Members of Japan's Paralympic team arrived in South Korea on Saturday to participate in the Pyeongchang Winter Paralympic Games that will open on Friday. Sixteen para ice hockey players as well as coaches and officials left Japan earlier on the day, with athletes competing in other sports set to leave later.
At a send-off ceremony held at Tokyo's Haneda Airport, the team was given a bouquet of flowers and a banner with messages of encouragement to wish for good luck.
"We'll do our best to maximize each person's strength and carry on the winning ways of the Japanese team at the Olympic Games," delegation leader Kuniko Obinata said. Obinata, 45, earned 10 medals in five Paralympic Games, including the Nagano Games.
Meanwhile, team captain, para ice hockey player Satoru Sudo, 47, pledged to "work hard to achieve the best results possible," adding, "Please give us your support."
The Paralympic Games will be held for 10 days ending March 18. Thirty-eight Japanese athletes will compete in sports including para Alpine skiing, para cross-country skiing and para snowboarding.
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