Kunieda to be 1st Para-Athlete to Receive People’s Honor Award
14:56 JST, February 4, 2023
The government plans to bestow the People’s Honor Award on Shingo Kunieda, who won four Paralympic gold medals in men’s wheelchair tennis. He would be the first para-athlete to receive the award since its establishment in 1977.
The award would be in recognition of Kunieda, 38, achieving the lifetime Golden Slam by winning titles at all four major tennis tournaments and the Paralympic gold, as well as his long career as Japan’s leading figure in para-sports.
On Friday, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida instructed the relevant ministries and agencies to consider giving Kunieda the award. The government will formalize the decision after hearing the opinions of experts.
“Kunieda has done something unprecedented and achieved great accomplishments in the sports world. I hope his achievements will be honored through the People’s Honor Award,” Kishida told reporters at the Prime Minister’s Office after being briefed about the wheelchair tennis star by Sports Agency Commissioner Koji Murofushi.
On Jan. 22, the world’s top-ranked player announced on social media his retirement from competition.
A native of Chiba Prefecture, Kunieda began playing tennis at age 11 after a spinal tumor confined him to a wheelchair when he was 9. He participated in five consecutive Paralympic Games from Athens 2004 to Tokyo 2021. He won consecutive gold medals in men’s singles at the 2008 Beijing Games and 2012 London Games.
Kunieda also won a gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics, where he served as the captain of the Japanese delegation. Including one in men’s doubles at the Athens Games, he has won four Paralympic gold medals in total. Last year, Kunieda also captured the Wimbledon singles title in Britain.
So far, 26 individuals and one team have received the People’s Honor Award, which recognizes those who “are beloved by the people and have made spectacular achievements in bringing bright hopes to society.”
The award was last given in 2018 to figure skater Yuzuru Hanyu, who won consecutive Winter Olympic gold medals. Other past recipients include singer Hibari Misora and “Sazae-san” mangaka Machiko Hasegawa.
"Sports" POPULAR ARTICLE
-
Shohei Ohtani Defied Ex-Interpreter’s Request to Cover Up Fraud, Report
-
Shohei Ohtani Hits 176 MLB Homers; the Most by a Japanese-Born Player Surpassing Hideki Matsui
-
Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s 6 Shutout Innings Help Dodgers Finish Sweep, Defeat Nats 2-1
-
Japanese Public Divided Over Hosting Future Olympic Games As Corruption, Bid-Rigging Scandals Blunt Enthusiasm
-
Here’s How Investigators Allege Ippei Mizuhara Stole $16 million From Shohei Ohtani
JN ACCESS RANKING
- M6.0 Earthquake Hits Japan’s Tohoku Region; Fukushima, Iwate, Miyagi Prefectures Observe 4 on Japanese Scale With No Risk of Tsunami
- China Mutes Memorialization of Reformer Hu Yaobang; Memories Could Spark Critique of Xi Administration
- Shinkansen Services Suspended After Man ‘Searches for Phone’ on Tracks; Disruption Affects About 14,000 Passengers
- U.S. 7th Fleet officer Arrested on Suspicion of Stealing Sushi, Sashimi, Chicken at Kanagawa Shopping Mall; Suspect Caught Mid-Meal
- UNRWA Director Describes Catastrophic Destruction in Gaza; Says Relief Trucks Robbed, ‘People’s Hearts Destroyed’