TOKYO - Japanese coaches will be working with other national teams at this fall's Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games, helping athletes pursue their goals while serving as a bridge between the host country and its regional neighbors.
Masato Ogiwara is head coach of Cambodia's soft tennis national team, while Shin Nakayama coaches Thailand's baseball team.
A former competitive soft tennis player at national level, Ogiwara first visited Cambodia in 2013 for business and later quit his job to go into coaching.
His dedication to developing the sport in Cambodia, including coaching children who could not attend school, led to him being invited to join the national team's staff.
The 36-year-old tailors his coaching style to what he sees as a common trait among Cambodian people. "They are used to being supported. I try to make them realize they cannot learn unless they take initiative," he said.
Promoting the Japan-born sport in Cambodia, Ogiwara sees the Asian Games, to be hosted by his home country for the first time in 32 years, as the culmination of his work as a national team coach, saying, "I want to aim for a medal."
Meanwhile, Nakayama previously worked as a high school teacher in his home prefecture of Okinawa before going to Thailand in 2024 with the Japan International Cooperation Agency's overseas volunteer program.
Even though his term ended in May, he was hired by the Southeast Asian nation's baseball association. "I have been given experiences I could not have had if I had stayed in Japan."
Nakayama, 32, initially struggled with the language barrier but became proficient in Thai. "I want to convey the appeal of baseball to children," he said.
Many of the players he coaches hold jobs such as civil servants and teachers, and the team finished runner-up at the Southeast Asian Games late last year. Nakayama said the squad is not yet at the level of high school teams that compete in Japan's national tournaments.
He expects a tough Asian Games but said, "I hope the team will inspire Thai children."
