Why is Naomi Osaka representing Japan at the Olympics?

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Osaka is favourite to win gold (Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Tennis player Naomi Osaka was given the honour of lighting the Olympic cauldron at the Opening Ceremony of the delayed Tokyo 2020 Games.

Osaka has been ranked No. 1 by the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and is the first Asian player to hold the top ranking in singles – and it is favourite to win the Women’s Singles in the Olympics.

If Osaka does indeed win the gold, she will be taking it home for Japan – despite living in the US state of California.

So why is Naomi Osaka representing Japan in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics?

Why is Naomi Osaka representing Japan at the Olympics?

The reason Naomi Osaka is representing Japan at the Olympics is simple: she has Japanese citizenship.

Osaka —whose mother is from Hokkaido, Japan, and whose father is from Jacmel, Haiti— was born in Chūō-ku, Osaka in Japan on October 16, 1997.

Osaka got to light the Olympic cauldron during the Opening Ceremony (Picture: Abbie Parr/Getty Images)

The 23-year-old mostly grew up in the US, but represents Japan in international tennis tournaments because Japan doesn’t allow dual citizenship past the age of 22.

When Osaka was three years old, her family moved from Japan to Valley Stream, New York on Long Island to live with her father’s parents.

In 2019, the tennis player had to choose between US or Japanese citizenship – and decided to go with Japanese.

Undoubtedly the greatest athletic achievement and honor I will ever have in my life. I have no words to describe the feelings I have right now but I do know I am currently filled with gratefulness and thankfulness â¤ï¸ love you guys thank you. pic.twitter.com/CacWQ5ToUD

— NaomiOsaka大å‚ãªãŠã¿ (@naomiosaka) July 23, 2021

When she was 13, Osaka’s father decided for her and her sister Mari – who is also a professional tennis player – to play tennis for Japan instead of the United States after the United States Tennis Association showed little interest in the sisters.

Had Japan allowed dual citizenship for those over the age of 22, Osaka would still be able to compete in the 2021 Summer Olympics as a citizen of both the US and Japan.

According to a bylaw to Rule 41 of the Olympic Charter, athletes with dual citizenship can choose to represent either country.

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