26 January 2026
Cheering Our Team at the New Year Ekiden
On January 1st, as in previous years I again joined a group of coworkers in Gunma Prefecture to cheer on our company’s track & field team as they competed in the New Year Ekiden (long-distance relay race).
Last year, the team fulfilled a long-held ambition to finish in the top tier by placing sixth in the race. We entered this year’s race aiming to place highly for the second year in a row, and so around 160 employees came from all over the country to encourage the runners to do their best.
The race started well as the team steadily improved its position in the second and third legs. At this point we had high hopes of they would achieve their goal. But in the second half of the race the strong teams extended their lead, and as a result our team came in 15th place. It was a disappointing outcome, especially since the team recorded an overall race time that was one minute faster than last year.
Regardless, the performance of the younger team members was promising, and this year’s result gives us much to look forward to in terms of the team’s future growth. I hope the team will use this experience to become even stronger, and I will continue to support them enthusiastically.
I’d like to thank all the athletes, Coach Watanabe, and everyone involved with the track & field team for their hard work. I also wish to thank everyone who cheered the runners on, either at the venue or at home in front of the TV. We appreciate your continued support of our company's track and field team.
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