Judokas Kirai Takano and Narumi Tanioka visited Takatsuki City Hall on Thursday to report their international tournament victories to Mayor Takeshi Hamada.
Takano and Tanioka compete for the corporate judo club operated by Nippon Ace Support Co., Ltd., located in Kitazono-cho, Takatsuki. During the visit, both athletes detailed their recent championship runs on the international stage to city officials.
Takano began judo at age three and is a playing coach for the corporate team. Her career achievements include a second-place finish at the 2025 Baku Grand Slam and a third-place finish at the 2025 Kodokan Cup All-Japan Weight Class Championships.
“When I competed in this tournament previously, I did not achieve a very good result, so I was happy to feel my own growth through winning this time,” Takano said.
Takano claimed the women’s 57-kilogram title at the Grand Prix Upper Austria 2026, held in Linz from March 6 to March 8, 2026. She swept all five of her matches, securing victory in every bout by ippon.
Tanioka started judo at age five. Her prior titles include the 2025 All-Japan Selected Judo Weight Class Championships, the 2026 Tashkent Grand Slam, and the 2026 Qingdao Grand Prix.
At the 20th Asian Games held in Aichi Prefecture, Tanioka competed in the women’s 63-kilogram division.
“I am glad I was able to win this tournament held in Japan as well,” Tanioka said. “I am not satisfied with this result and want to aim even higher.”
Mayor Hamada congratulated both competitors on their success during the municipal office visit.
“I expect you to use this major feat of winning international tournaments as an opportunity to make even greater leaps forward,” Mayor Hamada said.
