Will Japan's 1st Home Asian Para Games Boost Parasports Momentum?

Tokyo, Oct. 14 (Jiji Press)--Japan's first home Asian Para Games are expected to offer a big chance for para athletes to boost their public profile and spread parasports.

The Aichi-Nagoya Asian Para Games will kick off on Sunday, with about 3,000 athletes from 45 countries and regions set to compete in 18 sports during seven days. The international sporting event, hosted mainly in the central Japan prefecture of Aichi, comes soon after the closing of the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games on Oct. 4.

Hiroyuki Misaka, who heads the Japanese delegation at the upcoming quadrennial event, said that the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2021 served as a catalyst for the spread of parasports, as it helped more people deepen their understanding and interest in such sports.

The Asian Para Games are "expected to help create a society where people with disabilities and social minorities feel that it is okay to take a chance," Misaka said.

The event also comes on the back of the Tokyo Deaflympics held in autumn last year, which enhanced public recognition for parasports, especially in the Tokyo metropolitan area. The first-ever Deaflympics hosted by Japan attracted about 280,000 spectators, significantly exceeding initial expectations.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]