Judogi Donation Ceremony (January 16, 2026)

On January 16, Mr. SHIMADA Tomoaki, Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, during his visit to Vanuatu, handed over Judogi to the Vanuatu Judo Federation at the Japanese Ambassador’s Residence. The ceremony was attended by representatives including Mr. Nicolas Monvoisin, President of the Vanuatu Judo Federation, and Mr. Nazario Fiakaifonu, its Vice-President. The ceremony was a part of a broader initiative, supported partially by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in which the All Japan Judo Federation and Japan United by Diversity and Olympism (JUDOs) donate a total of 200 judogi to the Vanuatu Judo Federation. As the kick-off event, the Parliamentary Vice-Minister Shimada, himself, directly handed over judogi to four young judokas from the Port Vila Judo Club. The remaining judogi are scheduled to be donated by the end of March this year. Through this initiative, it is expected that the friendly relations between Japan and Vanuatu will be further strengthened through sports, and that judo will contribute to the healthy development of youth.