France and Japan bring together Olympic judo champions and children at Expo 2025 Osaka to celebrate the sport’s core values of respect, courage, friendship, and discipline through demonstrations and hands-on activities.
The event brought together some of the sport’s most accomplished figures. From France, Teddy Riner, Clarisse Agbegnenou, Larbi Benboudaoud, Frédéric Lecanu, and Stéphane Nomis participated. From Japan, Ryoko Tani, Tadahiro Nomura, Kosei Inoue, Shinji Hosokawa, and Shinichi Nakamura were present. Together, they represented a combined total of 15 Olympic gold medals and 30 world championship titles.
Organizers said the goal was to highlight judo’s eight core values: courage, respect, friendship, self-control, politeness, honesty, honor, and modesty. Demonstrations and exchanges between champions and children helped bring these principles to life.
A symbolic moment came when both children and champions bowed together in front of a portrait of judo founder Jigoro Kano. The gesture underscored the central role of respect in the martial art.
Expo 2025 Osaka
Children participated actively, stepping onto the tatami to learn basic techniques and interact directly with their sporting idols. For many, it was their first chance to meet Olympic champions in person.
France also introduced its mascot, Kodomo, a red panda first adopted during the Tokyo Olympics. Organizers described Kodomo as a cultural bridge that engages younger generations with the values of judo.
Officials from both federations emphasized that the collaboration went beyond sport, reflecting a shared vision of judo as an educational tool that promotes discipline, respect, and citizenship.
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