Singapore and Japan strengthen sporting ties

Singapore and Japan strengthen sporting ties

Singapore and Japan affirmed stronger sports bilateral ties with a renewal of a memorandum-of-understanding (MOU) between Sport Singapore and the Japan Sports Council for the next three years. First signed in 2013, the newly signed MOU will provision for yearly reciprocal exchange visits between Singapore and Japan, capability development in sport specific curriculum, and programmes for coaches and players in the ActiveSG academies and SportCares.

Mr Lim Teck Yin (right), Chief Executive Officer of Sport Singapore and President of Japan Sport Council, Mr Kazumi Ohigashi. Photo: Leandro Ngo/ Sport Singapore

Mr Lim Teck Yin, Chief Executive Officer of Sport Singapore and President of Japan Sport Council, Mr Kazumi Ohigashi were present to formalise the MOU.

“Today we celebrate our friendship through sport. And whether it is in economics, politics or culture, sport has an important role in all of these sectors in bringing us together,” said Mr Lim.

“Our 2013 MOU was a key milestone in formalising what already a strong and multi-faceted relationship and included an exchange of visits, training camps, multiple conferences and symposiums. These have embraced our administrators, National Sports Federations, our teams, our athletes, our coaches and even our institutes of higher learning. And I am heartened to know that since the MOU signing, we have established even more platforms and channels for cooperation.”

Mr Kazumi Ohigashi, President of Japan Sport Council, shared: “In the field of sport science and medicine, we closely collaborate with Singapore Sport Institute through exchanging staffs, inviting experts to conferences, exchange visits and so on. We also learned the know-how on setting the recovery center that is the final preparation base for the elite athletes competing at the multi-sport events.”

Members of the Japanese delegation were also involved in a SJ50 Sport Conference, an Olympic Value Education Program and a tour of the Sports Hub facilities.

Mr Lim added: “With Japan poised to host major games in 2019, 2020 and 2021, I am excited at the renewal of this MOU that will offer new and even more opportunities for collaboration beyond high-performance sports. I would like to express our deepest appreciation to affirming Sport Singapore’s commitment to a deeper collaboration.”