Selected by a total of 286 former Japanese representatives! Who is the No. 1 representative from Japan that made you think the Japanese team was amazing? Tomorrow, December 4th (Wednesday) from 7:00 to 9:00, Nippon Television will broadcast “Koji Kato and Masahiro Nakai, who are the best Japanese representatives chosen by 286 former Japanese representatives! Top 20.”
With one day left until the rankings are announced on air, we bring you an interview with judo expert Hifumi Abe about the “amazing Japanese national team”!
–Which Japanese representative did you think was amazing?
Ayumu Hirano’s gold medal at the Beijing Olympics.
–What was the point that you thought was amazing?
At first, I performed perfectly, but it was a little weird because it was a competition where people kept score. Even when we watched this, we thought the score would be too low, so it was the last performance that won the gold medal. After all, I could see the strength of that feeling in his acting at that time. So I was moved by that strong feeling.
–For a time, it was said to be a suspicious judgment.
That’s been said.
But that was the verdict, wasn’t it?
So I think it’s amazing that he overcame that kind of judgment and won the gold medal.
――Does Abe ever think that this is a foul or something happens during a match that causes him to change his mind?
No, not really during the game.
–Not much, right?
I don’t think there are many patterns where points are taken and things come back.
――I don’t agree with the judgment.
Not much.
–How would you describe Ayumu Hirano in one word?
It feels the best.
–Next, who thought it was amazing?
Kosuke Kitajima’s consecutive Olympic victories.
–I think there are a lot of amazing things, but what do you think is especially amazing?
Competitions are great, but it’s amazing to have so many famous quotes.
–That’s the point after all.
I also wanted to leave a famous quote in Paris this time, but it wasn’t possible.
–Were you thinking about saying something like this?
I thought I should just say how I felt at that moment instead of thinking about it, but I couldn’t. (Next) in Los Angeles.
–What Kitajima said.
“It feels so good” and “I can’t say anything.” That’s amazing.
–Do words like that never come up?
It’s difficult. Yeah, I think it’s amazing.
–After Kitajima won gold at the Athens Olympics, he hadn’t won a world championship. I was in such a slump that my coach told me it was time for me to quit. Four years later, he reportedly struck gold in Beijing. There’s something amazing about being able to make money out of such adversity.
I truly believe that adversity makes you stronger.
I also went through a tough year where I couldn’t win, and I think I was able to grow a lot through that, and people don’t grow without adversity. That’s why, even though my sister Uta lost at the Olympics, I really think that she will probably grow even more when she overcomes this adversity. So I think now is the time to face that adversity.
――Even if everyone around you says you are the strongest, all athletes will always face adversity.
I think there is. There are times when you don’t get the results you expected. In the case of poetry, I’ve always been number one, so I guess it’s tough now. That’s why I don’t have much to say, so I guess I just have to be determined and work hard.
――Are you not going to tell your younger sister, Abe Uta, something like “Do your best?” Is it your stance to watch over him as an older brother and watch him continue to win?
I’m watching over you, and my sister is also at the top, so I don’t really have anything to say.
–Finally, please give us a word about your future.
I will do my best with the aim of winning my third consecutive victory at the Los Angeles Olympics four years from now, so please continue to support me.
◆“Koji Kato & Masahiro Nakai, 286 former Japanese representatives, choose this Japanese representative! Top 20” Program overview
This year, the Paris Olympics were held, and Japan was enthusiastic about the performance of the Japanese national team athletes. Selected the 2024 edition of the best 20 amazing Japanese representatives! Which Japanese representative will take first place this year? Thorough coverage of new facts about the Japanese national team and reconstructed with “interviews with those involved, match footage, reenactment dramas,” etc. Based on the program’s unique rankings, we will deliver new facts about the Olympics that everyone knows.
▼2011 Nadeshiko World Cup winning members reunion
Nadeshiko Japan, which ranked 4th last time in 2011, is ranked again this year. “Why does the 2011 Nadeshiko World Cup victory move the hearts of the Japanese national team so much even after 13 years?” When program MC Koji Kato participates in the Nadeshiko alumni reunion…a story that can only be told now is revealed!
▼Mao Asada confesses for the first time on TV! Behind the scenes of the tearful free performance at the Sochi Olympics
She unexpectedly placed 16th in her short performance at the Sochi Olympics, where she was burdened with the expectations of the public…Behind her perfect free performance the next day, there was a song by Ayumi Hamasaki!
▼Beijing Olympics Swimming: The secret story of Kosuke Kitajima’s successive Olympic victories
What is the “unknown suffering” hidden behind the famous saying “I can’t say anything” handed down in the sports world?
In this program, we will conduct a survey of 286 athletes who have carried the Japanese flag on their backs, asking them what they think is the greatest match of the Japanese national team. The matches chosen by the athletes have a unique perspective as they were members of the Japanese national team, and we can see rankings that exceed our expectations. In addition, in the program’s own coverage, the person himself reveals the surprising behind-the-scenes of the famous match, the heart that has never been talked about before! This is a program where you can learn about a surprising side of the Japanese national team.
■Performers (titles omitted)
[MC]Koji Kato, Masahiro Nakai
[Proceeding]Erina Iwata (Nippon Television Announcer)
[Guest]Yoshihide Kiryu, Homare Sawa, Yuto Horiyone, Tomoaki Makino, Yuka Kageyama
[VTR interview]Hifumi Abe, Mao Asada, Rikako Ikee, Yuki Ishikawa, Yasuo Inoue, Kyoko Iwasaki, Haruka Kitaguchi, Kosuke Kitajima, Megumi Kurihara, Ayumu Goromaru, Natsumi Tsunoda, Michael Leach, Saori Yoshida, etc. 50 people or more
★Official program website: https://www.ntv.co.jp/katokojinakaimasahiro/
★Program official X: @ntv_katonakai
★NTV Sports YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@ntvsports
