Your "Nippon!" cheers will be transformed into a logo mark and an anthem.

The Japan Olympic Committee (JOC) launched the "Nippon! Call Project" on October 30th, 100 days before the opening of the Sochi Winter Olympics, to support the Japanese national team. The launch ceremony was held at Terminal 1 of Haneda Airport in Tokyo.

The project aims to collect shouts of "Nippon!" from across the nation and deliver them to the athletes. The collected cheers will be transformed into the flame logo mark and the official team support song, to be presented to the athletes at a send-off ceremony.

Attending the ceremony were Seiko Hashimoto, head of the Japanese delegation for the Sochi Games; candidates for the Japanese women's ice hockey team; and members of Morning Musume., who serve as ambassadors for the project and will perform the support song.

Hashimoto: "We want to surpass the '125 Million Supporters' project from the London Games. We ask for your active participation."

 

Morning Musume. leader Sayumi Michishige (second from left): "Being an ambassador is a major role, with the mission to deliver cheers to the athletes. I want to fulfill it properly."

Anyone can participate in the "Nippon!" call by downloading a dedicated app on their smartphone. Recruitment for general participants in the send-off event for the Japanese team scheduled for January 20 next year in Tokyo has also begun (applications accepted until January 6).