On Saturday 28 July, a Memorial Ceremony commemorating the renewal of the National Training Centre “J-Village” took place at Naraha, Futaba District, Fukushima Prefecture. The facility was shut down following the Great East Japan Earthquake in March of 2011, as it was utilised as the support base of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster. With this renewal, partial use of the facility will be available for the first time in about seven years and four months.

The ceremony was forced to change its contents due to the influence of the season's 12th typhoon, as the opening performance and the act of pitch releasement after the ceremony were cancelled. At the beginning of the ceremony, the President of Japan Football Village Co. Inc. and current Governor of Fukushima Prefecture, UCHIBORI Masao gave a speech where he stated, “The J-Village is a symbol of Fukushima’s reconstruction. It will become a base where we deliver the message to the country and to the rest of the world that there is hope to recover from any kind of disasters.” His speech emphasised that the facility will be responsible of not just the promotion of the sport, but the revitalization of the Fukushima Prefecture.

Congratulatory speeches followed as Princess Hisako Takamado of the Japanese Imperial Family, Minister for Reconstruction YOSHINO Masayoshi, JFA President TASHIMA Kohzo, Japan Rugby Football Union President OKAMURA Tadashi, Fukushima County Council Vice-chairman YAGINUMA Junko, Mayor of Naraha MATSUMOTO Yukiei, and Mayor of Hirono ENDO Satoshi each took the podium to address their greetings. Former football player of the England National Team, Bobby Charlton, who gave the name “J-Village” to the facility also delivered a message, “Just as a great footballer would have, a great football programme also has a spirit that never gives up. The unwavering spirit displayed by the J-Village staffs and the people of Fukushima that refuses to give up moves the heart of everyone.” Coach MORIYASU Hajime of the Japan National Team and the Tokyo Olympics Men’s National Team was also seen attending the ceremony. The ceremony concluded by an act of the ball getting kicked into the field by the J-Village SC players.

An exhibition match between J-Village SC and U-15 Fukushima Select Team was conducted. Prior to the match, a moment of silence was conducted to grieve the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake and the recent floods that occurred in July of 2018. The match kicked-off at 2:46pm, the time when the earthquake struck, as the clock of the stadium restarted itself for the first time since it stopped ticking after the disaster. The match saw both sides scoring a goal in the first half and finished with a final score of 1-1.

The facility will be used for the national team camps ahead of the Tokyo Olympics, while the JFA Academy will plan for its return to the facility as well. JFA Medical Centre will also reopen their programme and the JFA will plan to conduct future tournaments at the renewed facility. Also, it is announced that the Argentina National Team will conduct their official camp in Fukushima ahead for the 2019 Rugby World Cup.

Comments

UCHIBORI Masao, President of Japan Football Village Co. Inc. (Governor of Fukushima Prefecture)
The J-Village will reopen with many new traits. After serving its cause as the support base for the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster, I am truly happy to see the facility reopen its self. I cannot express my gratitude enough. After observing the young players playing the exhibition match, strong emotions struck me and made me realise that the J-Village has finally returned. This was only made possible with all of your support. Many people have mentioned to me that they are truly happy to welcome this day. Utilising this state of the arc facility, we will strive to not only promote the sport itself but make our efforts to revitalise the district of Futaba, regions of Hamadori, and the entire Fukushima Prefecture.

TASHIMA Kohzo, President of JFA
The J-Village was established in 1997. Within this 20-year span, the Japanese football community saw the national team appear in six consecutive World Cups, the Nadeshiko Japan becoming the World’s number one, and other countless events, but we cannot speak of any of these events without the existence of the J-Village. Many of the players who performed in the recent World Cup Russia has visited the J-Village as they attended activities conducted by the training centre and played in numerous tournaments here. In that sense, we cannot fathom the contributions and affect the J-Village had to the overall growth of the Japanese football. The national team, youth development, and coach training are the three bases of the JFA, and to materialise this foundation, the J-Village is an ideal facility. I am truly grateful that the facility has returned to us in an even greater form after the disasters. I have watched the stadium clock holding still while pointing at 14:46 for a long time now, and I was deeply moved to finally see the clock restart itself for the first time in nearly seven and a half years while the young players’ match kicked off. It made me reinforce my belief that the entire football community must support the J-Village and I truly believe that the revival of this facility will have a direct affect on the reconstruction of Fukushima as a whole.

MORIYASU Hajime, Coach of SAMURAI BLUE (Japan National Team)
As part of the football family, I am truly happy to see the J-Village reopen. I believe that the J-Village is the capital of Japanese football and it is a place where our football is brought to a higher level. The national team will also be utilising the facility in the future and when that time comes, I hope many people will come watch us and help promote the sport even more. We also hope that our activities will give hope and courage to those who are dedicating themselves to the reconstruction efforts.