Tokyo was officially selected as the host city of the 2025 Deaflympics at the Congress of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD) held in Austria (Vienna) on 9 and 10 September 2022.
Upon the decision, Mr. Fujisaburo Ishino, President of the Japanese Federation of the Deaf, and Mr. Yosuke Ota, President of the Japan Deaf Sports Federation, will issue the following comments.
The International Day of Sign Languages 2021 celebration event will be streamed online due to Covid-19. We are looking forward to seeing many people.
International Day of Sign Languages 2021
Celebration Event: Outline
| Objectives | Address the establishment of sign language acts in Asia Pacific region, by sharing ideas and opinions about sign languages and accessibility in Asia Pacific region, and by informing wide range of audiences of the principle of “sign language as language” and good practices of information. |
| Organizers | World Federation of the Deaf Regional Secretariat of Asia (WFDRSA), World Federation of the Deaf Regional Secretariat for Oceania (WFDRSO), Japanese Federation of the Deaf (JFD) |
| Cooperation | United Nations, United Nations Information Center |
| Date | Thursday, September 23, 2021 (autumnal equinox day/ national holiday of Japan), 13:00-14:30 |
| Place | Broadcasted by YouTube (pre-recorded) * Videos will be viewable from 13:00 September 23.
|
| Viewer limit | None (anyone can access) |
| Participation fee | Free |
| Communication | International sign, subtitles in English |
| Program |
Opening remark
Introduction of daily themes of International Week of Deaf People
Congratulatory video message
Panel discussion: Sign languages around the world and accessibility
|
On February 23, Tuesday, and a national holiday, the Japanese Federation of the Deaf (JFD) and the Japanese Deaf Sports Federation(JDSF) conducted the International Workshop of Deaf Sports. 17 national deaf sports associations and 3 international guests attended the meeting online. To secure the online information-communication guarantee, materials, subtitles, International Sign, and Japanese Sign language were displayed on the same screen, respectively at the left top, the bottom left, the right top, and the bottom right.
Mr. Martin Bogard, Chair of Technical Commission of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD), and Ms. Cathy Schelvis, Technical Director (TD) of the ICSD, reported the current situation of the ICSD and explained the roles and required services of the TDs. Then Yuji Okawa, the head of the Japan Deaf Volleyball Association (JDVA), presented their bidding plan for the World Deaf Volleyball Championships, and Mr. Mitsuji Hisamatsu, General Manager of the Deaflympics 2025 Bid Preparation Division, outlined their campaign to have the Deaflympic Games hosted by Japan.
In the last half of the meeting, a panel discussion was held coordinated by Mr. Yutaka Osugi, Chairperson of ICSD Reform Commission, with Mr. Mohammad Pargar, President of the Asia Pacific Deaf Sports Confederation (APDSC), from Iran, and Mr. Koji Takahashi, Chairperson of the Japan Deaf Football Association (JDFA) and a former TD of football at the APDSC.
During the Q & A Session, there were many questions on various topics, such as methods for selecting TDs at the ICSD, the standards for information-communication guarantee using flashing lights, or the future directions of the APDSC. The 3 guest speakers from overseas praised the elaborate preparation of the Workshop and the information-communication guarantee system, and the domestic deaf sports associations’ enthusiasm. Many participating associations stated that they would engage more in international activities, including serving TDs, to promote their sports area.
The Japanese Federation of the Deaf (JFD) and the Japanese Deaf Sports Federation(JDSF) held the first meeting of the Deaflympics 2025 Bid Preparation Division on Monday, January 18, 2021. All the Advisors and Members of Division met in person or online in the middle of a state of emergency due to COVID-19.
At the meeting, the progression status of the campaign activities to have the Deaflympic Games hosted by Japan was shared with the participants and the determination to work closely together with each other for the successful bid was confirmed.
The meeting was significant in that it showed a proactive attitude of Japanese sporting community, which attempts to establish an inclusive society through sports, in supporting for successful bid of the Deaflympic Games that aims to create societies where everyone can access information, with collaborative efforts of both disabled and able-bodied people.
On December 19, 2017, the 72nd UN General Assembly proclaimed September 23rd as the “International Day of Sign Languages.” September 23rd is also the day of establishment of the World Federation of the Deaf in 1951. Let’s encourage UN member states to raise awareness of sign language throughout the society so that sign language is regarded equal to spoken language and guarantee the human rights of Deaf people! “Sign language is life.” Congratulations on the 3rd International Day of Sign Languages!
Situation of COVID-19 in Japan
While COVID-19 is spreading throughout the world, I, Ota, chair of the International Committee, will like to report on behalf of the Japanese Federation of the Deaf to our Deaf friends around the world about the current situation of Japanese Deaf.
International Committee of the Sports for the Deaf (ICSD, the governing body of international deaf sports and organizer of the Deaflympic Games, had its 47th congress in Italy, from December 9th through 11th, 2019. The Congress elected Mr. Kang Chen（陳康）from Taiwan for the new president of ICSD. Mr. Chen is the first ICSD president from Asia.
– The 47th ICSD Congress was held (Italy, December 9th and 11th, 2019) (Japanese)
With an aim to discuss ICSD reform as well as to strengthen the relationship between the Japanese Federation of the Deaf (JFD) and ICSD, JFD invited Mr. Chen and the CEO, Mr. Dmitry Rebrov to Japan from January 20 through January 23, 2020. Mr. Chen has successfully led 2009 Summer Deaflympic Games in Asia, held in Taipei, Taiwan, while the deaf sports has been historically initiated by European countries. JFD is determined to be committed to the further development of deaf sport, by working with the ICSD and the chairperson of the ICSD Reform Committee.
Dr. Yerker Andersson, Honorary President of World Federation of the Deaf, passed away on July 18th 2016, in Frederick, Maryland, United States. Dr. Andersson served two terms of WFD Vice President (1975-1983) and three terms of the WFD presidency (1983-1995), devoting himself to networking deaf associations around the globe to expand their participation to WFD, as well as to protecting human rights of the deaf persons through international organizations including the United Nations (UN). He is the first deaf person addressing in the UN General Assembly in 1992. We, Japanese Federation of the Deaf, send our deepest deference to his commitment and profound condolences to his loss.
Message in Japanese Sign Language:
Message in International Sign:
“Flash report”, March 3rd, 2016
Congratulations!
Japanese Federation of the Deaf (JFD) would like to announce with great pleasure that the local council of Haga-machi in Tochigi prefecture adopted the arguments in writing (as a kind of petition) requesting Government of Japan to enact “Japanese Sign Language Act” today.
