championships.....

Judo
Kendo
Ekiden

And then as all over the globe: football.
These are the sports in Japan.
Of course there is Sumo and K1 but they are a class on their own.

The Nagai stadium capacity is 50.000. And even when the emperor visited the World Championships in Athletics the crowd was not making it a full house. No session so far has been sold out!

Since 1982 there is the woman’s marathon in Osaka. But the people are not into athletics. Certainly not to watch in the stadium. Running, road races, (half) marathons and the Ekiden that’s different. See the famous Prince Takamatsu Cup Nishinippon Round-Kyushu Ekiden. http://www.nishinippon.co.jp/soumu/CompanyDataE/3event.html

Athletics in Japan is not a small sport it is just a small community.
http://www.rikuren.or.jp/english/schedule/schedule2007.pdf

The IAAF sponsors are 80% based in Japan with company’s like:
Nikon; Epson; Toyota; Seiko; Mizuno; VTB; TBS & TDK (Eurovision + Coca-Cola, are the other two).

It looks like this:
Empty stadium: no spectators.
It feels like this:
Moratorium: no ambiance.
But is the stage for the world’s best athletes.

The future for athletics is uncertain. What will happen in Berlin in two years. If it is like this…….