The first wheelchair softball facility in Japan has been inaugurated ©WBSC

A six-team tournament was held to celebrate the opening of the first wheelchair softball facility in Japan.

Japan’s first purpose-built wheelchair softball venue was opened last Saturday (December 5) in Higashiōsaka.

The tournament featured six teams from around the country, while a wheelchair softball game also took place featuring Olympic softball legends and schoolchildren.

This included Taeko Utsugi , head coach of Japan's Olympic medal-winning teams at Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004, and Emi Inui, a two-time Olympic medallist at Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008. 

The 4,540-square-metre facility, which will be open to the public in February, can also accommodate wheelchair rugby, tennis and basketball.

Two-time Olympic medallist Emi Inui attended the opening of the wheelchair softball facility ©Getty Images
Two-time Olympic medallist Emi Inui attended the opening of the wheelchair softball facility ©Getty Images

Inclusive disciplines like wheelchair softball and baseball for the blind are part of the World Baseball Softball Confederation’s strategy of providing access to the sports to all people and communities.

Chinese Taipei recently unveiled its first baseball and softball fields for people with disabilities, while a new league dedicated to baseball for the blind was announced in Argentina earlier in the year. 

An introductory course designed to acquaint national governing bodies with baseball for the blind was also added to the WBSC Academy last month. 

Japan is set to host Olympic softball and baseball competitions during Tokyo 2020 next year, but neither sports are included at the Paralympics.