While the Tokyo Deaflympics in 2025 helped boost public awareness of the sporting event, issues regarding public perception have remained almost a year on. The Yamaha Motor Foundation for Sports conducted a survey before and after the Deaflympics, an international sporting event for deaf athletes, on the public’s recognition of it. A total of 2,060 responded to the part of the survey conducted before the event, and 1,400 responded to the part conducted after.
According to the survey, 24.3% of respondents age 20 and over said they knew of the Tokyo Deaflympics, before the competition was held last November. The recognition rate rose to 55.4% in 2026. The rate of recognition among Tokyo residents after the event stood at 72.4%, jumping from 33.3% before the tournament.
The proportion of respondents who felt the bias against those with hearing loss had gone, and that such people were a familiar presence in their daily lives, fell to 40.8% from 45.7% before the tournament. The survey also showed a decline in the proportions of those who wanted to learn sign language and those who thought they could play sports with other people regardless of whether they had hearing difficulties. Tokyo’s hosting of the Deaflympics “was a positive thing in terms of boosting public interest,” University of Tsukuba professor Mayumi Saito said.
There may have been a gap between people’s high expectations for deaf sports and what they saw during the Deaflympics, Saito added. Meanwhile, Komokata highlighted a need for steady work to help develop deaf sports and enhance understanding for people with hearing loss. One of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, the Australian Open, has an event for deaf athletes.
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