The ceremony for the JRFU's 80th anniversary was held in three separate sections, the memorial match, the memorial ceremony, and the memorial party. The memorial match was held as the send-off match for the final round of Asian qualifiers for the 2007 RWC between the Japan National Rugby Union Team and the Australia National Rugby Union Team at the Prince Chichibu Memorial Stadium, kicked off at 1:00 PM. Chairman Yoshiro Mori introduced the Japan national team and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Australian Prime Minister John Howard, while Prime Minister Abe shook hands with all the players of both national teams to cheer them on. The match ended with the victory by Australia, with a score of 61-19. In the memorial ceremony held on the same day at Palace Hotel Tokyo, Chairman Mori gave a speech, followed by the offering of letters of gratitude and memorial objects to the following individuals and organisations.
[Organisation] A social welfare corporation, Iwate Koseikai - “Ryokusei-en”
[Press companies] Asahi Shimbun, Sankei Sports (Sankei Shimbun), Mainichi Shimbun, Yomiuri Shimbun, J SPORTS Corporation, TVK, NHK, MBS, and Baseball Magazine Sha
[Facilities] Kinki Nippon Railway, Sanix Sports Promoting Foundation, JAPAN SPORT COUNCIL, and the Higashi Osaka City government
[Board members] Shigeru Konno, Nobuyuki Takashima, Tadao Kobayashi, Tokishiro Shiina, Tetsuo Doko, Tetsuya Matsumaru, Toshiaki Tsuchiya, and Zenzaburo Shirai
[Referees] Hiroshi Nonomura, Hiroki Yagi, and Noboru Mashimo
[Reinforcement committee heads] Ryo Saito, Hitoshi Oka, and Hiroshi Hibino
[Japan national team captains] Akira Yokoi, Tsukasa Takada, Shigetaka Mori, Takeo Ishizuka, Toshiyuki Hayashi, Seiji Hirao, Masahiro Kunta, Yukio Motoki, Andrew McCormick, and Takuro Miuchi
The memorial party was such a huge success that some were even unable to enter the Rose Room of the hotel. During the party, JOC Chairman Tsunekazu Takeda gave a toast, and various political, financial, and sport figures gave complimentary speeches. The party reached a thrilling finale where a pledge was made to work together to develop Japanese rugby. The JRFU now intends to bid to host the RWC in 2015 or 2019.
[Organisation] A social welfare corporation, Iwate Koseikai - “Ryokusei-en”
[Press companies] Asahi Shimbun, Sankei Sports (Sankei Shimbun), Mainichi Shimbun, Yomiuri Shimbun, J SPORTS Corporation, TVK, NHK, MBS, and Baseball Magazine Sha
[Facilities] Kinki Nippon Railway, Sanix Sports Promoting Foundation, JAPAN SPORT COUNCIL, and the Higashi Osaka City government
[Board members] Shigeru Konno, Nobuyuki Takashima, Tadao Kobayashi, Tokishiro Shiina, Tetsuo Doko, Tetsuya Matsumaru, Toshiaki Tsuchiya, and Zenzaburo Shirai
[Referees] Hiroshi Nonomura, Hiroki Yagi, and Noboru Mashimo
[Reinforcement committee heads] Ryo Saito, Hitoshi Oka, and Hiroshi Hibino
[Japan national team captains] Akira Yokoi, Tsukasa Takada, Shigetaka Mori, Takeo Ishizuka, Toshiyuki Hayashi, Seiji Hirao, Masahiro Kunta, Yukio Motoki, Andrew McCormick, and Takuro Miuchi
The memorial party was such a huge success that some were even unable to enter the Rose Room of the hotel. During the party, JOC Chairman Tsunekazu Takeda gave a toast, and various political, financial, and sport figures gave complimentary speeches. The party reached a thrilling finale where a pledge was made to work together to develop Japanese rugby. The JRFU now intends to bid to host the RWC in 2015 or 2019.