Team Japan House unveils Tokyo Heritage Exhibition 2020

The Team Japan House has opened in central Paris for the 2024 Summer Games, with an exhibition exploring the influence of the Tokyo 2021 Olympics on the current Games in Paris. The house will serve as a venue for the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) to hold press conferences and promote Japanese culture to the public.

A striking example of this influence is the cardboard beds for athletes, which first appeared in Tokyo three years ago and were designed by a Japanese company called Air weaving.

During the Tokyo 2021 Olympics, athletes called the beds “anti-sex,” capitalizing on rumors that the beds were designed to prevent athletes from engaging in intimate activities in the Olympic Village.

But Olympic organizers stress that the real focus of the beds is on sustainability.

The beds are adjustable and the firmness can be adjusted by turning the mattress, explains Ryuheita Suita, general manager of Air weaving.

The Japanese company also unveiled an AI body scanner that can advise athletes on what firmness to choose based on their body type.

The Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (which were held in 2021 due to the pandemic) also inspired the authorities in Paris in terms of security.

“The Tokyo Olympics were held in the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, so we had to work on health safety instead of security. The Paris Olympics are being held with a specific focus on physical security,” said Yuko Mitsuya, interim president of the Japanese Olympic Committee.

“Today there is a mix, where a lot of effort has been put into health safety and security. If we can give advice to the French authorities in this area, we would be delighted,” she said in an interview with Euronews.

Paris reinforced security during the Olympic and Paralympic Games. More than 50,000 police and military officers, 1,800 foreign personnel and more than 15,000 private security guards are deployed to ensure the security of the host venues and cities in France.

The various stands in the Team Japan House also showcase different aspects of Japanese culture, such as calligraphy and origami workshops.

Visitors can play table tennis and basketball, a sport that Japan has excelled at in previous sporting events.

“Japan has many riches: from culture to sports and the aim of this exhibition is to show this. All the stands here are intended to promote Japan as a top tourist destination for France,” said Hatsume Nagai, the director general of the Japanese National Tourism Agency.

In 2025, the Japanese city of Osaka will host the long-awaited World Expo showcasing technology and innovation from countries around the world.

More than 400 Japanese athletes are expected to participate participate in the Olympic Games in Paris – the largest delegation from the Asian continent, just ahead of China.