Tokyo, Sendai ready to host 2006 Thomas and Uber Cups

Novan Iman Santosa, Jakarta

While in this country badminton is a national obsession and the players are among the best in the world, in Japan support for the game has waned over the years.

Japan used to be a strong badminton country, especially in the women's division, winning the women's Uber Cup five times including a three-peat in 1966, 1969 and 1972.

Its other two triumphs were in 1978 and 1981. Since then, Japan's performance has dropped off.

"I remember an era spanning for some 15 years when the Japanese shuttlers led the world in women's badminton. But now that era is over," chief executive officer of the Japanese Badminton Association (NBA) Toshio Toi told The Jakarta Post through an interpreter on Tuesday.

"I think our shuttlers got complacent and our association forgot to groom young players and to develop training and education systems."

It was only during the past six years that the association had developed a comprehensive program for young shuttlers, Toi said. Young players such as Shoji Sato and Yu Hirayama, who are in the Japanese team in this year's Thomas and Uber Cup competitions, are graduates of this system.

"I hope our junior program will produce more good shuttlers ahead of the 2006 Thomas and Uber cups," he said.

Toi said he expected Japan's women shuttlers to reach the semifinals in 2006.

The 2006 Thomas and Uber Cups will be hosted by the Japanese cities of Sendai and Tokyo, about 400 kilometers apart. The biennial world badminton team championships will run from April 27 until May 8.

Sendai, in the northeast of Tokyo, is about two hours from Tokyo by bullet train.

"It would be ideal to organize an event in one place but it would mean depriving people from other areas an opportunity to see the world's top shuttlers in action," Toi said.

"By staging the events in two places, we are allowing more people to see badminton stars in action, hence attracting more people to the sport.

"We must also stage events all around the world, instead of just concentrating on Asia or Europe, so more people can watch top shuttlers play."

The NBA has sent a team of officials to Jakarta to observe the way the event is organized as preparation for when it hosts the event.

Toi said the Bung Karno Indoor Stadium had been designed specifically for badminton with its seating allowing interaction between shuttlers and spectators.

"In Japan, most stadiums are designed as multipurpose stadiums, forcing us to make special arrangements for badminton, such as in lighting," he said.

"I am also impressed with the large number of sponsors involved in supporting the event. Media coverage is also very impressive here."

Toi said since badminton was a national sport here, it could easily receive support from Indonesian national institutions as well as the media.

He also praised the new format of the event, allowing countries from five continents to have representatives.

The 2004 Thomas and Uber Cups see for the first time representatives from the African, Pan-American and Oceania confederations.