Lawmaker Ryoko Tani to Retire from Judo

Saturday 16th October, 07:00 AM JST
TOKYO —
Two-time Olympic judo gold medalist Ryoko Tani stepped down from the mat Friday, the Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker announcing her retirement to focus on her political career.
One of the most popular Japanese athletes of all time, Tani, who won her Diet seat in the July 11 House of Councillors election, leaves judo at the age of 35 as a mother of two sons she has with Yomiuri Giants baseball player Yoshitomo Tani.
Tani won gold medals at the 2000 Sydney and 2004 Athens Olympics. She also won silver at the 1992 Barcelona and 1996 Atlanta Games, as well as a bronze at the last Olympics in Beijing. She captured six straight world titles from 1993 to 2003.
‘‘I’ve decided to step back from the front line of competition,’’ Tani said at a hastily arranged press conference attended by former DPJ Secretary General Ichiro Ozawa, who lured the Fukuoka native into politics. ‘‘I want to thank my fans in Japan and overseas, as well as my fellow athletes, for all their support over the years.’‘
Tani said she wants to turn her undivided attention toward developing sports through politics.
‘‘When I think about what is missing in Japanese sports, it’s things like policies and infrastructure. I feel a strong sense of responsibility to put them into place,’’ Tani said.
‘‘Thanks to all the support, I’ve managed to enjoy great success and felt a sense of fulfillment. And when I thought about what I should do next, I felt compelled to make the Japanese sports scene an even brighter place,’’ she said.
Ozawa, who asked Tani to run for office, said that as a longtime fan of Tani, he was ‘‘truly surprised’’ and sad about the decision she made.
‘‘But given that she made the decision considering various circumstances, I would like to respect the decision,’’ Ozawa said, sitting side-by-side with Tani.
Ozawa expressed hope for Tani as a politician, saying that it is ‘‘extremely narrow-minded’’ to think one could not take on two responsibilities when politicians in Europe keep their profession while handling their public duties.
Tani said she informed her husband of the decision just two days ago, adding that she had never contemplated retirement up until now.
‘‘I talked to my husband about it on the 13th,’’ Tani said. ‘‘My family has been supportive of all the decisions I’ve made so far.
‘‘It’s been 20 years since I made my debut at the Fukuoka international when I was 15. But I never thought about retiring. If I had, I don’t think I would have lasted this long,’’ she said.
Tani also hinted at a possible comeback in the future. ‘‘A comeback, a return is possible,’’ she said. ‘‘If and when the infrastructure is there.’’