[All Japan Table Tennis 2023 Venue Report]A 7-day hot battle has started!

A 7-day hot game begins at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium

The 2023 All Japan Table Tennis Championships, with the Emperor’s Cup and Empress’s Cup on the line, began on January 23 at the Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium. The opening ceremony was followed by the opening declaration by Yoshihito Miyazaki, chairman of the tournament committee, followed by the singing of the national anthem, followed by greetings by Masaya Kawata, chairman of the Japan Table Tennis Association, and Toshio Ogawa, chairman of the Tokyo Table Tennis Federation.

Miyazaki Yoshihito Chairman of the General Assembly

Masaya Kawata, President of Japan Table Tennis Association

Toshio Ogawa President of Tokyo Table Tennis Federation

Last year, the tournament was held with spectators only on Saturdays and Sundays due to the spread of the new coronavirus infection, but this tournament will be held with spectators all day for the first time in three years. As the once-in-a-decade cold wave approached central Tokyo and the snow was flickering, the curtain finally began on the seven days of hot competition suitable for the nation’s top tournament.

On the 23rd, the first day of the tournament, in addition to the mixed doubles first round, the junior men’s and women’s first round started.

[Mixed Doubles]

Student Doubles Champion Ami Taniwatari in the mixed doubles 1st roundNakamura/Yatogumi(Aichi Institute of Technology) appeared.With a safe gameUchida/Yamaguchi group(Ryukoku Univ./Toyo Univ.) in straight sets to advance to the second round tomorrow.

Veterans of Kagoshima Mutual Shinkin Bank, both of whom have participated in the All Japan Championship more than 10 timesTokunaga/Nakamura grouphas 2022 Asian Junior Cadet Championship doubles champion Yuta IimuraIimura/Hashimoto group(Noda Gakuen High School, Iwakuni Commercial High School). Although the first game was taken in advance by a high school student pair who were full of energy, after that they calmly played the game and accumulated points and won the come-from-behind victory with a game count of 3-1.

Koto Nakamura and Ami Taniwatari (Aichi Institute of Technology)

[Junior Boys]

The youngest 5th grader in the same event who appeared in the first round of junior boys ・Kobayashi Ukyo(Pintech) isTomohiro Marukawa(Noda Gakuen High School). Although he led the game count 2-1 with various serves as weapons, he was not strong at the end and lost 2-3.Like Kobayashi, a 5th graderToma Ohno(ABBEY) isDaichi Nonaka(University Kitakami High School). He showed a timid battle against high school students and won 3-1.Toma’s twin brotherSouma Ohno(Kinoshita Group)Kaisho Nishizawa(Kamimiya High School) lost in a straight line, and the brothers did not advance to the second round.

[Junior Women]

Junior Women’s 1st Round All Japan Cub Champion and the youngest participant in this tournament, 3rd grader ・Misora Matsushima(Kyoto Kaguya Rise) appeared.With a powerful drive delivered from a small bodyKaiu Kaname(RKstudio) and won the first All Japan Junior victory with a game count of 3-1.

Misora Matsushima (Kyoto Kaguya Rise)