Arab News Japan

TOKYO: Tokyo Metropolitan Government says it will use the World Track and Field Championships, which it is hosting in September, and November’s Deaflympics to boost the number of people in Tokyo participating in sports.

A survey conducted in November showed a decline of three percentage points—to 63.3 percent—of people participating in sports from a similar survey four years previously, while the participation rate for those with impairments stayed around the 46 percent mark.

However, Tokyo’s government stated, “For the first time, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government visualizes the improvement in the feeling of happiness through sports.” Those who responded that they have a “feeling of happiness in supporting sports” reached 80.2 percent.

The survey showed 39 percent of the respondents were aware of the Deaflympics, which was higher than most other countries, which had the United States at 39.8 percent, followed by Brazil (38 percent), South Korea (31 percent) and the United Kingdom (28.4 percent).

The awareness figure in Tokyo rose from just 10.4 percent in 2021 to 14.8 percent in 2023 and 39 percent in 2024.

The Tokyo government has set a target of 70 percent for people to participate in sports and 50 percent for those with impairments.

The Tokyo government says it will “use the Games as an opportunity to contribute to the creation of an inclusive society where everyone, regardless of whether they have impairments or not, recognizes each other’s differences and respects each other.”