How is sports climbing going in Japan?
It is still developing, in our country sports climbing is still a small sport. How did you become one of the best sports climbers in the world? I just love climbing. It does not matter if, in order to get better, it takes up all my energy: I really like it, to think, to act, I like everything in climbing. Are you a professional climber? Yes, I can manage to be a full time climber. Were I to do a different job, I wouldn t be able to earn as much as I do at the moment. Do you have a Federation in Japan, and does it help climbers financially? We do have a Federation but it doesn t give us any money. The only way to compete at an international level is by becoming a professional climber. That is the only way. From your first Rock Master back in 1988, what has changed? It is so different, even the way I see one route: today I can understand many more things, you know. 10 years ago I just arrived and thought “that is the route”! But today I can think, I can see so many things. I think 10 yea
