Promoting the Appeal and Understanding of Para Table Tennis "Para Sports Media Forum ~ Para Table Tennis ~" Held

Dentsu Inc. Public Relations and the Para Sports Promotion Network held the 21st Para Sports Media Forum ~ Para Table Tennis ~ in Tokyo on June 19.

The Para Sports Media Forum, held under the approval of the Japan Disabled Sports Association, focuses on one sport per session. Its goal is to foster media understanding of para sports competitions and para athletes while improving coverage conditions. This session focused on "Para Table Tennis," ahead of Japan's first international para table tennis tournament, the "ITTF PTT Japan Open 2019 Tokyo Tournament" (ITTF = International Table Tennis Federation, PTT = Para Table Tennis), scheduled for August. The event coincided with the hot news that the "Para Table Tennis Table," produced by the Japan Association of Physically Disabled Table Tennis Players, had won a Gold Lion in the Design category at the Cannes Lions 2019 festival in Cannes, France.

At the outset, Takuya Osada from the Japan Intellectual Disability Table Tennis Federation Secretariat and Sanae Kashima, Strengthening Officer for the Japan Association of Physically Disabled Table Tennis Players, explained the overview of Para Table Tennis.

Para table tennis encompasses both physically impaired table tennis and intellectually impaired table tennis, with classes determined by the degree to which the disability impacts play. At the Paralympics, intellectually impaired divisions exist in swimming, athletics, and table tennis; table tennis is the only ball sport with such a division. The appeal lies in the unique techniques each athlete develops to compensate for their specific disability, showcasing their individuality.

Furthermore, from the perspective of winning medals at the Tokyo Paralympics, the potential to win as many as 66 medals in individual events alone is another appealing aspect. While the number of slots per country per class is very limited—only three athletes per class for both men and women—the chance of winning a medal increases significantly for those who qualify for the Games. Athletes from Asia are required to compete in at least four international tournaments to qualify for the Paralympics. To meet this requirement, they participate in matches while also pursuing goals like "gaining a world ranking" or "winning the Asian Championships."

(From left) Mr. Osada, Mr. Kashima, Mr. Ichikawa

(From left) Mr. Doi, Mr. Inoue, Mr. Ito

Next, Masao Ichikawa, Public Relations Officer for the ITTF PTT Japan Open 2019 Tokyo Tournament Executive Committee, introduced the upcoming tournament (August 1-3). "This is the first international para table tennis tournament ever held in Japan, and it is also the only international tournament to be held in Japan before the Tokyo Paralympics. We've received an overwhelming number of applications from players both domestically and internationally. The top-tier athletes selected from these will showcase fierce competition, so we hope you'll watch."

Toward the end, athletes shared their motivations for starting table tennis and their aspirations: Kentaro Doi and Zen'yu Inoue (both playing for athletes with physical disabilities), and Maki Ito (playing for athletes with intellectual disabilities).

Doi began attending a club team for disabled athletes in sixth grade and became deeply immersed in the sport, competing and improving alongside his younger brother, who also started playing table tennis. "I continue playing table tennis with the determination to do my best for my brother, who passed away in 2015. Being smaller than other players in my class (Class 5) is a handicap, so relying solely on power is difficult. I also focus on preventing my opponents from hitting comfortably and inducing their mistakes. I want to win as many matches as possible and earn points," he stated his resolve.

Player Doi states, "The joy of winning matches became the driving force to keep playing table tennis."

Inoue has a leg disability from a traffic accident he suffered at eight months old. When choosing a club activity in junior high, he started table tennis because it involved less running and he thought he could compete with others if he adapted his approach. He is steadily climbing the rankings and aims for a world ranking of 10th (14th as of June 2019). He described the unique appeal of para table tennis: "Compared to able-bodied players, my game might lack some power, but I think there's an interesting aspect to it – the spin on the ball, the placement, and the strategy of how to exploit the opponent's weaknesses."

Inoue discusses the appeal not found in able-bodied play

Ito shared his ambition: "I want to win next month's 2019 Asian Continental Championships and compete in the Tokyo Paralympics." His mother revealed that she visited the sports clubs at his junior high school, which lacked a special needs class (now called a special support class), wanting him to spend as much time as possible with able-bodied peers. This led to his decision to join the table tennis club. The following year, 1998, she participated in the first "All Japan Intellectual Disability Table Tennis Championships" and has competed consecutively in the tournament ever since, up to the 22nd edition.

Mr. Osada of the Japan Intellectual Disability Table Tennis Federation noted that only about 300 athletes with intellectual disabilities play table tennis nationwide, and compared to table tennis for athletes with physical disabilities, it still lacks recognition. He expressed his outlook, stating he hopes to raise awareness through proactive promotion in the future.

Ito is a national champion

Finally, each player demonstrated an impromptu performance using the conference room table. They showcased tactics like "dropping the ball near the net" – a strategy where the ball is harder to reach with a racket compared to able-bodied players – along with various techniques such as the chop and reverse chop.

Upcoming domestic para table tennis tournaments are as follows:

・ITTF PTT Japan Open 2019 Tokyo Tournament
Dates: August 1-3, 2019
Overview: Japan's first international para table tennis tournament
Venue: Minato City Sports Center

[Table Tennis for Persons with Physical Disabilities]
・11th International Para Table Tennis Championships by Class
Dates: November 30 - December 1, 2019
Overview: Singles and doubles events held; selection of athletes for international competitions
Venue: Maishima Sports Center for Persons with Disabilities, Osaka City

・40th Japan Open Para Table Tennis Championships
Dates: March 14–15, 2020
Overview: Singles and team events held (both divided into upper and lower classes for competition)
Venue: Saorina (Tsu City, Mie Prefecture)

[Table Tennis for People with Intellectual Disabilities]
・FID Japan Age Group Open Table Tennis Tournament
Date: October 5, 2019
Number of Participants: Approximately 100
Venue: Shizuoka City Kusanagi Sports Complex

・FID Japan Champion League Table Tennis Tournament
Dates: November 30 - December 1, 2019
Number of Participants: Approximately 20
Venue: Hiranuma Memorial Gymnasium, Yokohama City
Winners: League rankings determine priority for next year's training program

Details for the ITTF PTT Japan Open 2019 Tokyo Tournament can be viewed on the official website of the Japan Intellectual Disability Table Tennis Federation.