Strengthening UK–Japan Ties: The FT Nikkei UK Ekiden
With fewer than 100 days to go, excitement is growing for the FT Nikkei UK Ekiden, as running teams from universities and companies register their interest to compete and organisers build on the success of last year’s event.
Beloved in Japan, where it has been part of the cultural, social and sporting calendar for more than a century, ekiden (long-distance relay race) is new to most Brits, but fans are confident it will become not only a popular fixture, but also help strengthen ties between the UK and Japan.
The term ekiden combines the words eki (station) and den (transmit), referring to Japan’s historic courier system, whereby messages were sent by post horses so no one horse was required to travel the entire distance. Today, as a reminder of this history, a sash called a tasuki is passed from one runner to the next during the race.
Launching the 2024 ekiden
“In Japan, ekiden engages hearts and minds, and we want to bring that spirit to the UK,” says Anna Dingley, founder of the FT Nikkei UK Ekiden.
Dingley was inspired to launch the event in 2024, to coincide with the 100th anniversary of the Hakone Ekiden, one of Japan’s most popular modern ekiden, which features teams of students from various universities run 219 kilometres from central Tokyo to Hakone and back over two days at New Year.
“I thought, wouldn’t it be amazing if they marked their 100th anniversary the same year we had our first ekiden in the UK,” recalls Dingley, who, in 2024, was on the board of a Japanese company and travelling to Japan from her UK home quite frequently. “We wanted to show our admiration for the Hakone Ekiden by putting our words into actions to launch our first ekiden.”
The team behind the FT Nikkei UK Ekiden hopes the event can endure for 100 years just like in Hakone, she adds, expressing her appreciation for all the people who have come together in the spirit of sportsmanship and teamwork to support efforts so far.
“With fortuitous timing, the ekiden was held during the same week as the State Visit to the UK of the Emperor and Empress of Japan so, from now on, the race will also commemorate that special week in the summer of 2024,” she says.
The 2024 race saw 18 teams run approximately 110 kilometres along the scenic Thames Path between Oxford and Windsor, providing a physical link between where the Emperor of Japan wrote his book, The Thames and I: A Memoir of Two Years at Oxford, and the home of the British Royal Family, she explains.
Various Japan-related activities were held in the lead up to, and on, race day. Primary schools, for example, participated in Mini Ekidens, designed to introduce the children “to the rich traditions of ekiden running from Japan,” she says.
“The hope is that in 10–15 years, these schoolchildren will continue their love for running and participate in the full UK Ekiden as university students, creating a lasting legacy of the Ekiden spirit in the UK.”
And, as part of the celebrations for the 160th anniversary of young people from Kagoshima Prefecture coming to the UK to study (when leaving Japan was forbidden), this year will also see a team from Kagoshima participating in the ekiden. The winners of the race will be awarded with local crafts from the prefecture.
Engaging corporate support
In addition to providing a fun, culturally rewarding day, the FT Nikkei UK Ekiden aims to champion university sport, showcase the best of the UK and Japan, and foster a business network that includes companies large and small from both countries.
Headline sponsors the Financial Times Group and Nikkei Inc. are wholeheartedly behind the event’s mission.
“The FT Nikkei UK Ekiden embodies the spirit of unity and shared success that characterises the close cooperation between Nikkei and the FT, and between Japan and the UK. It’s an honour for Nikkei to be a part of a historic event that will bridge distances through the universal language of sport,” said Tsuyoshi Hasebe, president and CEO of Nikkei Inc.
John Ridding, chief executive officer of the Financial Times Group, added: “The FT has been part of Nikkei Inc. since 2015. In the spirit of cooperation and the success of our global alliance, we’re delighted to support this uniquely Japanese event as it debuts in the UK. It’s a wonderful opportunity to cement ties between our countries and cultures.”
Other sponsors and supporters include Asics, Daiwa Capital Markets, Japan Airlines, Maurten, Momiji, SMBC, Suntory, Blick Rothenberg, Linley, Kreab, TDL Creative and Toyota Motor Corporation.
The British Embassy, Tokyo is also in support of the event, with British Ambassador to Japan Julia Longbottom CMG noting, “We hope it will be something that will last long into the future and help deepen the ties between Japan and the UK.”
Getting involved
“Companies from Japan or involved with Japan are coming together on this neutral platform to celebrate sport and bring people together—it’s top-level corporate networking—and we want to invite more to join us,” says Dingley.
“We want to reach out to companies that want to support us. We’ve got lots of activities, including engagement with schools and training sessions lined up, with the race as the pinnacle, on June 20.”
For more details and to get involved, visit https://ukekiden.com/ or email info@ukekiden.com
