Information on the Live Broadcast Viewing Event for the Opening Ceremony of Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics

Posted on October 1, 2025 in sports and Deaflympics, meetings and events

Japanese Federation of the Deaf will host a “Live Broadcast Viewing Event for the Opening Ceremony of Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics”, to enable more people to view the Opening Ceremony of Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics, for scheduled for November 15, 2025, (Note: This is an event organized solely by the Japanese Federation of the Deaf, not by Organising bodies (Organising Committee of 2025 Summer Deaflympics and Tokyo Metropolitan Government). On the day of the event, we will broadcast the Opening Ceremony live along with reports and introductions of activities such as the nationwide caravan. If you missed out on tickets to attend the Opening Ceremony, are interested in the Deaflympics, or want to enjoy the excitement with friends, please join us.

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Activity Report of the UN CRPD – COSP18 and Side Events

Posted on September 5, 2025 in Convention on Persons with Disabilities

supported by 日本財団Mr. Hiroshi Tamon, lawyer and member of the Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD), attended the 18th Session of the Conference of States Parties to CRPD and side events held at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, USA, from June 9 to June 12, 2025.

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Remarks on the Enactment of the Act on Promotion of Measures Concerning Sign Language

Posted on August 11, 2025 in sign language act

Interpreter (International Sign version)

ISHIBASHI Daigo, President, Japanese Federation of the Deaf
(Japanese Sign Language version)

In Japan, sign language was once called te-mane, literally translated as “hand imitation.” This term originated from saru-mane, or “monkey imitation,” a derogatory phrase used to describe an awkward imitation. Sign language was not considered a proper language. It was looked down upon as an inferior form of communication. Our ancestors could not use sign language publicly. They would sign secretly, only in private. Deaf schools, which they attended, forbade students from using signs. If spotted, teachers would hit them as punishment. That used to be the norm.

Now, a new law, the “Act on Promotion of Measures Concerning Sign Language”, has been unanimously approved and enacted without a single opposition. As we witnessed this historic moment, we were overwhelmed with emotion, thinking of our predecessors. They have worked hard to protect sign language and to have it recognized as a language. They have dedicated themselves to raising awareness and promoting their language.

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Report on “Co-Interpreting Training of Skills Improvement training workshop (Face-to-face) for International Sign interpreters and Japanese Sign Language interpreters for Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics”

Posted on July 7, 2025 in sports and Deaflympics, Japanese Deaf News

In preparation for Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics, Japanese Federation of the Deaf held an International Sign interpretation training workshop from June 28th (Sat) to 30th (Mon) with International Sign interpreters(deaf) and Japanese Sign Language interpreters(hearing) who are working with together. The lecturers were WASLI President Dr. Christopher Stone(UK), WASLI former President Dr. Debra Russel(Canada), WASLI Director Mr. Arunas Brazinskas (Lithuania) , and WASLI former Director Mr. Nigel Howard (Canada).

This training workshop was held as a continuation from last year, with the aim of improving the skills of International Sign interpreters (deaf) and Japanese Sign Language interpreters (hearing) in co-interpretation at TOKYO Deaflympics in November 2025.

There was a lot to learn during this workshop, which included interpreting training for each sport, the demand control schema, and ethics as an interpreter. On the third day, there were some moments where the participants learned about the rigors of interpreting, but there were also some laughs, and the content was consistently serious, and the participants were able to share the anxiety and joy of interpreting during the Games.

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Report on the Collaborative Workshop for International Sign interpreters and Japanese Sign Language interpreters for Tokyo 2025 Deaflympics

Posted on December 20, 2024 in sports and Deaflympics, meetings and events, Japanese Deaf News

In preparation for TOKYO 2025 Deaflympics, Japanese Federation of the Deaf (JFD) conducted a collaborative workshop from June to November this year to train the collaboration between International Sign interpreters (Deaf) and Japanese Sign Language interpreters (Hearing). The workshop, incorporating the concept of “co-interpretation”, marked a significant first to Japan in the field of sign language interpretation.

To facilitate this workshop, we invited Mr. Nigel Howard from Canada in July and August, and Mr. Arunas Brazinskas from Lithuania, Ms. Laura Lesmana Wijaya from Indonesia, and Ms. Noppawan Chainarong from Thailand in October.

This collaborative workshop provided an invaluable learning experience for deaf participants and hearing participants. We are sure that the concept and skills to work together as co-interpreters will become a sustainable knowledge extending beyond TOKYO 2025 Deaflympics.

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Mr. Arnas Brajinskas (Lithuania) had a lecture and made related institutional visit

Posted on December 20, 2024 in meetings and events, international activities, Japanese Deaf News

On Tuesday, October 15, 2024, a lecture on deaf interpreting activities was co-hosted by International Relations Committee and Information Access and Communication Committee of Japanese Federation of the Deaf.

Mr. Arnas Brajinskas from Lithuania, a leading expert in “Sign Language interpreting,” delivered a lecture on “The history of the deaf movement and sign language interpreting in Lithuania”. A total of 230 people participated in his lecture, both online and in person.

Mr. Brajinskas emphasized the importance of establish training program for deaf interpreters and fostering the collaboration between deaf and hearing interpreters to enhance the quality of interpreting service. For more details of the lecture, please refer to https://www.jfd.or.jp/2024/09/12/pid27599 .)

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Mr. Ádám Kósa, the new ICSD President, visited Japan (November 13th through 17th, 2022)

Posted on December 20, 2024 in sports and Deaflympics, Japanese Deaf News

On September 9 and 10, 2022, the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD), the governing body of international deaf sports and organizer of the Deaflympic Games, had its 49th Congress in Vienna, Austria. The Congress elected Mr. Ádám Kósa for the new President.

To strengthen the relationship between the Japanese Federation of the Deaf (JFD) and the ICSD, as well as to discover and develop human resources who will be responsible for international activities in deaf sports and future ICSD office bearers, we invited Mr. Ádám Kósa to Japan from Sunday, November 13 through Thursday, November 17, 2022.

Taking advantage of his visit to Japan, he also paid courtesy visits to Ms. Yuriko Koike, the Governor of Tokyo, Ms. Keiko Nagaoka, the Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and other relevant ministries and agencies in preparation for the 2025 Summer Deaflympics to be held in Tokyo.

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Support our deaf friends and those involved in sign language who were affected by the 2024 Noto Peninsula Earthquake!

Posted on January 29, 2024 in disaster relief

Please view the following page for information on the earthquake, and how you can provide support. Thank you!

Live event on the International Day of Sign Languages

Posted on September 20, 2023 in International Day of Sign Languages

You can watch the online event live on this page.

Program: (Only Japanese Sign Language)

  1. Greetings from the Organizer
  2. Greetings from Guests (Tottori Prefecture, The Nippon Foundation, Tottori Prefecture Association for the Deaf)
  3. Short movie (World Federation of the Deaf Asia Regional Secretariat) (with International Sign)
  4. Panel discussion on “Prospects for Sign Language in Japan”
  5. Relay of events in 5 member organizations in Japan)
  6. Declaration of the Organizer

Distribution of YouTube: Available from UTC 05:00 on September 23, 2023. The event will start at UTC 06:00 on September 23, 2023.

Tokyo has been selected to host the 2025 Deaflympics

Posted on October 31, 2022 in sports and Deaflympics, Japanese Deaf News

ICSD Congress
ICSD Congress
ICSD Congress
ICSD Congress

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.

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