Dr. Koji Murofushi, Sports Director, The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games

The following is a summary of the Keynote Speech by Dr. Koji Murofushi, Sports Director, The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, at the 2015 U.S.-Japan Council Annual Conference in November 2015. 

Dr. Koji Murofushi, Sports Director, The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games stated that it was an honor to speak at the U.S.-Japan Council Annual Conference. He outlined his life and told the audience about a time in his childhood when he was required to create a book. He created the book in the Japanese order, which is opposite to what is used in the United States. His teacher used his book as an opportunity to teach the class about diversity.

Dr. Murofushi then said that the International Olympic Committee has a new agenda for the Olympic Games in 2020, which makes Tokyo’s selection as the host city particularly important. The goals include making the Games less expensive and more sustainable. One downside is that there is a steep learning curve for Japan in hosting the Olympics. Dr. Murofushi then noted the importance of the Olympics for inspiring children, describing his own love of the Games during his childhood.

Dr. Murofushi then related a story about Japanese hospitality involving Edward Burke, an Olympic athlete. Mr. Burke was desperate to bring home an Olympic flag to remind himself of his experience in the 1964 Tokyo Olympics. He buried a flag amongst the dirty clothes in his luggage and had it shipped back to California. When he received the box in California, he found that all his dirty clothing had been washed and neatly folded, as well as the flag.

Click here to learn more about the 2015 Annual Conference.