Talks are ongoing between Rwandan and Japanese handball bodies over exchanging experiences and skills aimed at pushing handball to the next level. The two countries have been enjoying bilateral relations for the past 62 years and they are looking to extend their cooperation to handball. As part of Japan's Sport for Tomorrow initiative, the Japanese Handball Federation donated handballs to their Rwandan counterparts (FERWAHAND) in a ceremonial handover held in Kigali on Friday, October 25. The donation, which marks a significant milestone in the development of handball in Rwanda, underscores both nations' commitment to fostering sports diplomacy and skill enhancement. According to Yuta Moriguchi, the Secretary in charge of Public Relations and Cultural Affairs at the Embassy of Japan in Rwanda, the partnership between the two federations highlights potential partnerships in skills exchanges and extending support in equipment among others. “This collaboration between the Japanese Handball Association and Rwanda Handball Federation is a step towards building more extensive exchanges,” Moriguchi shared with Times Sport. “Through this initiative, Japan aims to provide not only equipment but also expert guidance, as we envision sending Japanese coaches to Rwanda and enabling Rwandan handball teams to visit Japan for immersive training experiences,” he added. This exchange, Moriguchi said, reflects both countries' vision to elevate handball standards in Rwanda while promoting bilateral understanding. “In Japan, handball is a popular sport, with competitive men’s and women’s leagues. We look forward to more interactions that bring our nations closer, especially through youth sports,” Moriguchi explained. ALSO READ: U-20 national team gearing up for continental tournament The vision of enhanced collaboration was echoed by FERWAHAND President Alfred Twahirwa, who emphasized the partnership’s potential towards building Rwanda’s handball infrastructure and youth development among other aspects that have areas of improvement. “This is only the beginning of a sustained cooperation with the Japanese Handball Federation. Beyond the equipment donation, we aim to develop programs involving Japanese coaches and offer opportunities for Rwandan players to gain experience abroad,” Twahirwa said. He added that the partnership could support social initiatives, including campaigns on youth health and drug prevention, broadening the impact beyond sports alone. Looking ahead, Twahirwa hopes a formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) with their Japanese counterparts is in pipeline, proposing a four-year cooperation plan that could lead to Rwanda hosting summer handball camps and potentially collaborating in preparation for the 2026 Africa Cup, which Rwanda will host. Our goal is to establish a strong, ongoing relationship that will yield meaningful achievements over the years, he said.
