipsang  by a wide margin. At the same time, the Omicron coronavirus variant is likely to have a significant impact on the event's chances. The government has banned all non-resident foreigners from entering the country since Nov. 30 last year. Tokyo and other areas of the country are set to enter a partial state of emergency on Jan. 21. And the Tokyo Marathon organizers have established the policy that they will cancel the race if after Feb. 6 the government asks large-scale events to refrain from going forward and it meets the criteria...

With the government set to extend the state of emergency in Tokyo and other parts of the country, as of Sept. 6 it is all but certain that the Oct. 17 Tokyo Marathon will be canceled.  The published guidelines for the 2021 race state, "In the event that a state of emergency has been issued one month prior to the event as part of the government's efforts against the coronavirus pandemic, or if the local government has issued a request not to hold the race, the Tokyo Marathon will be canceled." The current state of emergency in Tokyo runs through Sept. 12, but as it is expected to be extended 2~3 weeks it will still be in force on the 17th. This makes the chances that the Tokyo Marathon will go ahead virtually non-existent. The event's organizers, the Tokyo Marathon Foundation, plan to hold a board meeting in mid-September to make a final decision. The 2021 Tokyo Marathon was originally scheduled for Mar. 7, but in October last year in light of pandemic conditions the ...

 https://www.marathon.tokyo/en/news/detail/news_001791.html Major Japanese marathons still scheduled to happen in 2020 and 2021 marathon announcements to date: Dec. 6: Fukuoka International Marathon (370) - scheduled with limited field size Dec. 20: Hofu Marathon (2,724) - scheduled with limited field size 2021 Jan. 10 - Ibusuki Nanohana Marathon (10,954) - canceled Jan. 31 - Katsuta Marathon (10,627) - canceled Jan. 31 - Osaka International Women's Marathon (423) - TBA Feb. 7 - Beppu-Oita Marathon (3,141) - canceled Feb. 14 - Ehime Marathon (9,554) - canceled Feb. 14 - Nobeoka Nishi Nippon Marathon (536) - TBA Feb. 21 - Kyoto Marathon (13,894) - canceled Feb. 21 - Kochi Ryoma Marathon (10,924) - canceled Feb. 21 - Kumamoto Castle Marathon (10,444) - canceled Feb. 21 - Kitakyushu Marathon (9,485) - canceled Feb. 21 - Okinawa Marathon (7,990) - canceled Feb. 28 - Shonan International Marathon (16,821) - rescheduled from Dec. 6 Feb. 28 - Himeji Castle Marathon (6,938) - canceled Feb...

On Oct. 4 it was learned from an involved source that the 2021 Tokyo Marathon, currently scheduled for Mar. 7, has made a final decision to move to the fall next year with a full field size of 38,000 rather than as an elite-only race. The postponement is a result of the ongoing coronavirus crisis, but the organizers do not plan to reduce the event's size. The decision has been approved by the board of directors of the Tokyo Marathon Foundation and a formal announcement is expected to be made on Oct. 9. The move puts the 2021 Tokyo Marathon in the aftermath of the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. According to the source, the original Mar. 7 was viewed as simply not feasible given the current status of the coronavirus crisis. The move will allow the race to be held without a reduction in the number of participants, roughly 38,000 people in normal years. The Foundation was keen to avoid a reduction in the number of participants for a second-straight year after this year's m...

On Sept. 9 it was learned that the Tokyo Marathon is examining a plan to hold next year's race, currently scheduled for Mar. 7, in October, 2021 with a maximum field of 15,000. The plan is among the leading candidates for a solution to dealing with the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The Tokyo Marathon Foundation continues to examine the options and projections for the future and intends to make a final decision at its executive board meeting in early October. This year's race on Mar. 1, where Suguru Osako set a new men's national record of 2:05:29, was run as an elite-only event due to the effects of the coronavirus crisis. 38,000 mass participation runners had been scheduled to run through the city's streets before the mass participation race was canceled. Those who had been entered have the option to run in either 2021 or 2022 instead. The countdown to next year's race continues in the midst of uncertainty. The Tokyo Marathon Foundation was originally schedule...

On Aug. 27 it was learned from an involved source that due to the ongoing coronavirus crisis the Tokyo Marathon Foundation is looking at holding next year's Tokyo Marathon, scheduled for Mar. 7, as an elite-only race for the second year in a row following the cancelation of this year's 38,000-runner mass participation race. A final decision is expected in early September. The Tokyo Marathon began in 2007 and has the largest field size in Japan. After the onset of the coronavirus crisis early this year the mass-participation race was canceled for the first time ever, with only the elite field running. Spectators were asked not to come out to cheer along the course. With the elite race serving as a qualifying event for the Japanese Olympic team, Suguru Osako (Nike) finished 4th overall in a new national record of 2:05:29, securing his place at the Olympics. Following the cancelation of this year's mass-participation race the Tokyo Marathon Foundation told entrants that...

On Mar. 5 the Tokyo Marathon Foundation announced that it has donated 40,000 masks and 200 liters of disinfectant left over from its measures against the novel coronavirus at last weekend's Tokyo Marathon to schools and medical institutions. The Tokyo Marathon's general division was canceled and its volunteer staff was cut by 90%, leaving the Foundation with a surplus of material it donated to municipalities through the Tokyo metropolitan area and through the Tokyo Medical Association. According to the Metropolitan Government, the items donated for schools will be used at after-school care programs and elsewhere. source article: https://www.sankei.com/region/news/200306/rgn2003060005-n1.html translated by Brett Larner

Update: The Mar. 8 Nagoya Women's Marathon, the world's largest women-only marathon, is now also looking at canceling its mass-participation division . In response to the spread of the coronavirus within Japan, the Tokyo Marathon Foundation has decided to cancel the Mar. 1 Tokyo Marathon's 38,000-runner mass-participation race. Founded in 2007, the Tokyo Marathon is Japan's largest mass-participation marathon, with more than a million spectators along its course every year. A men's Olympic marathon team selection race, this year's Tokyo Marathon will be an unusual spectacle with only 200 elite runners including national record holder Suguru Osako (Nike) and previous record holder Yuta Shitara (Honda). The Tokyo Marathon Foundation is also looking at significantly cutting back the activities of the 11,000 volunteers involved in the event's operations. On Feb. 1 the Foundation already asked roughly 1,800 participants living in China to refrain from ta...

Update: The Tokyo Marathon's mass-participation race has been canceled. More information here . It has been learned that the Tokyo Marathon Foundation is considering cutting back on the number of runners in the Mar. 1 Tokyo Marathon in response to the continued spread of the coronavirus. According to a spokesperson, the Foundation is said to be considering options including reducing the number of participants and completely canceling the mass participation race. The Tokyo Marathon has the largest number of participants of any marathon in Japan, with around 40,000 people entered for this year's race. As an Olympic selection race for men, the elite field in Tokyo this year includes national record holder Suguru Osako and previous national record holder Yuta Shitara . The Foundation and metropolitan government had previously announced plans to distribute masks to runners who wished to use them. But in light of the continued spread of the coronavirus after that announceme...

The Tokyo Marathon Foundation , independent organizer of the Tokyo Marathon , is considering a plan to increase the entry fees for the race by 50% for its 14th running in March, 2020. Its primary reason is a decrease in the event's profitability due to increased safety and security costs. The plan could be approved by the Board of Directors as early as December. In the five years since the April, 2013 Boston Marathon bombing, the Tokyo Marathon's safety and security costs have increased by a factor of 2.7. This year's costs reached a record high of 482,000,000 yen [~$4,275,000 USD] . With the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games looming in the near future the Foundation expects the threat of terrorism to grow. In preparation it plans to be beef up security measures at the Tokyo Marathon, with more security guards, metal detectors and surveillance cameras. Last year the Tokyo Metropolitan Government increased its subsidization of the Tokyo Marathon from 100,000,00...

At a press conference in Tokyo on Dec. 12, the Tokyo Marathon Foundation announced that beginning in 2019, the Tokyo Marathon will move from its current date on the last Sunday of February to the first Sunday of March. The next Imperial succession is set to take place in 2019, meaning that February 23 will become the Emperor's Birthday national holiday starting in 2020. The race date is being preemptively moved to avoid any potential overlap. According to the Foundation, setting up and breaking down the facilities necessary to hold the Tokyo Marathon takes several days. With the finish area being positioned in front of the Imperial Palace there were concerns that problems would arise due to the large number of people who would gather in the area to celebrate the Emperor's birthday. Translator's note: The Tokyo Marathon previously experimented with a March race date in 2009 but abandoned it to return to February the next year. Since 1994 the first Sunday of March has ...

http://www.zakzak.co.jp/society/domestic/news/20160726/dms1607261200010-n1.htm an editorial by Minoru Nasu, Sankei Newspaper photo editor translated by Brett Larner "Tokyo Station will form the stunningly picturesque backdrop for the new finish line."  With these words Tokyo governor Yoichi Masuzoe confidently announced the change of the Tokyo Marathon course at a press conference on March 29. The Sankei Newspaper is one of the Tokyo Marathon's sponsors.  Being in charge of photography, I set up an on-site meeting with representatives of the Tokyo Marathon Foundation to discuss issues like the shooting locations in the new finish area so that our reporters and photographers would be able to do their jobs smoothly.  "That's so easy for you to say, Mr. Masuzoe..."  That was my immediate reaction when I heard the news about the course change.  There are a lot of constraints on marathons held on public roads, and things do not proceed as planned. Runn...

http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/national/20150219-OYT1T50059.html http://www.nikkei.com/article/DGXLASDG17HCV_Y5A210C1CC0000/ translated and edited by Brett Larner Click here for the above article's graphic showing a runner in the Tokyo Marathon being followed by police and surveillance cameras above pictures and a list of banned items and activities including plastic bottles, glass bottles, cans, poison, explosives, scissors, box cutters, tear gas, clothing bearing advertising, clothing that might upset others, and music and dancing on the course. Over fears generated by the Islamic State kidnapping of Japanese citizens and the rising threat of terrorism worldwide, participants in the Feb. 22 Tokyo Marathon will be subjected to unprecedented security measures.  The 36,000 participants will be prohibited from bringing plastic sports drink bottles to the start and will each be screened with metal detectors.  Police have more than doubled the number of surveillance cameras moni...

http://jp.wsj.com/articles/JJ11495822049812613508818094016883439080797?tesla=y&tesla=y translated by Brett Larner Ahead of next weekend's Tokyo Marathon, the police department conducted counter-terrorism training with race officials and course volunteers on Feb. 13 at the start point in front of Tokyo City Hall.  In response to the "Islamic State" kidnapping of Japanese citizens and the 2013 Boston Marathon bombings, the Tokyo Marathon will be carried out under a state of high security. Roughly 230 people from the city government and Tokyo Marathon Foundation took part in the training.  The scenario rehearsed involved two men carrying bombs refusing to submit to baggage inspection and entering the start area.  Along with an evacuation of the area, riot squad officers and police dogs subdued the two men.  A wide restricted area perimeter was established and a bomb disposal team was deployed.

http://response.jp/article/2014/11/26/238309.html translated and edited by Brett Larner The organizers of the 2015 Tokyo Marathon have announced that both London Olympics gold medalists will run next year's race, men's marathon gold medalist Stephen Kiprotich (Uganda) and women's marathon gold medalist Tiki Gelana (Ethiopia) each signing on to run as invited athletes.  Kiprotich ran the Tokyo Marathon in 2012 to qualify for the Olympics, finishing 3rd in 2:07:50 behind winner Michael Kipyego (Kenya) and Arata Fujiwara (Japan).  Formerly based in Japan, Gelana ran the Yokohama International Women's Marathon earlier this month where she was 6th in 2:29:13 . The 2015 Tokyo Marathon is scheduled to be held Feb. 22.  As of Nov. 14, 304,825 people had entered for the 28,400 places in the general division, and with entries for the elite, sub-elite, charity runner and other divisions well over capacity across the board, preparations are progressing steadily.  114 ...