Naoki Kurano, Secretary-General, Deaflympics Organizing Committee, All Japan Federation of the Deaf

Naoki Kurano, Secretary-General, Deaflympics Organizing Committee, All Japan Federation of the Deaf

■ Profile
Born in Mie Prefecture. He has served as Secretary-General of the Mie Prefecture Association for the Deaf and Director of the Mie Prefecture Support Center for the Deaf. After serving as a director and head of the headquarters office of the All Japan Federation of the Deaf, he was appointed Secretary-General of the Deaflympics Organizing Committee for the Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics, a position he holds to this day.

Aiming to create a society where deaf people can thrive, 6000 athletes from approximately 80 countries and regions around the world are participating. Over 12 days, fierce competition will unfold in 21 sports, including athletics, badminton, basketball, soccer, judo, and swimming. The Tokyo Games will be particularly significant as it marks the 100th anniversary of the Games, and we spoke with Secretary-General Kurano of the organizing committee about the appeal and ways to enjoy the Games.

■Please tell us about the background of the event.

In 2013, during Tokyo's bid presentation for the Olympic Games, Christel Takigawa used gestures to express "omotenashi" (Japanese hospitality), which sparked calls from deaf people throughout Japan to host the Deaflympics. In 2022, Japan submitted a bid to host the Games, which was approved, and an organizing committee was established, with me becoming its secretary-general.
The Deaflympics have a 100-year history, but what sets them apart from the Olympics and Paralympics is that they are run by organizations representing the deaf community.
This is because the founder, Mr. Alke, emphasized a system where those directly affected were the main actors in order to spread understanding of deafness and sign language in society. However, for the Tokyo Games, from the perspective of an inclusive society, we proposed a new system in which hearing and deaf people would work together to run the Games. The idea of ​​deaf people themselves running the Games is wonderful, but on the other hand, we felt that it had created a barrier between society and the Deaflympics. For this reason, this time, our organization of deaf people and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government are jointly running the Games.

■What are the rewards of being Secretary-General?

I believe that by letting children across the country know about the Deaflympics, we can inspire them and give them dreams.
I played volleyball in junior high school, but I didn't know about the Deaflympics or deaf volleyball. I felt a huge communication barrier on a team with hearing players, so I quit in high school. If I had known about deaf volleyball back then, I think I would have continued. Many deaf children attend regular schools with hearing children and face similar barriers. Therefore, I believe that knowing about competitions and the existence of deaf peers who play the same sport would be a great source of encouragement for them.

■The appeal of the Deaflympics

Instead of using their voices to signal, teams sometimes use their own unique signs during competitions. For example, in table tennis or badminton doubles, players use hand signals, but these are visible to their opponents. This creates a psychological battle where players can enjoy the strategy of deliberately showing their opponent a false signal while secretly communicating the real signal in a place where their opponent can't see it.
Furthermore, the Deaflympics does not have an athletes' village; instead, it has a system called "The Square." Athletes stay in nearby public hotels and go out into the city to interact with local residents. This is based on Mr. Alke's philosophy of "spreading understanding of deafness and sign language in society." Anyone can enter The Square for free, and it serves as a place for athletes and local residents to interact.
Furthermore, programs are in place to allow foreign athletes to enjoy the host country's culture, and for citizens to learn about deafness, sign language, and deaf culture.

■ Request to Faculty and Staff

Teachers often try to give deaf children special treatment, asking classmates to "look after" them, but this can be painful for the children. The problem isn't that they "don't know what to do," but that they "can't understand what is being said to them." It's most effective to communicate with them using visual methods, such as written text or sign language. They want to be treated the same as the other children.
Perhaps a child near you might become a Deaflympics athlete in the future. Whether they can hear or not, please tell them about the Deaflympics.

Student Newspaper October 2025 issue / Elementary School Newspaper October 2026 issue: Aoi Watanabe, 1st year student at Hosei University

Daiki Shimada (4th year, Hosei University) / Rurika Abe (2nd year, Showa Women's University) / Aoi Watanabe (1st year, Hosei University)