VOL. 100 august 2016 The Summer Olympics: Gold Medal Wisdom from Japan 6 12 Legacy of 2020 Hurdling the Barriers of An interview with Hiroko Ota of the Tokyo Language Organising Committee of the Olympic and A translation system fit for the Olympics Paralympic Games 8 On the Fast Track Speeding connections to Rio de Janeiro and beyond 14 Superior Quality, No Strings Features Attached The tennis and badminton stringing machine of the stars 10 Helping Hands In praise of the volunteers without whom big sporting events would not be possible. 4 22 24 PRIME MINISTER'S SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY HOME AWAY FROM HOME DIARY Wearable Sensors for All Martial Art Passion Becomes Life Also Journey COPYRIGHT © 2016 CABINET OFFICE OF JAPAN WHERE TO FIND US The views expressed in this magazine by the interviewees Tokyo Narita Airport terminals 1 & 2 ● JR East Travel Service Center (Tokyo Narita Airport) ● JR Tokyo and contributors do not necessarily represent the views of Station Tourist Information Center ● Tokyo Tourist Information Center (Haneda Airport, Tokyo Metropolitan the Cabinet Office or the Government of Japan. No article Government Building, Keisei Ueno Station) ● Niigata Airport ● Chubu Centrair International Airport Tourist or any part thereof may be reproduced without the express Information & Service ● Kansai Tourist Information Center (Kansai Int'l Airport) ● Fukuoka Airport Tourist permission of the Cabinet Office. Copyright inquiries Information ● Foreign Press Center/Japan ● Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan ● Delegation of the should be made through a form available at: European Union to Japan ● Tokyo University ● Waseda University ● Ritsumeikan Asia Pacific University● Ritsumeikan University ● Kokushikan University ● University of Tsukuba ● Keio University ● Meiji University www.gov-online.go.jp/eng/mailform/inquiry.html ● Osaka University ● Kyushu University ● Kyoto University ● Tohoku University ● Nagoya University ● Sophia University ● Doshisha University ● Akita International University ● International University of Japan 2 | highlighting japan ISSUE 100, AUGUST 2016 Theme for august: The Summer Olympics: Gold Medal Wisdom from Japan 16 apan contributes more than Hot Wheels just athletic excellence Athletic wheelchairs that make a to the Summer Olympic difference Jand Paralympic Games; its expertise is also put to use in less celebrated aspects of the Games, from athletic wheelchair 20 design to multilingual The Amazing Power of Sports Fifteen-time Paralympic gold medalist translation systems. swimmer Mayumi Narita 18 Cultural Exchange on the Wrestling Mat Four-time Olympic gold medalist freestyle wrestler Kaori Icho 26 28 30 INNOVATIVE ARTISTS TRADITIONAL CRAFTS JAPAN HERITAGE Immaterial World Yomitan Wheels Keep Turning The Noto Lights PRODUCTION The Japan Journal ON THE COVER MANAGING EDITOR Osamu Sawaji The Summer Olympics: Gold Medal Wisdom from Japan EDITOR Alex Hendy photos: AFLO, Courtesy of OX Engineering, EDITORIAL SUPPORT Jun Ashida, Hitoshi Chiba, Eriko Kiura ©Tokyo Marathon Foundation CONTRIBUTORS Rob Gilhooly, Toshio Matsubara, Kyoko Motoyoshi, Kumiko Sato, Akira Umezawa DESIGN Hirofumi Okadome PHOTOS Tadashi Aizawa, Rob Gilhooly, Yoshifusa Hashizume, Yuichi Itabashi, Masatoshi Sakamoto, Satoshi Tanaka VIDEOGRAPHY Satoshi Tanaka july 2016 | 3 Prime Minister's Diary PRIME MINISTER SHINZO ABE ATTENDS THE ASEM 11 SUMMIT MEETING rime Minister Shinzo Abe attended the 11th economy and regional affairs. Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM 11), which was Prime Minister Abe also held bilateral meetings Pheld in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia on July 15 and with the leaders of Mongolia, Germany, Bangladesh, July 16. China, the EU, Vietnam and Cambodia, and received At the Summit Meeting, Prime Minister Abe a courtesy call from the Secretary of Foreign Affairs spoke about Japan’s position on common issues for of the Philippines, and frank exchanges of views both Asia and Europe such as terrorism, the global took place. Prime Minister Abe shakes hands with H.E. Mr. Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, Prime Minister Abe speaks during the plenary session of the ASEM President of Mongolia. Summit Meeting. Photographs and text courtesy of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan and the Cabinet Public Relations Office of the Government of Japan. 4 | highlighting japan Feature THE SUMMER OLYMPICS: GOLD MEDAL WISDOM FROM JAPAN THE SUMMER OLYMPICS Gold Medal Wisdom from Japan Athletes, sports administrators, corporations large and small, volunteers… Japanese people from all walks of life come together in a remarkable variety of ways to enhance the Olympic and Paralympic experience. In this month’s feature story, we look at some of the Japanese initiatives being implemented at the 2016 Rio Games as well as some of those already under development for the 2020 Photo: Tadashi Aizawa Tokyo Games, which are now just four years away. august 2016 | 5 Feature THE SUMMER OLYMPICS: GOLD MEDAL WISDOM FROM JAPAN Legacy of 2020 apan is addressing a variety of challenges ahead of the Olympic and Paralympic Games Jto be held in Tokyo in 2020, including energizing the economy and developing cutting- edge scientific technology. We spoke with Professor Hiroko Ota of the National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies and chairperson of the Economy and Technology Commission of the Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games regarding how Japan will change ahead of the Tokyo Games. What is Japan aiming to achieve in the spheres Professor Hiroko Ota of the of economics and technology for the 2020 Tokyo National Graduate Institute for Olympic and Paralympic Games? Policy Studies and chairperson Following the 1964 Olympic Games, the 2020 of the Economy and Technology Olympic and Paralympic Games will be the Commission of the Tokyo second time Japan has hosted the summer Organising Committee of the Games. The 1964 Olympic Games were held Olympic and Paralympic Games during Japan’s period of rapid economic growth as the nation bounced back from the devastation of the Second World War. In that year, the Shinkansen Bullet Train entered service between Tokyo and Osaka, road networks such as the Tokyo Metropolitan Expressway in central Tokyo grew and the urban functions of Tokyo developed. The Olympics became a major opportunity for Japan to make even further strides in the fields of economics and technology. Japan now faces a variety of challenges, including the shrinking birthrate and the aging of the population. Our aim is to ensure that the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games become a milestone in encouraging the kind of advanced economic and technological development that could potentially resolve such issues. I believe that such advances in economics and technology Photo: Yuichi Itabashi 6 | highlighting japan will help both Japan and the rest of the world take provide electric power to the Olympic Village. a major step forward. Visual technology is also being developed. Technologies that make possible high-resolution Professor Ota, you chair the Economy and video which far exceeds current 4k or 8k Technology Commission of the Tokyo Organising television quality, or technologies using virtual Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic reality techniques which can create the visual Games. What sort of discussions have the experience of being right on the scene are Commission engaged in? examples of such technologies. We’re lucky to have a variety of experts taking In addition, terrorism has become a serious part as members of the Commission, including problem worldwide in recent years. Security university professors, attorneys and company technology to prevent terrorism, including cyber- executives who are discussing what we need to terrorism, will continue to evolve in the future. build in the fields of economics and technology as the legacy of the Games that will continue to What is the status of preparations being made for prevail after 2020 and what we need to do by 2020? 2020 to achieve that. The theme taken up by The International Olympic Committee (IOC) the Economic and Technology Commission is has praised the preparations which Japan has “Restoration of the Japan Brand.” This theme made for 2020. You could say that preparations focuses on the creation of highly reliable, high are proceeding smoothly according to schedule. value-added products and services through the From this point forward, an important factor will incorporation of a variety of ideas. These include, be how to stimulate interest in the Olympic and for instance, making it possible for anyone to Paralympic Games throughout Japan. We need to move and communicate without hindrance, to ensure that the Games draw participation not just share feelings with large numbers of others, and to by the athletes but by many citizens, particularly enjoy security that is high in reliability and quality. young people. Right now Japan is undergoing big changes, What sort of specific technological achievements and present circumstances make it hard to predict are being targeted? the future. For this reason, some people have We anticipate that very many guests from a vague sense of unease. Given this situation, overseas will be visiting Japan. Technologies my hope is that the Olympics will provide an for multilingual communication are therefore opportunity to open up new vistas for Japan. being developed so that these people do not The Tokyo Olympics held in 1964 were exactly experience any language difficulties. These that sort of Olympics. I want to ensure that include translation applications that can be