Junichi Kawai, head of the Japanese delegation: The significance of the Paralympic Games is to show the infinite possibilities of human beings

The Japanese Paralympic delegation performed well at the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games, and as of March 9, the Japanese delegation ranked 4th in the medal table with 3 gold, 1 silver and 2 bronze. Junichi Kawai, head of the Japanese delegation, said in a video interview with a reporter from The Beijing Daily that he is very grateful to China for presenting a wonderful Winter Paralympic Games to the world under the severe situation of the new crown epidemic, and hopes that the Winter Paralympic Games can make more people pay attention to people with disabilities and work together to create a society that is more conducive to the lives of people with disabilities.

Junichi Kawai, head of the Japanese delegation

The Beijing Winter Paralympic Games are highly concerned in Japan

Junichi Kawai is a famous Japanese paralympic swimmer. He had only weak vision in his right eye after birth and was completely blind at the age of 15. At the age of 17, in Barcelona, Junichi Kawai represented Japan for the first time in the Paralympic Games. In the five Paralympic Games in which he participated, Junichi Kawai won 21 medals, the largest number of Paralympic medals in Japan. In 2008, he also won two medals at the Beijing Paralympic Games.

Kawai said that the Beijing Winter Paralympic Games have attracted a lot of attention in Japan, especially after Momoka Muraoka won the first gold medal of the Japanese delegation, which caused a good response in Japan. While congratulating Momoka, the Japanese people were also happy about the achievements of the Japanese delegation.

"Life in the Winter Paralympic Village is very comfortable and everyone lives well inside. The volunteers always served with a smile and the meals were very tasty. In this comfortable living environment, every athlete is better able to devote themselves to pre-competition preparation and training. According to Junichi Kawai, he lives in Zhangjiakou Winter Paralympic Village, and the organizers have set up a lot of special guidance lines for people who need to use wheelchairs to ensure that they can move conveniently.

He revealed that for the sake of cold protection, the door of the arena always has to be opened and closed repeatedly. However, due to the fact that many places do not have automatic doors installed, it is slightly inconvenient for some people who use wheelchairs. However, since the Number of People Using Wheelchairs in the Japanese Delegation was very small, he had not heard of a similar situation in the Japanese Delegation.

"It's swimming that connects me to the world"

This was Junichi Kawai's first time participating in the Winter Paralympics, which made him a little nervous when he first became the head of the Japanese delegation. As he became familiar with the staff and athletes of the delegation, as well as the deepening of his tacit understanding at work, he became more and more comfortable with all kinds of work. "With our joint efforts, the Japanese delegation's preparations for the game were very sufficient, and our efforts were ultimately reflected in the results of the competition."

But Junichi Kawai, who experienced the Winter Paralympic Games for the first time, still faced challenges that had to adapt. As a former swimmer, he is experiencing the cold weather of winter sports for the first time. Athletes from the Japanese delegation to the Beijing Winter Paralympic Games are rigorously selected and must have at least medal-winning experience to be eligible for selection. In the past two years, due to the impact of the new crown epidemic, Japanese players have a lot less opportunities to participate in the competition, and the competitive state is not at the best level, which has been compensated by positive adjustments after arriving in China. Junichi Kawai said that whenever he thinks of athletes who are always in the cold on the field and fight for national honor, he also has enough energy to cheer for athletes every day.

Junichi Kawai is a symbol of Sports for the Disabled in Japan. He said that every work he has done along the way has been his own choice, which has made him what he is today. The most special of these was swimming, which connected him to the world and connected him to more Japanese people. The 46-year-old sports star said he hopes to give full play to his expertise in the field of sports and strive to achieve his goals.

"Of course, I also thought about giving up when I encountered difficulties, but I understood what I wanted to do most, what kind of work would make me happy, and keep working hard for this work." My life is to find things that make me happy, supported by this belief. While I am grateful for the help of others, I also continue to help others through hard work, so as to make this society better and better, and I will continue to work hard for this goal. Junichi Kawai said.

Helping people with disabilities helps drive further economic development

According to the International Paralympic Committee, about 1.2 billion of the world's 7.7 billion people are disabled, or 15 percent. Kawai said that this is a very large number, and I hope that the world can work together to create more jobs for people with disabilities and involve them in more areas of economic activity, so that they can have the ability to consume and live better. As the purchasing power of people with disabilities increases, it will also promote further economic development. He expressed the hope that the Winter Paralympic Games will allow more people to pay attention to people with disabilities and work together to create a society that is more conducive to the lives of people with disabilities.

"Under the severe situation of the new crown epidemic, Chinese friends, especially friends in Beijing and Zhangjiakou, as well as volunteers on the field, have given various help to the Japanese Winter Paralympic delegation in various aspects. On behalf of the Delegation of the Japanese Winter Paralympic Games, I would like to express my heartfelt thanks. Junichi Kawai said that with the support of the organizers, it is a very good process for athletes to fully experience the fun of the game and present the best performance to friends who are concerned about the Winter Paralympic Games.

Toward the end of the interview, Junichi Kawai exclaimed, "I often think about the significance of the Paralympic Games. Its significance lies in showing the infinite possibilities of human beings, and it is an opportunity for people to realize their potential and find their own potential. People tend to think that people with disabilities may not be able to do a lot of things because of their physical inconveniences, but the performance of athletes at the Paralympic Games can reverse this inherent thinking. At this time, some people may think, can I also tap my potential? If I try harder and put in a little more thought, will I be able to make possible what I thought was impossible? ”

Junichi Kawai said that he hopes that the Winter Paralympic Games will receive more people's attention and pass on the concept of trying to explore their potential to more people, so that everyone can actively face life with such ideas. Whether it is China or Japan, I hope that more and more people will make the world a better and better place through practical actions.