World Forum on Sport and Culture / Summary of sport-related events

1 Purpose
The World Forum on Sport and Culture has been organized as a kick-off event to the 2019 Rugby World Cup (hereinafter “RWC”) and the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games. The forum aims to stimulate the nation to advance the Olympic and Paralympic movement, and promote efforts to build a new future and society through sport and culture.

2 Summary

1 Rugby session (October 20 13:00-14:45)

The 2019 RWC to be hosted by Japan is the first time ever for the tournament to take place in Asia, and in a country other than established rugby nations with a long tradition of the sport. The forum is being held to spark momentum in Japan and overseas towards the 2019 RWC. Presentations and heated discussions were held among the participants exceeding the hall’s capacity of 300 persons. The panel members included: World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont, Japan Rugby Chairman Tadashi Okamura and 2019 Rugby World Cup Organizing Committee Chairman Fujio Mitarai. Discussions focused on the role RWC will play in spreading popularity of rugby, the socio-economic impact of hosting the RWC, and its effects on the regional revitalization and reconstruction after the March 11 Great East Japan earthquake.

(Presentation by World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont)

(Panel Discussion)

2 Bilateral discussions and group discussions among sports ministers (October 20-21)

Discussions on the promotion of international sport exchanges and cooperation through the Sport For Tomorrow project were held between the sports ministers of 33 countries (bi-discussions held among 12 countries), MEXT Minister Hirokazu Matsuno, and the Commissioner, JSA Daichi Suzuki. Japan concluded MOC (Memorandum of Cooperation) agreements on sport between 4 countries (Brazil, Argentina, the Netherlands and Djibouti).

3 Olympic/Paralympic legacy session (October 21 10:00-12:00)

The session was arranged to spark the Olympic and Paralympic movement in Japan and overseas. Presentations and heated discussions were held in the nearly full hall with a capacity of 600 persons. Participants included: Toshiaki Endo; Chairman of the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympics, Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike, Toshiro Muto; chief executive officer of the organizing committee, the sports minister of Brazil, and Olympians and Paralympians, discussing lasting legacies to be passed on from Rio to Tokyo and on into the future.

(Chairperson Toshiaki Endo)
 

(Presentation by Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike)

(Panel Discussion)

4 Sport Minister Meeting (October 21 13:00-17:00)

The meeting titled “Sport for Tomorrow” focused on developing a sport environment that is safe, fair, participated by people of all ages, and building a sustainable and inclusive society through sport. Participants included ministers of 35 countries and state representatives of 69 countries. Heated discussions were held among the sports ministers in the nearly full hall with a capacity of 600 persons. The session was chaired by MEXT Minister Hirokazu Matsuno, followed by words from Princess Takamado, a keynote speech by the Commissioner, JSA Daichi Suzuki, keynote lectures by: UN Special Advisor Wilfried Lemke, IOC Vice Chairman Ung Chang and the President of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) Craig Reedie on the topics of: “sport for development and peace”, “sport for everyone” and “protecting sport integrity”.

Chairman's Summary

(MEXT Minister Hirokazu Matsuno)

(Commissioner, Japan Sports Agency Daichi Suzuki)

(Speech by Her Imperial Highness Princess Takamado)

(Theme-based session)

(scenes from meeting)

5 Others (Minister lunch session (October 21) and excursion (October 22)

Ministers of 30 countries attended a lunch session on October 21, sponsored by the MEXT Minister. Follow-up meetings to the previous bilateral and multilateral talks were held. The luncheon also served as an icebreaker to the sport ministerial conference.

40 ministers and state representatives participated in an excursion on October 22, for those interested in visiting the National Training Center and the venues for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

(scenes from excursion)