Japan Disabled Swimming Federation Announces Official Song and Promotional Video

The Japan Paralympic Swimming Federation (JPSF) held a press conference on September 14 at the Nippon Foundation Paralympic Support Center in Minato Ward, Tokyo, to announce its official song and promotional video.
Ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, the federation created the song and video to bridge the gap between athletes and the general public, hoping to increase awareness of swimming for athletes with physical disabilities.
This initiative aims to change the situation where the sport and athletes could previously only be introduced through photo panels.

The video "MY UNIQUNESS" (1 minute 45 seconds) depicts athletes speaking candidly about themselves while showing their dedication to their sport and their relentless pursuit of excellence.
The seven athletes featured are Takayuki Suzuki, Keiichi Kimura, Kotaro Togashi, Kotaro Ogihara, Chikako Ono, Yuki Morishita, and Sakura Koike.
The official song "Soul No Limit," also featured in the movie, was voluntarily composed by MICRO of the popular hip-hop group HOME MADE 家族.

　

At the outset, Executive Director Seiichi Sakurai touched on the value of para sports, stating, "Para swimming maximizes the use of remaining physical functions without prosthetic limbs, artificial hands, or assistive devices. By creating unique visuals and music, we hope to convey its appeal and garner even more support."

MICRO discussed his connection to para sports, citing a friend with a severe illness, watching competitions, appearing at related events, and trying the sports himself. He explained, "I thought about how I could contribute, even a little, through music to Japan's current situation, which lags behind other countries."
He also mentioned that interacting with athletes made him realize the beauty of competing solely with one's own body and how adversity can forge strength, feelings he poured into his music.

Both athletes featured in the video, Morishita and Togashi, attended the presentation. Morishita commented on the video: "It turned out incredibly cool. The upbeat song is really memorable. Filming was in a darkened pool, so it felt like swimming in the deep sea." Togashi added: "The shoot had a great atmosphere and was fun. I hope as many people as possible watch it and become interested in para swimming."
Looking ahead to the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics, both commented: "We aim to swim in a way that lives up to this video and music," and "It boosts our motivation, and everything seems to be moving in a positive direction."
The movie can be viewed on the JPSF official website ( http://new.paraswim.jp/ ). It will also be screened at events like the "2018 Japan Para Swimming Championships" (Yokohama International Pool), starting September 22.