th Solidarity of International Judo Education The 15 Lecture The Record of 15th Lecture During his African trip, the Japanese prime minister pledged his support, in collaboration My stay in the UK with local related organizations, for the - What I experienced abroad through promotion of football and basketball in the encounters with various people - second and third countries visited, respectively. Such initiatives involving sports drew great attention from the local media and were Maki Tsukada extensively covered on TV and in newspapers. Friday, May 30, 2014 at Josui Kaikan The people involved with the prime minister’s trip told me later with deep feeling Opening Address that international exchange through sports was Yasuhiro Yamashita very effective in communicating Japan’s virtues (Executive Director, NPO Solidarity of International Judo and the Japanese leader’s friendly personality Education; Trustee and Vice-Chancellor, Tokai University) to people in other countries. I was very pleased to hear these words. The second event that greatly pleased me was another foreign trip of Prime Minister Abe, this time to various European countries in early May. On May 5, Mr. Abe and Mr. Francois Thank you very much for attending the Hollande, French President, had a summit General Assembly of the NPO Solidarity of meeting and released a joint statement. It said, International Judo Education today despite among other things, that the Japanese and your busy schedules. French governments would cooperate with the Thanks to your generous support and All-Japan Judo Federation or the French Judo cooperation, our NPO has entered its ninth year, Federation to support Israeli-Palestinian and our activities are gradually becoming well exchange through judo. known and appreciated in society. I was told that this happened because the Today, I would like to begin by telling you Israeli-Palestinian exchange project that our about two events that brought me great joy and organization started in 2010 and has continued pleasure. so far with your precious cooperation had been Firstly, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of Japan highly favorably evaluated, and momentum visited three African countries in January 2014, had gathered to prompt Japan and France, two and in Cote d’Ivoire, the first country visited, he judo superpowers, to work together and support went to watch a judo tournament. the project further. In fact, the tournament was named “Abe I am truly grateful to you all for your support Cup” because it was held to coincide with his and guidance for our NPO, which have made it visit. Prior to this event, our NPO had been possible for our project to be recognized on such asked if we could donate 100 used judogi for an international scale. children in Cote d’Ivoire. From Thursday two weeks ago through last I had been also asked to go there with the Monday, I was in Saint Petersburg, Russia, prime minister’s party, although I had to where we organized a cherry blossom festival in decline because it was a request on short notice. partnership with Japan Tobacco Inc. As for the donation of judogi, we were more In Russia, I also gave judo instruction as than delighted to comply. part of a series of programs organized within －1－ Solidarity of International Judo Education the framework of the ongoing “year of Liberal Democratic Party, as leader and myself Japan-Russia exchange through martial arts,” as sub-leader. Also within the framework of the a project officially recognized by the Ministry of year of Japan-Russia exchange through martial Foreign Affairs. The bilateral exchange through arts, the delegation is scheduled to stay in martial arts and my judo instruction were Russia for a week. covered by local media including newspapers In December 2014, I am taking a group of and radio. My judo lessons were even broadcast Japanese judo coaches to Israel and Palestine. on TV. We are joining French judo instructors over One radio personality asked me some there to organize judo matches and practices in sensitive questions. For example, I was asked which Israeli and Palestinian judoka will meet what my intention was of coming to Russia under French-Japanese cooperation. when the country was in a complex situation Finally, I would like to talk about one very with regard to Ukraine. Nevertheless, I believe important matter. Throughout last year, that the Russian side appreciated our deplorable affairs tainted the Japanese judo initiatives including the cherry blossom festival community, causing much trouble in society and the judo instruction and especially the very and worrying many concerned. I must admit fact that the events were organized despite that society’s confidence in the Japanese judo Russia’s complex situation. community was simply lost. To turn around the During the cold war years, the late Dr. situation, we inaugurated the Violence Shigeyoshi Matsumae, my mentor, used to Eradication Project, and I personally have been question Japan’s position vis-à-vis Russia, involved in activities to eradicate violence from expressing concern over Japan’s excessively the Japanese judo community. In April 2014, American-oriented attitude in politics, economy, we renamed this project “Judo MIND Project,” culture and everything else. He used to ask if furthering our efforts. Japan would be all right in terms of national We are working hard, hand in hand with interest if it went on having no exchange with those who truly love judo, to restore the Russia, a huge country just across the small Japanese judo community once again to a Sea of Japan. disciplined and dignified state. We are aware Dr. Matsumae deeply loved Japan. It was for that it takes only a moment to lose somebody’s his love of Japan that he insisted on promoting trust but a far longer time and great efforts to the country’s exchange with Russia, even in a regain it. However hard it may be, we are very small way, in the areas of scholarship, arts, determined to tenaciously keep working sports and other cultural pursuits. together with many who are willing to I also believe in the great importance of cooperate with us. grassroots international exchange, for which We are all determined to make utmost both sides are required to continue making efforts to redress the judo community so that efforts to understand each other even when children practicing judo can proudly say to their governments may be in conflict with each anyone anywhere that they are judoka; parents other. Therefore, we have various activity plans want to send their children to judo schools for this year to continue our exchange with because they know that judo is, first and people in many different parts of the world. foremost, about character-building and In November 2014, the public interest education; and children long to go to dojo, corporation Nippon Budokan will send a proudly carrying their uniform over their delegation of about 80 persons to Russia, with shoulders because it stands for so many positive Mr. Masahiko Koumura, Vice President of values. －2－ th The 15 Lecture With my heartfelt gratitude to your to study. enthusiastic support, I would like to conclude When I was a competitive judoka, I my remarks. Thank you very much. frequently traveled abroad to take part in competitions. On those occasions, I had many MC: Thank you very much, Mr. Yamashita. experiences that made me realize that what Thank you, ladies and gentlemen, for coming to was natural or taken for granted in Japan was this lecture meeting, despite your busy not so once outside Japan. schedules and the scorching heat outside. Now I For example, in Japan I could leave my would like to introduce today’s lecturer, Ms. judogi in my bike basket and park my bike Maki Tsukada, or she does not require any outside a convenience store while I did introduction for, as you all know, she is a shopping there without any problem, but when judoka who won a gold medal at the Athens I did the same in other countries, I had my Olympics in 2004. Ms. Tsukada studied for two judogi stolen several times. years until last year in the UK on an overseas For another example, I felt in many places training program sponsored by the Japanese outside Japan that people dressed as they liked, Olympic Committee (JOC). Currently, she or they enjoyed the fashion they loved, teaches at Tokyo Women’s College of Physical regardless of what others might think of them. Education. In today’s lecture, she is going to Since I was able to feel various such share with us her life in the UK, including her differences directly even during a short period encounters with various people and her frank of one or two weeks abroad, I thought that I impressions of Japan as viewed from outside. would have the opportunity to discover more Now, Ms. Tsukada, please. important differences if I lived there for a longer period. So I wanted to live abroad. I was My stay in the UK sure that it would be a worthwhile experience. - What I experienced abroad through encounters This is how I made up mind to go abroad to with various people - study. Maki Tsukada Another reason I wanted to study abroad (Head coach from Tokyo Women's College of Physical was what many of my professors at Tokai Education Judo club, The training coach for All Japan Women University had told me about the preciousness Team, Judo Gold Medalist from Athens Olympics,2004) of experiencing living abroad and the importance of being away from one's country to learn to view it objectively. So I decided to enroll in the JOC program to go abroad to study.