ITTF World Table Tennis Day 2023 - Table Tennis gathering for players with Parkinson’s disease and with Olympian to be held

The Japan Table Tennis Association (JTTA) will host a gathering of Table Tennis enthusiasts with Parkinson's disease and Olympians on 23 April 2023, the World Table Tennis Day.

The ITTF Table Tennis Day was previously held on 6 April, International Day on Sport for Development and Peace settled by the United Nations, but from 2023 the new date is 23 April, the birthday of Mr. Ivor MONTAGU, the first President of the International Table Tennis Federation (ITTF). The activities will remain the same and will be activities to connect with fellow Table Tennis players around the world by organizing and implementing Table Tennis events in different parts of the world and posting videos and photos on the same platform.

The Japan Table Tennis Association will organise special events on the new World Table Tennis Day, which has been changed.

The Japan Table Tennis Association has launched a research project by the JTTA Sports Medical and Science Committee. One of the projects is a study on whether Table Tennis can be a form of exercise therapy to alleviate symptoms of Parkinson's disease and other neurological disorders, which is currently underway (contact: Dr. Yasunobu HOSHINO (Juntendo University)).

Currently, it is known that exercise therapy as rehabilitation is useful for improving the symptoms of Parkinson's disease. Table Tennis and dancing have also been reported to improve symptoms as exercise therapy. In Table Tennis, the non-profit organisation Japan Ping Pong Parkinson (hereafter PPPJ) is actively involved. In addition, the ITTF is organising the World Parkinson's Table Tennis Championships in various parts of the world every year from 2019, providing an environment where Parkinson's patients can test their skills in the world and continue playing Table Tennis for a long time after they have started playing Table Tennis as an exercise therapy and improved their skills.

Although some Parkinson's disease patient Table Tennis enthusiasts were originally Table Tennis players, many of them started playing after the onset of the disease. Therefore, we have created an opportunity for them to receive training from Olympian, which even healthy people rarely have the chance to receive. Former world champions and former Japanese Olympic coaches will also be on hand to have fun and teach together.

The event venue was provided by Tamasu Corporation (Butterfly), which has supported invited Olympian Ms. Anne KONISHI in terms of equipment since her working days, and provided the Butterfly Training Centre.

World Table Tennis Day 2023: Table Tennis Gathering for players with Parkinson’s disease and with Olympian.

Date 23 April 2023 (Sunday) 13:00 - 16:00

Organised by Japan Table Tennis Association

Cooperation by Tamas Corporation: The world's leading manufacturer of Table Tennis equipment used by many top players.

Japan Ping Pong Parkinson (NPO): A non-profit organisation established to promote table tennis as an exercise therapy for Parkinson's disease patients.

Venue Butterfly Table Tennis Dojo 1-7-1 Asagayaminami, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 166-0004, Japan

Participating players 20 table tennis enthusiasts with Parkinson's disease (Those who are accepted to cooperate with the Japan Table Tennis Association research project "Research on the relationship between Parkinson's disease and Table Tennis").

Invited Olympian: Ms. Anne KONISHI - Participated in the 2000 Sydney Olympics, won three consecutive doubles championships at the 2002-2004 Japanese National Championships. In addition to running her own Table Tennis school, she also teaches Table Tennis at nursing homes and hospitals.

Special cooperation　

Mr. Masahiro MAEHARA　

Executive vice-president of the ITTF, winner of the Japanese national Championships and coach of the Japanese national team at three Olympic Games.

TTFC (Table Tennis Fellow Club) Has been involved in providing Table Tennis matches and other fun activities for residents at elderly people's homes.

Representative Mr. Koji KIMURA (adviser to the Japan Table Tennis Association) and five members.

Support Doctor: Dr Yasunobu HOSHINO, Juntendo University Hospital, Juntendo University Hospital, Department of Neurology

Click here to register for 2023 World Parkinson’s Table Tennis Championships.

Note that this one is the only World Championships for people with Parkinson´s recognized by the ITTF Group and ITTF Foundation.