In September 2025, the World Athletics Championships will be held in Japan for the first time in 34 years, showcasing intense competitions among athletes.
Did you know that among the Japanese representatives, there were athletes with hearing impairments? One of them is Yugami Masateru, a male discus thrower. He was the first athlete with a hearing impairment from Japan to participate in the World Athletics Championships.
The Deaflympics, often referred to as the Olympics for athletes with hearing impairments, will be held in Japan from November 15 (Saturday) to 26 (Wednesday), 2025, gathering athletes from around the world.
Surprisingly, four representatives, including athletes and coaches from Okayama Prefecture, have been confirmed to participate.
A lecture will be held on October 26 (Sunday) at 10:00 AM at Life Park Kurashiki, where you can learn about the participating athletes and how athletes with hearing impairments adapt to their sports.
We would like to introduce a lecture about the Deaflympics that we hope will be known to everyone from adults to children, especially those interested in sign language and sports.
What is the "Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics"?
The Deaflympics is an international sports event for athletes with hearing impairments (hereafter referred to as "Deaf athletes"), and it will celebrate its 25th edition in 2025.
The official name of this event is the "25th Summer Deaflympics Tokyo 2025" (hereafter referred to as "Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics").
From November 15 (Saturday) to 26 (Wednesday), 2025, approximately 6,000 officials from 70 to 80 countries and regions will gather for 12 days to compete in 21 sports.
The vision of the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics includes the following three points.
- Conveying the charm and value of Deaf sports and connecting them with people and society
- Creating an event that connects to the world and the future
- Realizing a society of coexistence where "everyone can utilize their individuality and demonstrate their abilities"
From Okayama Prefecture, three Deaf athletes and one coach will participate.
- Ishimoto Ryuichiro……Athletics (400m hurdles)
- Sato Shusuke……Athletics (high jump)
- Komori Aya……Women's soccer
- Yasuda Yukiko……Women's bowling coach
The names of the athletes are in order of the roster.
What is the "Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics Event: Learning about the Deaflympics"?
On the morning of October 26, 2025 (Sunday), a lecture titled "What kind of event is the Deaflympics?" will be held at Life Park Kurashiki for those who are curious.
This event is organized by the Community Learning Center and is open to a wide range of ages, from elementary school students to adults.
Elementary school students must be accompanied by a guardian.
On that day, Takemura Masaaki, who serves as the vice president of the Okayama Prefecture Association of the Hearing Impaired, will talk about the overview of the Deaflympics and the events in which the Okayama representatives will participate. There will also be activities where participants can learn simple sign language and exhibitions related to the Deaflympics.
Mr. Takemura will conduct the lecture in sign language for the hearing impaired, but there will also be a reading interpreter who will interpret the sign language into Japanese audio, so even those who do not understand sign language can participate. Of course, for those who understand sign language, it will be a rare opportunity to enjoy the lecture in sign language.
How to Apply
To participate in the lecture, pre-registration is required. Please apply by the deadline of October 25 (Saturday) using the following method.
- Apply by phone (086-454-0011) or at the counter of Life Park Kurashiki Community Learning Center on a first-come, first-served basis.
Interview with the Community Learning Center Staff
We spoke with Kamiya Yuka from the Community Learning Center, who is in charge of the "Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics Event: Learning about the Deaflympics."
Please tell us about the event.
Kamiya (no honorifics)
Just recently, the world was excited about the World Athletics Championships. Among the Japanese representatives, there were athletes with hearing impairments.
In the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics, which will be held in November 2025, two athletics representatives from Okayama Prefecture will participate.
As the excitement from the World Championships is still fresh, we planned this lecture as an event for those who are curious about how athletes with hearing impairments compete in athletics.
The lecture will be designed to be easy to understand for those who are unfamiliar with the Deaflympics, especially focusing on the events in which the Okayama representatives will participate.
Life Park Kurashiki offers sign language courses for elementary school students in the summer, which are very popular with many applicants every year, so we plan to include a simple sign language lesson during the lecture.
We hope many people, from elementary school students to adults, who are interested in sign language and sports will come.
There are four representatives from Okayama Prefecture, including athletes and coaches.
Kamiya
That's right.
Two athleticswomen's soccer player, and one women's bowling coach have been selected as representatives. Komori, the women's soccer player, and Yasuda, the bowling coach, are both residents of Kurashiki City.
The recognition of the Deaflympics is still low, which is a challenge.
We hope that this lecture will raise awareness of the Deaflympics and create an atmosphere where the local community can support the four representatives.
What kind of people would you like to participate?
Kamiya
We would love for people who play sports like athletics, soccer, and bowling, as well as those interested in sign language, to come.
People with hearing impairments may not hear well or at all, and their communication methods differ from those who can hear, but with a little ingenuity, they can enjoy sports just like anyone else.
Those who play sports may encounter athletes with hearing impairments at some point. By understanding the necessary adaptations for athletes with hearing impairments, we can enjoy sports together regardless of disabilities.
Additionally, Mr. Takemura himself has a hearing impairment and uses sign language in his daily life. Typically, sign language interpreters are seen interpreting next to someone speaking, but this time, Mr. Takemura will sign, and the interpreter will interpret his sign language. This will be a rare experience to witness.
We hope that everyone in Okayama Prefecture will learn about the Deaflympics and that it will generate excitement across Japan, similar to the World Athletics Championships and the Olympics.
Please give a message to the readers.
Kamiya
We hope this lecture will be a starting point for learning about the Deaflympics, so we encourage you to come and discover something new.
Pre-registration is required, but participation is free, so please invite your family and friends to join.
We look forward to your applications.
Conclusion
There are less than 40 days left until the Deaflympics.
We want to build excitement alongside the athletes who will represent Japan on the world stage.
We hope this event will increase the number of people interested in the Deaflympics, sports enthusiasts, and those who want to support Deaf athletes from Okayama Prefecture.
Kurashiki Citizen Lecture: Data on the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics Event: Learning about the Deaflympics
| Name | Kurashiki Citizen Lecture: Learning about the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics |
|---|---|
| Date | October 26, 2025 (Sunday) 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM |
| Location | 940 Koshinden, Fukuda-cho, Kurashiki City, Okayama Prefecture |
| Participation Fee (Tax Included) | Free |
| Homepage | Kurashiki City Board of Education Life Park Kurashiki Community Learning Center |
