Interview Relay 42 Stories of the Tokyo Marathon
〜Connecting Hearts〜

Interview Relay: 42 Stories of the Tokyo Marathon ~ Connecting Hearts ~

The 8th interviewee is Tokyo Metro (Tokyo Metro Co., Ltd.), one of the Official Partners of the Tokyo Marathon.

Tokyo Metro has supported the Tokyo Marathon as a premier partner since its first event in 2007. In this interview, Mr. Itaru Fukuda, Managing Executive Officer of Tokyo Metro, talks about the appeal and value of the Tokyo Marathon from the perspective of Tokyo Metro and the benefits that the sports culture of the Tokyo Marathon has brought to the city.  He talked about the future prospects for and how Tokyo Metro intends to boost the Tokyo Marathon together with the Tokyo Marathon Foundation, leading up to the milestone 20th anniversary in 2027.

 

”Keeping Tokyo on the Move”

 

—Please tell us what led Tokyo Metro to become an official partner.

 Tokyo Metro is a railway company with a 195 km network, mainly in the central Tokyo area. Based on our group philosophy, “Keeping Tokyo on the Move,” we are engaged in various businesses, primarily our railway business, to enhance the appeal and vitality of Tokyo and contribute to the vibrant daily lives of the people who gather here. The Tokyo Marathon, which runs on a course based on our business infrastructure, is an event we have been supporting from the ground up. We believe that providing even greater support as a sponsor so that everyone who visits on the day of the race can have an even more enjoyable and comfortable experience is directly linked to realizing “Keeping Tokyo on the Move”. That’s why we are supporting the event as a sponsor.

 

–Please tell us why you have continued to be an official partner since the first event.

 

 Our goal of contributing to a more vibrant Tokyo has been the same ever since we first started sponsoring the event. We really believe that the Tokyo Marathon is a special day. It brings together runners from all over the world, the incredible volunteers who make it happen, the local communities, and all the fantastic fans cheering everyone on. By supporting and being a part of this energy, we hope everyone gets to experience just how wonderful Tokyo truly is. Especially these last few years, we’ve seen challenges like the pandemic affecting community connections and local vitality. So, through our Tokyo Marathon sponsorship, we’re really passionate about helping bring back that Tokyo buzz and excitement.

For Tokyo Metro, Tokyo’s growth is our growth, and we’re intertwined. So, seeing Tokyo thrive and be vibrant is incredibly important to us.

 

—Is there any case that Tokyo Metro worked on within the company by utilizing the Tokyo Marathon as the official partner?

 

 As members of the team supporting the event, we deploy many more employees than usual to each station along the course on the day of the race and provide support such as volunteering by our group employees, ensuring that everyone participating can have a safe and enjoyable experience. We are fully prepared. From the employees who participated as volunteers, we have received comments such as, “I was able to share in the exciting atmosphere of the runners,” “I was moved by the ‘thank you’s and smiles from the runners,” and “It was fun working with the other volunteers, encouraging each other”.

We also carry out initiatives unique to Tokyo Metro to make the experience more enjoyable for visitors who come to Tokyo for the Tokyo Marathon. For example, at the Tokyo Marathon 2024, station staff wore traditional ‘happi’ coats, Japanese Traditional Matsuri costume to assist passengers, and we displayed support messages collected from passengers in the stations.

We also provide services to enhance the spectator experience on race day, such as the “Metro Supporters’ Guide”*1, which introduces recommended cheering routes based on the target finish times of the runners you support. This allows spectators to smoothly navigate the city and cheer on their favorite runners throughout the race. I believe that we are able to provide this service precisely because of Tokyo Metro’s detailed and extensive railway network.

We were pleased to receive feedback from users of this service, who said things like, ‘The recommended travel routes made it easy to know where to cheer, which boosted my enthusiasm,’ ‘It was extremely helpful for people who are unfamiliar with the area or train transfers,’ and ‘I was able to do sightseeing while cheering, using the estimated passing times as a guide.’

 

The Urban Strength Has Grown Alongside the Tokyo Marathon!

 

—How do you feel about the differences, developments, and growth of the Tokyo Marathon from its inception in 2007 to the present day?

Since joining the Abbott World Marathon Majors in 2013 and becoming one of the world’s leading marathon events, and with the number of participants increasing since the first event, with over 10,000 overseas runners participating for the first time in the 2023 event, I feel that it has transformed into an international sporting event, with many foreigners not only participating as runners but also gathering along the course to cheer.

The course changes are also impressive. Since the first event in 2007, redevelopment in central Tokyo has created iconic scenery, and in terms of competition, global marathon races have become faster, and wheelchair races have become more international. The circumstances surrounding the Tokyo Marathon have changed. Based on these changes, the Tokyo Marathon 2017 changed to a course finishing at “Tokyo Station/Gyoko-dori Avenue” as a course that could further market the appeal of Tokyo both domestically and internationally, and that would also allow for aiming for records. However, with course changes come changes in traffic regulations and customer flow, so Tokyo Metro has adjusted its guidance system.

Furthermore, I feel that aspects such as sustainability and diversity are being given even greater importance, and the way the event is managed is changing to reflect the times.

Now that it has grown into a sporting event that even more people can enjoy, Tokyo Metro is also working on developing new initiatives to make the Tokyo Marathon feel more accessible, such as running campaigns on social media to win entry rights and holding virtual run events for the first time at the 2025 event.

 

—How do you feel about the role the Tokyo Marathon has played in revitalizing the city since its start?

 Over the past 17 years, I really feel that Tokyo has transformed. The city has been updated, infrastructure has been improved, and in terms of development, roads and railway facilities have been expanded, and accessibility has improved considerably in the last two decades. Also, these urban attractions have begun to be communicated overseas. This is not only due to the Tokyo Marathon, but I think it’s also because of the influence of events like the Olympics and Paralympics that we’ve become more conscious of how we’re viewed from the outside. Taking all of that into consideration, I feel that Tokyo’s urban strength has grown alongside the Tokyo Marathon.

 

Contributing to “The World’s Best Tokyo Marathon” through Transportation

 

—Having observed the Tokyo Marathon from both the cheering and supporting sides, are there any events that stand out in your memory?

 The Tokyo Marathon isn’t just a race for elite athletes; it includes various forms, such as shorter distances and wheelchair races. That aspect, the diversity within a single marathon event, is something that has stayed with me. Also, the preparation and cleanup. After the start, people clean up the confetti on the roads and transport the runners’ baggage. It really struck me that the event is made possible by the presence of these supporting individuals.

And, of course, the excitement on the day of the marathon is incredible! At the 2024 event, I was cheering people on at the starting line, and it was so clear how much everyone was enjoying themselves. People were dressed up in all sorts of costumes, taking pictures of the scenery and so on. It was a fantastic, lively atmosphere.

 

—What are your thoughts on the Tokyo Marathon’s theme, “The Day We Unite.”?

 I strongly feel that the Tokyo Marathon is not just a festival for runners. I think that more non-runners than runners will probably participate together and share the same feelings as the runners. Volunteers are also selected by lottery, aren’t they? That’s how many people are voluntarily trying to participate in the Tokyo Marathon. In that sense, I think it’s a “day when everyone is united,” whether they are running or not.

 

—The Tokyo Marathon Foundation has set out a vision of “the Tokyo Marathon, the best marathon in the world, held in Tokyo, the best city in the world.” based on three pillars: “The safest and most secure race in the world,” “The most exciting race in the world,” and “The warmest and most friendly race in the world.” Please tell us your thoughts on this and how you plan to achieve it.

I feel that these pillars align with what Tokyo Metro wishes to offer at the Tokyo Marathon. In particular, regarding “The safest and most secure race in the world,” we will provide the same safe and stable transportation as usual while approximately 38,000 runners, as well as those cheering them on, are running through the capital city of Tokyo.

 

City, Event, and Metro Growing and Evolving Together

 

—What does the Tokyo Marathon mean to your company?

 The Tokyo Marathon course largely overlaps with our service area, making it a celebration that brings together the places we interact with every day as a stage. Also, considering our company’s history of supporting the event as a top sponsor since its inception, our employees have a strong sense of connection to the marathon and a natural desire to cheer up the event. The Tokyo Marathon is also a day when the appeal of Tokyo as a city can be shared with the world. Communicating the charm of Tokyo to the world through this event aligns with our company’s goals. Through this festive event, we hope that runners and non-runners alike will experience the appeal and goodness of Tokyo – the city, the people, the atmosphere, and everything else. We also want people around the world to feel “Tokyo is great!” as the city of Tokyo is the stage for our work.

 

—How does Tokyo Metro plan to further revitalize the city together with the Tokyo Marathon?

 The Tokyo Marathon is so much more than just a race; it brings everyone together, whether they’re running or cheering. It’s also a fantastic opportunity to showcase all the amazing things about Tokyo to people both domestically and internationally, especially along our Metro lines. We think it’s a very important day. We believe Tokyo’s population will eventually decline, so it’s important to attract people from outside Tokyo to come visit. I hope that expressing the city’s charm and vitality through events like the Tokyo Marathon, “The Day We Unite.,” and sharing that with the world will lead to the growth of Tokyo Metro.

The Tokyo Marathon has always adapted to change, whether it’s the number of runners or the course itself, and we expect it will continue to do so. This ongoing evolution is vital for Tokyo’s progress, and we at Tokyo Metro are committed to evolving alongside the city.

 

*1 “Metro Supporters’ Guide”