ISLAMABAD: As Japan has already started one year countdown to host 2020 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, Kuninori (Matz) Matsuda, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, Embassy of Japan has revealed “my country is more than ready” to welcome the world for what he promised an amazing, new era sporting spectacle.
At a reception hosted in honour of leading sports journalists of Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Matsuda shared his thought and recent updates from Tokyo promising that the world would find the next Olympics beyond their hopes and expectations in all definition of sports extravaganza.
“Japan has always been considered as the friendliest of countries from tourism prospective. Usually we host around three million tourists every year but next year we are expecting more than fifty percent rise and total strength may well even grow further as days close in.
“This is a significant rise. We are ready to receive even more and prepared on all fronts to cater the need of our guests — may they be there to watch the games, participate or even in Japan for business purpose in special connection with the Games.”
Matsuda’s family is an old friend of Pakistan as his father in law used to live in Karachi for business purpose in early 1960s.
“My father in law had a great respect for Pakistan, its people and rapidly growing business in Karachi in early sixties. In fact he lived in Karachi for a few years to give push to his family business. So I have got special relation with Pakistani and its citizens.”
The ambassador has recently been transferred here. Before that he performed diplomatic responsibilities in Qatar and Russia. “Japanese like Pakistan people a lot and that is why we have rated them amongst the top ten countries from where we are planning to hire skilled workers in future. Those Pakistanis living in Japan are serving the country in best possible way. Pakistanis are most honest and hardworking people.”
One surprising thing Matsuda said about Pakistan community living in Japan was their role in generating cricket interest in Japanese culture. “In recent times we have witnessed the rise in interest in the game of cricket in Japan. That is because of thousands of Pakistanis and their school and college going children play and enjoy cricket and they are taking along Japan youth with them.
“The results started coming instantly as we now have under-19 national cricket team that has already qualified for the Word Cup to be held in South Africa in January 2020. As the game is closer to baseball, those failing to earn a name in baseball also turning up to cricket.”
To a suggestion, Matsuda agreed to talk to Japan cricket association to play some matches with Pakistan under-19 team en-route to South Africa for World Cup.
“That is very good proposal. We would love to play matches in Pakistan and I will forward this suggestion to our cricketing body.”
Coming back to ever growing Olympic fever in Japan, Matsuda said he remembered watching Pakistan and India playing the final of 1964 Tokyo Olympics.
“My father took me to the Stadium to see hockey powerhouses in action. Hockey was new for Japan at that time and we used to learn it from Pakistan coaches. Now I can proudly say that we are the Asian Champions and have qualified for Tokyo Olympics on merit rather than getting the benefit of being hosts. I pray and hope that Pakistan hockey team would go on to beat Holland to make it to the Olympics 2020.”
Only one shooter Khalil Akhtar has so far qualified for the Tokyo Olympics while chances are there that a couple of more shooters and wrestler Inam Butt would make it to mega events as direct qualifiers.
Every fit and spirited Japanese is ready to act as volunteer for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and that is the very reason that over 200,000 aspirants have applied for around 80,000 available vacancies so far.