Japan-Netherlands friendship wheelchair basketball event

On Monday, November 9, Governor Masuzoe attended a Japan-Netherlands friendship wheelchair basketball event along with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte.

At the event, the governor said, “I aim to build a city free from both physical and social barriers so that everyone can live fulfilling lives regardless of whether they have a disability. When the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games are over, I hope that Tokyo will have been transformed into a sophisticated city based on the concept of normalization. I look forward to learning a lot from the experience of the Netherlands.”

Held on the theme “Connecting Japan and the Netherlands Through Sports,” this event aimed to convey the message that sports can foster health, social unity, and self-esteem, regardless of background or physical ability. It has been certified as part of the Sports for Tomorrow initiative, a program led by the Japanese government for sharing the value of sports and the ideals of the Olympic and Paralympic movement throughout the world.