Hosei University Alumnus Kazuyasu Minobu Wins Gold Medal in Fencing Epee Team at Tokyo 2020 Games

On July 30, the Japanese team won the first gold medal in the history of Japanese fencing in the Fencing Epee team at the Tokyo 2020 Games. Kazuyasu Minobu (NEXUS, 2010 Faculty of Law graduate) led the team as captain and contributed to the gold medal win.

Epee is one of the three fencing disciplines, and has the widest "effective area" to score points, including the entire body up to the toes, as opposed to the torso in fleurette and the upper body in sabre.

Epee is called "King of Fencing" and is overwhelmingly popular in Europe.

The Japanese team, including Miobu, won the quarterfinals by a single point against France, the three-time Olympic champion, and the finals were a complete victory against the Russian Olympic Committee.

Minobu has declared his aim to compete in the Paris 2024 Games, and we look forward to his further success in the future.

＜Kazuyasu Minobe

Born in Fukui Prefecture, Kazuyasu Minobu graduated from Hosei University in 2010 and joined NEXUS, where he won his first individual World Cup Men's Epee title in 2015. At the Rio Olympics, he placed 6th. He went on to win numerous international competitions, and in 2019 became the first Japanese athlete to be ranked number one in the world for the year.

• About Olympic Participation by Athletes from Athletic Associations
• Graduate Interview: Fencing Epee Japan Representative Kazuyasu Miobu (PR Magazine "Hosei", January/February 2020 issue)

The two photos above were provided by Mr. Minobu himself.