Japanese National Team Research Articles

Support for the Japanese national badminton team using match videos in preparation for the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games

Support for the Japanese national badminton team using match videos in preparation for the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games

Correlates of shoulder pain in wheelchair basketball players from the Japanese national team: A cross-sectional study.

To reveal correlates of shoulder pain in wheelchair basketball players from the Japanese national team. Study participants were 19 males (29.7 ± 5.2 years) and 21 females (29.0 ± 8.2 years) players. We assessed shoulder pain using the wheelchair user's shoulder pain index (WUSPI). As potential correlates of shoulder pain, age, ability class, practice time and years of experience in wheelchair basketball were collected. The total WUSPI score for men (16.18 ± 17.39 points) was significantly higher than that for women (8.62 ± 15.70 points). In men, higher age was significantly correlated with greater shoulder pain for total WUSPI score and on two WUSPI items. Lower ability in wheelchair basketball was correlated with men's greater shoulder pain on three WUSPI items. In men, there were also significant correlations between longer years of experience and greater shoulder pain for total WUSPI score and on three WUSPI items. For women, there were significant correlations between longer practice time and less pain for total WUSPI score and on four WUSPI items. Because top male wheelchair basketball players have a higher risk of shoulder pain than female players, daily care of shoulder and periodic medical checkups are needed, especially for older male players with lower ability and more experience.

Colonial Korea’s First Participation in the Olympic Games (1932)

Despite its significance as the first time Korean athletes had participated in the Olympic Games, the 1932 Los Angeles Summer Olympics has attracted little scholarly attention. In this paper, I examine the 1932 Olympic Games’ multifaceted impact on colonial Korea beyond the typical nationalistic historiography that focuses on Japanese discrimination vs. Korean resistance. The Olympics, at that time a Western-dominated mega-sports events, provided a golden opportunity for Koreans to boast of the power of the Korean nation, a nation that had been largely absent from the world stage since its annexation by Japan in 1910. Three Korean athletes (Kim Ŭnbae, Kwŏn Taeha, and HwangŬlsu) were acclaimed as national heroes, being the first Koreans in the nation’s history to compete in the Olympic Games. Colonial Korea was swept up in Olympic fever in the summer of 1932. However, even the Olympics could not hold all Koreans together or make them proud of their fatherland. During the 1932 Olympics, a significant number of Koreans living in Los Angeles were not hesitant to dismiss the Korean athletes, viewing them not only as members of the Japanese national team but even as national traitors. For some Korean intellectuals focusing on the popularization of sports, propagating calisthenics was a much more urgent issue than sending a handful of elite athletes to the Olympics, especially given the fact that most Koreans were suffering in poverty and lacked access to medical facilities. Even the three Korean Olympians were not happy with their Olympic debut because of their disappointing results. In sum, the wide array of Koreans—athletes, fans, national leaders, Korean residents in America—observed, participated, and consumed this mega-sports event one way or the other. If the Olympic Games as a whole was a convoluted social phenomenon, so too were Korean reactions to it.

Characteristics of the Japanese National Team of the First Youth Olympic Games

Objective: To investigate the change in young elite Japanese athlete’s attitudes during the Youth Olympic Games (YOG) in 2010. Design: Survey study. Setting: 2010 YOG, Singapore. Participants: Data were collected from individual surveys completed by 57 athletes selected for the Japanese national team. Main outcome measures: Main outcome measures were change in athlete’s awareness of the equal emphasis on sport, culture, and education and athlete understands of anti-doping education. Results: A total of 57 athletes agreed to participate in this study, Twenty-five respondents indicated that their main route of entry into their competition sport was family members who played the sport. Thirty-one respondents indicated that fun upon winning the game was their primary motivation for continuing to participate in the sport and 42 respondents stated that a good result in the competition was the main types of satisfaction gained from participation. Conclusions: The results revealed the influences for taking up sports among young elite athletes on the Japanese national team competing at the Singapore YOG in 2010. The findings indicated that athletes were originally influenced by their parents. Lastly, the attitude of the Japanese athletes was significantly broadened through participation in the YOG.

Sleep Status in Male Wheelchair Basketball Players on a Japanese National Team

Background: Sufficient sleep is required for optimal performance in athletes; however, there is no published information regarding sleep status in top wheelchair basketball players. This study has two objectives: to compare sleep status between the general population of young Japanese males and male wheelchair basketball players, and to examine differences in sleep status by physical disordered conditions of wheelchair athletes. Methods: Study participants included 14 male wheelchair basketball players on a Japanese national team. Sleep status was assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). A higher PSQI score indicates poor sleep quality. To compare sleep status between the general Japanese population and wheelchair athletes, we used data from a previous study that assessed PSQI in the former population. We divided athletes’ disordered conditions into two categories: spinal cord injury (n=9) and skeletal system diseases (n=5). Results: The mean PSQI score was 5.8 ± 3.0 points; six athletes (42.9%) were over the cutoff point (5.5) for insomnia. The wheelchair athletes had significantly higher scores for sleep quality, sleep efficiency, and total PSQI than the general population of young Japanese males. The PSQI score of athletes with skeletal system diseases was significantly higher than athletes with spinal cord injury. Additionally, athletes with skeletal system diseases were significantly more likely to score over the cutoff point for insomnia than those with spinal cord injury. Conclusions: Top male wheelchair basketball players had poorer sleep than the general population of young Japanese men, and athletes with skeletal system diseases more frequently suffered from insomnia compared with athletes with spinal cord injury. Effective methods to improve sleep are needed to help top wheelchair basketball players to achieve optimal performance.

Factors associated with deep tissue injury in male wheelchair basketball players of a Japanese national team

Maintenance of the sporting activity of elite athletes in adapted sports can be difficult if a secondary disorder, such as a pressure ulcer, occurs. Pressure ulcers result from deep tissue injuries by external pressure. The purpose of this study was to use ultrasonography to investigate deep tissue injuries in male wheelchair basketball players of a Japanese national team, and to determine factors associated with the injuries (e.g., body mass index, class of wheelchair basketball, underlying disease, length of athletic career, and whether use of wheelchair is primarily for playing basketball). Twenty male Japanese wheelchair basketball players on the national team for the 2012 London Paralympic Games (12 representative players and eight candidate representative players) participated in this study. The sacral region and bilateral ischial regions in each athlete were examined by ultrasonography to detect low-echoic lesions indicative of deep tissue injuries. Nine (45%) players had low-echoic lesions, which were detected in 10 of 60 areas. Eight lesions were detected in the sacral region and two lesions were detected in the ischial region. More players with spinal cord injury had low-echoic lesions [9 (69.2%) of 13 players], compared to players with skeletal system disease [0 (0%) of 7 players, p = 0.002]. Players who used a wheelchair in daily life were more likely to have low-echoic lesions [8 (66.74%) of 12 players], compared to players who primarily used a wheelchair for playing basketball [1 (12.5%) of 8 players, p = 0.010]. Deep tissue injuries were detected in 45% of male Japanese wheelchair basketball players on the national team. Players with spinal cord injury and players who used a wheelchair in daily life were more likely to have deep tissue injuries, particularly in the sacral region. The lesions were small, but a periodic medical check should be performed to maintain athletes' sporting life.

Dietary Supplementation of High-Performance Korean and Japanese Judoists

This research investigated patterns of the use of dietary supplement and doping awareness among high-ranked judoists from 2 countries. Korean (70 men and 31 women) and Japanese (37 men and 34 women) national judo team members were divided into 2 groups (high and low competitive performance levels) according to their international and national rankings. Fifty-nine percent of Korean and 61% of Japanese judoists consumed dietary supplements. Eighty-eight percent of high- and 51% of low-competitive-performance-level Korean judoists consumed dietary supplements. Sixty-eight percent of high- and 57% of low-competitive-performance-level Japanese judoists consumed dietary supplements. Oriental supplements (34%), vitamins (23%), and protein powder (12%) were the most commonly consumed dietary supplements in Korean judoists. Vitamins (45%), protein powder (33%), and minerals (15%) were the most commonly consumed dietary supplements in Japanese judoists. Thirty-eight percent of judoists from both countries had not received any proper education about antidoping, and 44% of judoists from both countries had not received knowledge of antidoping legislation. There was a significant difference in education about antidoping between high and low competitive-performance levels of Korean judoists (p < .001). Korean judoists received significantly less antidoping education than Japanese judoists (p < .001). The associations for antidoping education and knowledge of antidoping legislation with the use of dietary supplements were 3.46 (95% CI = 1.31-9.12) and 1.63 (95% CI = 0.71-3.76), respectively. Our findings showed that use of dietary supplements in judoists from both countries was increased after experiencing antidoping education.

Use of Supplements by Young Elite Japanese Athletes Participating in the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore

To investigate the prevalence of supplement use among young elite Japanese athletes. Survey study. 2010 Youth Olympic Games, Singapore. Data were collected from individual interviews during medical evaluations of 75 athletes selected for the Japanese national team. Main outcome measures included the use of supplements, products used, frequency of use, purpose of use, and relationships between supplement use and athlete attitudes toward a balanced diet. All 75 athletes agreed to participate in this study, and individual interviews by pharmacists made it possible to collect complete answers from all athletes. Of these athletes, 47 (62.7%) used 1 or more supplement products (average number of products used, 1.1 ± 1.3). The most popular supplement was amino acids, which were used by 33 athletes (44.0%). Of the supplements used, 28 (32.6%) were taken every day, whereas 28 (32.6%) were used only on special occasions. Moreover, 34 of the supplement products (39.5%) were taken to enhance recovery from fatigue, whereas 19 (22.1%) were used to improve athletic performance. Statistical analysis suggested that there was no significant relationship between supplement use and attitudes toward a balanced diet. The results revealed widespread supplement use among young elite athletes in the Japanese national team for the Singapore Youth Olympic Games in 2010. Moreover, these athletes apparently used supplements without considering the effects of their normal diets.

Relationship Between Resting Heart Rate And Yo-Yo Intermittent Recovery Test Performance In Elite Badminton Players

Monitoring daily changes in resting heart rate is widely recognized by athletes as an objective measure to estimate physical condition. It has not been well examined, however, whether changes in athletes' resting heart rate indeed associate with changes in their physical condition test performance. In the Japanese national badminton team, Yo-Yo intermittent recovery (YYIR) test has been continuously used to evaluate the players' basic physical condition essential for performing competitive badminton. In this study, we examined a relationship between changes in resting heart rate and changes in YYIR test performance in elite Japanese badminton players. PURPOSE: To examine whether changes in resting heart rate associate with changes in Yo-Yo intermittent recovery test performance in international-class badminton players. METHODS: Fifteen Japanese national badminton team players (23.3+3.1 yrs) volunteered to participate in the study. The subjects performed YYIR test twice in three months during the national team training camps. In each test, total running distances were recorded. In addition, resting heart rate (HR-rest) were collected in the morning before each YYIR test. The subjects were also asked to fill in a questionnaire in which they estimated their subjective feeling of fatigue on a visual analog scale. HR-rest and the scorings of subjective feeling of fatigue were respectively compared between the higher and the lower performed YYIR tests. RESULTS: First, in the morning of the higher performed YYIR test, HR-rest were significantly lower than those in the morning of the lower performed YYIR test (54.3+1.6 vs. 57.7+1.3 beats/min, p<0.01). Moreover, differences in HR-rest between the higher and the lower performed YYIR tests correlated negatively with differences in total running distance between the higher and the lower performed YYIR tests (r=-0.79, p<0.001). In contrast, no significant difference were observed in the scorings of subjectively perceived fatigue between the higher and the lower performed YYIR tests (58.1+5.2 vs. 62.2+4.2 mm, p=0.25). CONCLUSION: Measuring daily changes in resting heart rate might be efficient for elite badminton players to objectively monitor physical condition that underlie their sport performance.

Assessment of elite-level volleyball players' performance and fitness based on biometric data

BackgroundImprovement sought in the performance of a professional volleyball team, eighth in Japanese Premiere Volleyball League 2009-Season, based on collection and analysis of biometric data.ObjectivePhysical performance and biometric data were...

Comparative analysis of game performance between Japanese national team and European national teams in women&apos;s handball:

Comparative analysis of game performance between Japanese national team and European national teams in women&apos;s handball:

フィンスイミングのサーフィス種目におけるCritical Velocity 理論から考察したエネルギー供給特性

The present study was performed to investigate the energetics of surface events (SE) in finswimming by analyzing the concepts of critical velocity (Vcri) and anaerobic swimming capacity (ASC). Ten finswimmers (five males and five females, aged 24±6 years), who were members of the Japanese national team, performed maximal effort swimming over five test distances (100 m, 200 m, 400 m, 800 m, and 1500 m). The distance-time relationship for the 200-m, 400-m, and 800-m distances showed a linear relationship (r2>0.99) in all subjects. Therefore, Vcri was calculated for these three distances, and ASC was defined as the y-intercept of the regression line between distance and time. A significant correlation was found between the mean velocity (V-) over each distance and Vcri (r=0.76-99). ASC was significantly correlated with V-100 m, V-200 m, and V-400 m (r=0.69-81). Furthermore, ASC was significantly correlated with the residual error of V-800 m (r=0.90) or V-1500 m (r=0.71) calculated by regression analysis of the relationship between Vcri and V-800 m or V-1500 m. The results of this study suggest that aerobic performance contributes to finswimming performance over distances ranging from 100 m to 1500 m. Although anaerobic performance also contributes to performance over distances of less than 400 m, it makes very little contribution over distances of 800 m and 1500 m.

The Critical Velocity and 1 500-m Surface Performances in Finswimming

The purpose of this investigation was to determine whether the concepts of critical velocity (CV) and anaerobic swimming capacity (ASC) could be used by coaches as a reliable index in order to monitor 1500-m Surface (SF) performances in Finswimming. Thirteen Finswimmers (6 males and 7 females, 24+/-6 years), members of the Japanese national team, were instructed to swim three different swimming distances (400-, 800-, and 1500-m) at maximal effort in a 50m long course swimming pool. CV and the ASC were calculated using 400-m and 800-m swim times. Mean height and body mass were 170.2 cm and 69.7 kg in male and 160.5 and 61.0 kg in female. A highly positive correlation was found between the CV and the mean velocity of 1500-m SF (V1500) (r=0.91, P<0.01), but no correlation was found between the ASC and V1500. (r=0.46, P=0.11). However, a high correlation was found between the ASC and the residual error of V1500, calculated from the relationship between V1500 and the CV (r=0.89, P<0.01). These results suggest that the CV is a useful method for evaluating 1500-m SF performance and an aerobic performance expressed as the CV contributes to 1500-m SF performance.

Japan's Deteriorating ties with China: The Koizumi Factor

In April 2005, anti-Japanese protests erupted in many cities in China and marked the lowest point in Sino-Japanese relations in more than 30 years. That these protests took place during the tenure of the Koizumi Administration should come as no surprise. Indeed, the policies and personality of Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro have both contributed to this abysmal state of relations between the two neighbours. The Koizumi Administration has abandoned the low-posture, post-war framework of appeasing Beijing which had the following features: no explicit mentioning of Taiwan as falling within the ambit of the US-Japan Alliance, repeated offering of apologies over its past invasion of the Chinese Mainland and extending generous Official Development Assistance (ODA) in lieu of reparations. This article traces the growing assertiveness of the Koizumi Administration towards China. While the deterioration of bilateral ties is the responsibility and fault of both parties, Prime Minister Koizumi himself is a key problem — not a problem-solver in this worsening of Sino-Japanese relations. A main reason for the rising friction between Beijing and Tokyo is the fundamental shift in the political economy of East Asia: China's rise coupled with Japan's stagnation. The angst of being overshadowed by China's phenomenal economic growth and the fear that this growth will translate into greater Chinese political influence [End Page 275] and military power in East Asia have made many Japanese elites wary, if not hostile, to China. Notwithstanding such sentiments within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the rightwing mass media, the Japanese Prime Minister's personality is crucial in bilateral ties: a more reconciliatory Prime Minister will help mitigate bilateral differences, while a more assertive and combative one will make matters worse. Had Koizumi not adamantly insisted on making annual visits to the Yasukuni Shrine (the symbol of Japanese militarism towards the Chinese and Koreans), then the burden of history which bedevils Sino-Japanese relations could have been lightened by half. The following areas of the Koizumi Administration's assertiveness towards China are examined: the decision to end ODA, the issue of an apology over Imperial Japan's invasion of the Chinese Mainland and the unprecedented and explicit mentioning of Taiwan as a common strategic objective for the US-Japan Alliance. It then examines the absence of politicians in the present Koizumi cabinet who are reputedly friendly towards China. The main conclusion is that the departure of Koizumi as Prime Minister will not necessarily lead to an improvement in Sino-Japanese relations. Indeed, Koizumi's successor might be even more assertive and prickly towards China. Ending ODA to China In March 2005, Foreign Minister Machimura Nobutaka officially announced that as of fiscal 2008 when Beijing hosts the Olympic Games, Japan would cease extending new yen loans to China.1 The ostensible reason (tatemae) is that Japanese funds are no longer needed given China's rapid economic growth. The real reason (honne) for ending ODA is the rise of negative sentiment in Japan towards China, stemming in part from the frustration generated by the phenomenon of "China rising, Japan stagnating".2 Many Japanese believe that Japan must stand up to China to avoid being displaced by an ascendant country. [End Page 276] In recent years, Japanese ODA has become less important to China's economic development. By 2004, Japan's cumulative ODA to China was 3.3 trillion yen (USD31.5 billion), a fraction of China's cumulative foreign direct investment of USD563 billion.3 Many Japanese, who are unhappy that Beijing has increased its military budget by more than 10 per cent annually and even offered aid to neighbouring countries, feel that Beijing does not appreciate Tokyo's generous ODA which has been used mainly to help improve the Mainland's infrastructure. They are angered by virulent anti-Japanese nationalism in China as evidenced by the abusive behaviour of Chinese soccer hooligans towards the Japanese national team during...

Japan's Deteriorating Ties with China: The Koizumi Factor

In April 2005, anti-Japanese protests erupted in many cities in China and marked the lowest point in Sino-Japanese relations in more than 30 years. That these protests took place during the tenure of the Koizumi Administration should come as no surprise. Indeed, the policies and personality of Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro have both contributed to this abysmal state of relations between the two neighbours. The Koizumi Administration has abandoned the low-posture, post-war framework of appeasing Beijing which had the following features: no explicit mentioning of Taiwan as falling within the ambit of the US-Japan Alliance, repeated offering of apologies over its past invasion of the Chinese Mainland and extending generous Official Development Assistance (ODA) in lieu of reparations. This article traces the growing assertiveness of the Koizumi Administration towards China. While the deterioration of bilateral ties is the responsibility and fault of both parties, Prime Minister Koizumi himself is a key problem — not a problem-solver in this worsening of Sino-Japanese relations. A main reason for the rising friction between Beijing and Tokyo is the fundamental shift in the political economy of East Asia: China's rise coupled with Japan's stagnation. The angst of being overshadowed by China's phenomenal economic growth and the fear that this growth will translate into greater Chinese political influence [End Page 275] and military power in East Asia have made many Japanese elites wary, if not hostile, to China. Notwithstanding such sentiments within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the rightwing mass media, the Japanese Prime Minister's personality is crucial in bilateral ties: a more reconciliatory Prime Minister will help mitigate bilateral differences, while a more assertive and combative one will make matters worse. Had Koizumi not adamantly insisted on making annual visits to the Yasukuni Shrine (the symbol of Japanese militarism towards the Chinese and Koreans), then the burden of history which bedevils Sino-Japanese relations could have been lightened by half. The following areas of the Koizumi Administration's assertiveness towards China are examined: the decision to end ODA, the issue of an apology over Imperial Japan's invasion of the Chinese Mainland and the unprecedented and explicit mentioning of Taiwan as a common strategic objective for the US-Japan Alliance. It then examines the absence of politicians in the present Koizumi cabinet who are reputedly friendly towards China. The main conclusion is that the departure of Koizumi as Prime Minister will not necessarily lead to an improvement in Sino-Japanese relations. Indeed, Koizumi's successor might be even more assertive and prickly towards China. Ending ODA to China In March 2005, Foreign Minister Machimura Nobutaka officially announced that as of fiscal 2008 when Beijing hosts the Olympic Games, Japan would cease extending new yen loans to China.1 The ostensible reason (tatemae) is that Japanese funds are no longer needed given China's rapid economic growth. The real reason (honne) for ending ODA is the rise of negative sentiment in Japan towards China, stemming in part from the frustration generated by the phenomenon of "China rising, Japan stagnating".2 Many Japanese believe that Japan must stand up to China to avoid being displaced by an ascendant country. [End Page 276] In recent years, Japanese ODA has become less important to China's economic development. By 2004, Japan's cumulative ODA to China was 3.3 trillion yen (USD31.5 billion), a fraction of China's cumulative foreign direct investment of USD563 billion.3 Many Japanese, who are unhappy that Beijing has increased its military budget by more than 10 per cent annually and even offered aid to neighbouring countries, feel that Beijing does not appreciate Tokyo's generous ODA which has been used mainly to help improve the Mainland's infrastructure. They are angered by virulent anti-Japanese nationalism in China as evidenced by the abusive behaviour of Chinese soccer hooligans towards the Japanese national team during...

発声を要する運動時のマウスガード装着による外傷防護

During sports, injuries may he caused by contact between players or the equipment. The use of a mouthguard is advocated for the prevention of oral injuries such as those of the teeth and jaw bones due to such accidents, but it has also been suggested to increase the risk in sports that require vocal communication among players such as baseball as it makes vocalization difficult. We provided mouthguards for members of the Japanese National Team that participated in the 21st AAA International Baseball Championship Games and evaluated their application, their functions, and their defects by a questionnaire with the cooperation by the Japan High School Baseball Federation. After obtaining impressions, mouthguards were prepared using Justouch (Hybler, Kuraray Medical) for 18 high school baseball players. The players practiced and played games wearing the mouthguards and answered a questionnaire concerning the feeling of their application, vocalization. Functions, and inconveniences. Of the players, 78 % had no previous experience of using a mouthguard. 21% felt difficulty in speaking, 8% complained of increased salivation, and 4% felt strangeness. To the question whether they considered a mouthguard necessary for the prevention of oral injuries during baseball practice or games, 78% answered that they considered it necessary; to the question whether they would consider the use of a mouthguard in the future, 67% of the players answered yes. The results of this questionnaire indicate that many baseball players have considerable interest in the mouthguard and are aware of the necessity of its use for the prevention of injuries.

Total energy expenditure of elite synchronized swimmers measured by the doubly labeled water method.

To determine the daily energy requirement of elite synchronized swimmers during moderate-intensity training, the average daily energy expenditure measured by the doubly labeled water method, was calculated for nine female Japanese national team synchronized swimmers [four senior; mean (SD) 22.5 (1.0) years old, 52.2 (3.6) kg, and five junior; 17.6 (1.1) years old, 52.8 (2.3) kg]. Their total energy expenditure (TEE) was 11.5 (2.8) MJ x day(-1) [2738 (672) kcal day(-1)]. When compared with estimated energy requirements derived from "Recommended Dietary Allowances for the Japanese", 12.1 (0.6) MJ day(-1) [2897 (139) kcal day(-1)], there was no difference between mean actual and estimated energy requirements. However, there were considerable differences observed on an individual basis. Their energy intake, estimated from 7- day self-reported dietary records, was 8.9 (1.7) MJ day(-1) [2128 (395) kcal x day(-1)], which was significantly lower than their TEE (P<0.05). Resting energy expenditure (REE), as determined by indirect calorimetry, was 5.2 (0.3) MJ x day(-1) [1247 (75) kcal x day(-1)]. Their physical activity level (TEE/REE) was 2.18 (0.43). These results demonstrate that the TEE values of elite female synchronized swimmers are not dissimilar to those reported for athletes participating in other sports, especially competitive swimmers during moderate-intensity training.