Press Releases
Holding of the First Meeting of the “Panel of Experts on Strengthening Sport Diplomacy”
1. In view of the decision to hold the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs has decided to establish an “Panel of Experts on Strengthening Sport Diplomacy” under the Minister for Foreign Affairs, in order to seek the opinions of experts in a wide range of fields regarding how to harness the power that sport possesses for strengthening diplomacy of Japan.
2. The Panel will hold its first meeting on February 13 under Parliamentary Senior Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Nobuo Kishi (representing the Minister for Foreign Affairs). From here forward it will hold discussions up until the end of the year, and will submit recommendations on necessary policies etc. to the Minister for Foreign Affairs.
3. The Panel’s chair and members are as follows:
| Chair | Kazuo Ogura | Advisor, Japan Foundation |
| Members | Yuko Arimori | President and CEO, Special Olympics Nippon |
| Takashi Katsuta | Department Director, Sports Innovation Department, Japan Sport Council | |
| Teiichi Sato | Former Vice-Minister of Education, Science, Sports and Culture | |
| Hisashi Sanada | Provost, University of Tsukuba | |
| Daichi Suzuki | President, Japan Swimming Federation; Professor, Juntendo University | |
| Kohzo Tashima | Vice President, Japan Football Association | |
| Keiichi Tsunekawa | Professor, National Graduate Institute for Policy Studies | |
| Takeshi Niinami | Chief Executive Officer, Representative Director Lawson, Inc. | |
| Yasushi Watanabe | Professor, Keio University |