On May 22, Josai held a ceremony to mark the completion of the Prince Takamado Memorial Sports Park, a new state-of-the-art sports facility with a soccer field designed to host professional sporting events, as part of JIU’s 20th anniversary. The facility takes its name after the late Prince Takamado, a tireless contributor to international exchange. In so naming the park, Josai hopes to honor the Prince’s accomplishments and inspire the next generation to do the same.

The ceremony was attended by Princess Takamado who performed the ceremonial ribbon cutting of the sports park’s memorial gate. Honorary Chairman Saburo Kawabuchi and other members of the Japan Football Association were also in attendance. There was also a ceremonial game between members of the JFA Fukushima Academy featuring female high school students who were evacuated to Shizuoka Prefecture following the 2011 Tohoku earthquake.

The new Prince Takamado Memorial Sports Park is located next to JIU’s Togane Campus. With an area of 33,000 square meters, the stadium is replete with top-line facilities to accommodate major sporting events, including all-purpose grass turf.

The area of the soccer field grounds is 10,750 square meters. In consideration of the health of athletes, the grounds have been equipped with an artificial grass designed to maintain an optimal temperature. The stadium is also equipped to support night matches, with 300 seats located at field level. The total area of the clubhouse is 450 square meters. There are coach’s rooms, meeting rooms, and a locker room and even 60 spectator seats on the clubhouse roof.

While serving as a facility for JIU’s soccer team, it’s Josai’s hope that the sports park will both work to foster youth and regional sports and serve as a foundation for international exchange activities.