Tokyo, 20 January 2014 - As Olympic excitement reaches fever pitch, the Japanese delegation that will compete at Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games gathered today for a rousing send-off ceremony.
His Imperial Highness Prince Akishino and JOC President Tsunekazu Takeda headlined a star-studded list of supporters that included representatives from government, and the business and sporting communities, all eager to wish Japan’s finest athletes much success in their quest for victory at the XXII Olympic Winter Games.
Team Japan is captained by ski jumper Noriaki Kasai. Seiko Hashimoto, bronze medallist at the 1992 Albertville Olympic Games and seven-time Olympian, has been appointed as the Chef de Mission.
At the event, Tsunekazu Takeda, IOC member and President of the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) congratulated the athletes on qualifying for the team and wished them all much luck before their departure. He said: "In this milestone year to celebrate a half-century since the first Tokyo Olympics were held, we also acknowledge a century of Japanese participation in the Olympics. Remembering this weight of history, I am confident that all members of Team Japan will perform to the peak of their abilities while also giving full consideration to the concepts of fair play and the integrity of sport. My earnest desire is that Japanese athletes are able to demonstrate the vibrancy of Japan and the power of sport to bring people around the world closer together.
"I look forward to each individual athlete contributing to the further empowerment of Japan, where the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic will take place in six years time."
Along with the two thousand people in attendance, the Grand Prince Hotel New Takanawa in Tokyo was also filled with the Olympic Spirit as the ‘All Japan’ Team demonstrated yet again its tremendous passion for sport and the Olympic Movement.
For more information, please contact the International Relations Department of the Japanese Olympic Committee by phone at +81-3-3481-2286, by fax at +81-3-3481-0977, or by e-mail at jpn-noc@joc.or.jp.
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