Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics Kick Off, Record Number of Athletes Set to Participate

The Yomiuri Shimbun

18:38 JST, November 15, 2025

The Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics opened in Tokyo on Saturday. This is the first time for the Deaflympics to be held in Japan.

The opening ceremony was held at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium in Tokyo. Amid cheers from the audience, athletes and officials of participating countries and teams marched into the gymnasium.

Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, as well as their second daughter Princess Kako and son Prince Hisahito attended the ceremony.

“It is my sincere wish that the Games will contribute to the realization of an inclusive society in which all people can make the most of their individuality and demonstrate their abilities, and the respective differences between deaf and hearing people are mutually recognized and respected,” Crown Prince Akishino said in his speech.

A record 3,081 athletes will compete in 21 sports at the event, according to Adam Kosa, president of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD).

Speaking at a press conference in Tokyo on Friday, Kosa said 2,014 men and 1,067 women entered to compete in the event for athletes who are deaf or hard of hearing, which will run through Nov. 26.

Athletes from 81 countries and regions will participate. Those from Russia, which is continuing its aggression in Ukraine, and its ally Belarus will join as neutral Deaflympic athletes without representing their countries.

A group of athletes from South Sudan will take part in the event as a team of refugees, while those from East Timor and Laos, which have no national governing bodies for deaf sports, will also participate. Athletes will compete in 209 disciplines across 21 sports.

A record of about 270 participants from Japan will compete, with athletes joining in all sports, including handball and other events Japan has not participated in previously.

“I’m sure this will be a great event for deaf people,” Kosa said in sign language.

“We have been trying to raise awareness nationwide about what the Deaflympics and deaf sports are. We want many people to watch the games,” said Mitsuji Hisamatsu, head of the organizing committee of the Deaflympics.

On Friday evening, Japan’s athletes gathered for a ceremony to launch the national delegation at the National Olympics Memorial Youth Center in Tokyo. Female karate athlete Ryo Ogura pledged at the ceremony that she and other athletes will compete fairly and give a worthy performance.