Kenichiro MATSUMURA
In 2008, he became the first Japanese and youngest person ever to receive the International Cricket Council’s Order of Merit, and the 33rd person in the world to receive the award, and in 2009 he was named one of the “World’s 1000 Most Distinguished People in History” for his contributions to cricket over the past 100 years.
| Name | Kenichiro MATSUMURA |
| Nickname | Kenny |
| Country | Japan |
| Gender | Man |
| Date of Birth | September 27, 1967. |
| Alma Mater | Chuo University Faculty of Law |
| Title | ■ 大東建設不動産株式会社 代表取締役 ■ 日本クリケット協会（初代理事長） ■ レクリエーション＆クリケットアカデミー 主宰 ■ CrickeTRY 運営責任者 ■ トライスポーツ運動会 大会実行委員長 ■ ゆめのたね放送局 ラジオパーソナリティー ■ ポート・スポーツ・サポーターズクラブ（港区スポーツボランティア） メンバー ■ 渋谷区スポーツボランティア ボランティアメンバー ■ 横浜市スポーツボランティアセンター ボランティアメンバー ■ 日本スポーツマンシップコーチング普及コミュニティ 普及メンバー ■ HIT ひろしま観光大使 |
History of Cricket Activities
| 1989 | In July, he enrolled in Chuo University with the enthusiasm, “Let’s start a sport that is not yet famous in Japan and that no one else is playing!” With this enthusiasm, he entered Chuo University. With this enthusiasm, he founded the Chuo University Cricket Club “Ekiden Club (English Club)” with a few volunteers and started playing cricket as the first captain. |
| 1991 | The club published at its own expense a rule book in Japanese, which was compiled through a series of interviews with foreigners living in Japan who have deepened exchanges through cricket since the club’s establishment. |
| 1993 | Together with volunteers from various universities, he founded the Far East Cricket Club (now the Fuji Far East Cricket Club) and became its first representative. In October of the same year, he organized a match between the Australian Embassy team and the Far East Cricket Club at Celebrate Australia, a Japan-Australia friendship event hosted by the Australian Embassy. |
| 1996 | Although the normal age requirement for participation in the Golden Oldies World Cricket Festival, which is held once every two years on a rotating basis in each host country, is 40 or older, he was invited to participate at the age of 27. As a pioneer in Japan, he has received special treatment around the world and has been competing since 1996 at the age of only 28. More than 1,000 amateur and former professional players from around the world participate in the Festival each year, and his participation has helped spread the word to participants that Japanese people are playing cricket in Japan. ※Since then, he has continued to participate until today, and finally, since the 2002 Games, the Japanese flag has been flown during the Games just for him. |
| 1998 | In September, he invited the late Prince and Princess Norihito Takamado as the general manager of the Japan invitation program of the Marilyn Cricket Club (UK), the oldest sports club in the world as well as in the “mother country of cricket” England. He is highly trusted by cricketers, including a congratulatory telegram from Mr. Keizo Obuchi. |
| 1999 | In February, he was asked to assist the virtually inactive Japan Cricket Association. He became the first president and set about rebuilding the association. He has represented Japan at several international conferences and interacted with prominent athletes from around the world. In addition, he continued to support the association from the conceptual (strategic) and financial perspectives, and took the lead in encouraging the inexperienced staff to become the “umbrella organization for cricket in Japan,” which had a weak foundation as a “volunteer organization. He also launched the idea of a national six-man tournament, which was held in 2001 after much trial and error. ※Although the aspect has changed since then, the competition continued under the name “Clickfest” until 2017. |
| 2000 | When the International Cricket Council divides the world into five regions, Japan will have to choose whether to belong to the Asian region or the East Asian and EAP (Pacific) regions. After considering various perspectives and listening to the advice of the late Krish Makaduj, former Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Embassy of Japan in the Republic of South Africa, he chose to represent Japan in the EAP (Pacific) region, and four years later, the invitation to the international convention was realized. |
| 2001 | Produced a video commentary on cricket in Japanese, and at the same time acquired the rights to sell it. In December, he fulfilled his long-cherished dream of becoming a non-profit organization (NPO). He also designed the current logo of the Japan Cricket Association. |
| 2002 | In April, he handed over the management of the association to his successor and established the Recreational Cricket Association (now the Recreational Cricket Academy), of which he is the president. Under the slogan of “Play, Learn, Spread,” he is convinced that “cricket, not only as a purely competitive sport, but also as a recreational activity that can be enjoyed by children and the elderly, will support the spread of cricket in this country. In the same year alone, the organization taught cricket to 3,000 men and women of all ages. It has also created a leaflet for children, “Hello Cricket,” and devised educational materials and training programs. |
| 2003 | In March, he received the Best Program Award from the International Cricket Council for the EAP (Pacific) Region in recognition of his activities. Developed an import route for plastic cricket kits from Taiwan on his own. In addition to establishing an environment that allows for the provision of the simple kits at low prices, the company opens Japan’s only mail-order website and begins selling the kits independently, along with videos. |
| 2004 | In May, when the EAP Challenge, Japan’s first international tournament, was held in Fuji City, Shizuoka Prefecture, the Japan Cricket Association requested support for the event and made it possible for the first time in Japan to broadcast live scores on the Internet and mobile sites. The event received a great response, with over 20,000 hits from around the world during the period of the event. |
| 2005 | Served as a member of the steering committee of “Asobino no Shirozukuri” promoted by the Japan Recreation Association as part of the “Creating Places for Children” activities of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (NEXT). |
| 2007 | In October, the 1st Hello Cricket Cup, a tournament for elementary school students, was held as one of the results of the promotion activities. More than 100 little cricketers from all over Japan participated in the tournament, which was a great success. In recognition of the achievements and results of his activities to date, he was awarded the Distinguished Service Award for the EAP (Pacific) Region by the International Cricket Council, the youngest Japanese ever to receive such an award. |
| 2008 | The 1st Futures Cup, a tournament for high school students, was held. |
| 2009 | He was the first Japanese cricketer to receive the “Person of Merit for the Promotion of Recreational Sports” award from the Japan Recreation Association. Also in 2009, he was selected by the International Cricket Council as one of the “1,000 people around the world who have contributed to the development and popularization of cricket over the past 100 years,” the only Japanese person to be so selected. |
| 2011 | The only Japanese cricketer to receive the Special Achievement Award in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the Japan Sports Association and the Japanese Olympic Committee, he commented as an advisor to the Japan Cricket Association at a charity cricket match organized by the association on June 4 to support the victims of the Great East Japan Earthquake. |
| 2014 | In October, as part of the promotion of cricket in Japan, he was involved in the release of the official bromide of the Japan Women’s National Cricket Team, the first commercialized product related to a national cricket player. On December 15, he participated in a cricket workshop held at Tomigaoka High School in Nara Prefecture as an advisor to the Japan Cricket Association and served as a lecturer. |
| 2017 | Held a cricket experience event at MIRAI, a non-profit organization that supports self-reliance. |
| 2018 | Signed a gold sponsorship agreement with Shogo Kimura, a professional baseball-turned-cricket player. |
| 2020 | CrickeTRY events, a hands-on experience and social event where both adults and children can enjoy cricket to the fullest. *Related events such as CrickeTRY ANNEX, CrickeTRY CUP, and Rara Cricket were also held thereafter. |
| 2021 | Appointed as the tournament chairman for the Tri-Sport Sports Day, an event that brings cricket and other minor sports together. |