Sporting chances

Osaka as international sports host

Though gaming and athletics may not seem very important on their surface, it cannot be overstated how vital international sport is to the life of an area. To say nothing of the obvious financial benefits reaped by the hosting cities and areas, globalscale sporting competitions lend an aura of prestige, confidence and internationalism that few other events can. France, for example, is famous (or, perhaps these days, infamous) in no small part for its Tour de France; no description of Boston is complete without mention of its grand Marathon. Perhaps most dramatically at present, nothing has pressured Beijing to improve its air and food quality, traffic conditions and human rights protections quite like its role as host of next year’s Summer Olympic Games. Lively, vibrant, “international” cities and areas have lively, vibrant, international sporting events going through them, which is why anyone and everyone concerned with the welfare of Osaka and Kansai hold high hopes that the current International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships go well for the area, earning Kansai more chances in the future to take part in international events.

Kansai has already quietly been building its reputation as an international sports and athletics hub for some time. Kansai hosted several games in the 2002 World Cup; Japanese athletes trounced the competition when Osaka hosted the World Judo Championships in 2003; and again two years later, when skaters worldwide gathered in Kadoma City, Osaka, for the 2005 NHK Trophy, the last of six events in the ISU Grand Prix Series of Figure Skating. Suzuka Circuit in Mie is home to Formula One racing in Japan; Kobe, where rugby is king and an array of club teams battle it out, recently played host to a thrilling contest between the Japanese national rugby team and the New Zealand Classic All Blacks. Venues like the Maishima Sports Arena, Osaka-Jo Hall and Nagai Stadium have seen legions of athletes pass through their doors; Nagai, of course, is especially busy these days as venue for the IAAF Championships, a very big event representing a very big chance for Kansai to shine on the international stage. An estimated 3,200 athletes from 212 countries will compete in the championships, bringing with them coaches, supporters, on-lookers and international media in a number not seen in Kansai since … well, probably never.

There are a number of future international sporting events Kansai is also in the hunt for. After a surprise loss to New Zealand for the 2011 competition, some observers say hosting rights for the 2015 Rugby World Cup are Japan’s (and, possibly, Kobe’s?) to lose; a similar loss to Shanghai for the 2011 FINA World Aquatics Championships means that Osaka won’t get a chance to host that event until at least 2013 – but odds are good that it might.

Of course, the biggest prize in international sports is the Summer Olympic Games, something Osaka has been eyeing for some time now. The city lost in dramatic fashion to Beijing for next year’s Games, putting Osaka out of the running as an Olympics host until at least 2020: London takes over for the 2012 Olympics, and Tokyo was selected as Japan’s hope to snag the 2016 event. Long odds, but if Tokyo fails to win hosting rights in 2016 (conve- ntional wisdom says the Summer Games will go to either Africa or South America that year), look for Osaka to throw its hat into the ring once more as it attempts to find its place on the sporting, and international, stage.

Text: Jeff Lo • Photo: KS