Toyota's track and field team to participate in Special Olympics event.

For those wishing to share this article within their company, reproduce or copy it for meeting materials, or order printed copies, please see the link provided. On April 4th, Toyota Motor Corporation participated in a running event organized by the Special Olympics (SO), a sports competition for people with intellectual disabilities. 26 Toyota employees and members of the company's long-distance track and field team ran a 1.3-kilometer course in Symbol Promenade Park (Koto Ward, Tokyo) in a relay format. Toyota has had a top-tier sponsorship agreement with SO Japan since 2016. A company representative explained, "Toyota is committed to creating a society where no one is left behind. This aligns with the vision of society that Special Olympics aims for." The event's participation fees will be used to fund the National Games, a national tournament with an opening ceremony held at Toyota Arena Tokyo (Koto Ward, Tokyo) in the summer, and to support the sports activities of athletes with intellectual disabilities. Takaaki Hiraoka, Chairman of SO Japan, said, "First and foremost, we want people to know about the activities of Special Olympics. We want people to rediscover that more people can be involved in sports." Over 300 people, including corporate teams and individuals, participated in the mixed relay race for people with and without intellectual disabilities. Tomoki Ota, a long-distance runner for Toyota's track and field team, said, "I want to expand these kinds of connections. I hope to show that my running is different from that of the general participants."