"Rugby World Cup 2019 Sponsored Lottery" Now on Sale

On the launch day, a commemorative event was held at the Nishi-Ginza Chance Center in Chuo Ward, Tokyo, featuring a talk show by Daisuke Ohata, a former Japanese national rugby team member and Rugby World Cup 2019 ambassador.

Mr. Ohata began by sending words of encouragement to the people of the Kyushu region affected by the frequent earthquakes since April 14th. He mentioned that Kumamoto and Oita Prefectures are World Cup host locations and spoke powerfully about wanting to support the tournament's success.

When asked about his experiences buying lottery tickets, he shared, "I've bought them at milestones in my life, like when going overseas or when my children were born. I hope that buying them helps put me in a positive frame of mind."

Regarding the fact that a portion of the proceeds will be used for the World Cup, he emphasized that buying a lottery ticket allows one to experience a sense of participation in the World Cup: "I personally have incredibly high expectations for the World Cup. While going to watch is important, knowing that a part of the lottery ticket I bought contributes to the World Cup gives me a great sense of joy, like I'm participating myself. I want it to be a part of the World Cup."

Introducing the lottery ticket design, he prefaced, "I want you to see it soon. It's a wonderful design. Honestly, even if it's a losing ticket, it's worth keeping," before unveiling it. "It captures the joyful, jubilant expressions of all the players. I think the winners will have expressions even brighter than these," he said, beaming as he pointed out the use of expressions from Japanese national team players who won last year's World Cup.

Tickets cost 200 yen each. Sales run until May 10th, with the draw taking place on May 12th.