- "CHI-BA+KUN" Cheering for Sports Appears -

On March 18, 2019, just 500 days before the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic 
Games, Chiba Prefecture held a forum titled "500 More Days to Go! Let's Cheer 
for the Games from All Chiba" at AEON MALL Makuhari New City near Makuhari 
Messe, a venue for some Olympic and Paralympic competitions. The event was 
aimed at heightening the momentum to support the Games and relevant 
competitions to be held in Chiba through "All Chiba" efforts. A total of 264 
people from companies, schools and others in Chiba Prefecture participated in 
the forum.

(Images: https://kyodonewsprwire.jp/release/201903254627?p=images)

The forum consisted of two sessions. In the first session held in "AEON Cinema 
Makuhari New City," people from athletic associations introduced the 
competitions to be held in Chiba Prefecture.

Former professional baseball player Tomoya Satozaki, who had taken part in the 
2008 Beijing Olympic Games and 2006 World Baseball Classic, spoke intelligibly 
about difficult and enjoyable aspects of each competition based on his own 
experiences as a guest in the session. Many participants were impressed by Mr. 
Satozaki's speech and made comments such as "his stories about his own 
experiences were very interesting." 

Furthermore, "CHI-BA+KUN cheering for sports" (official name: the logo for 
cheering for sports) was unveiled and commemorative pictures were taken during 
the first session. The logo was created to further heighten the momentum of 
support from "All Chiba" for all sports including parasports. As companies and 
schools in the prefecture are using the logo in their name cards, pamphlets and 
so on, Chiba Prefecture will boost the momentum of support for sports through 
"All Chiba" efforts.

In the second session, five organizations--Makuhari Sohgoh High School, Showa 
Gakuin Junior & Senior High School, Teikyo Heisei University, Japan Post Co., 
Ltd., and the Chiba Chamber of Commerce and Industry--made presentations on 
their initiatives to support and promote sports. Participants expressed very 
positive impressions, with one person saying, "We would like to cooperate as 
part of our corporate activities" while another commented, "I would like to 
proactively take part in volunteer activities for the Games."

Chiba Prefecture's website (English)
https://www.pref.chiba.lg.jp/oripara/pre-camps/english/main.html


SOURCE: Chiba Prefectural Government