Honorary Doctors

List of Previous Recipients of Honorary Doctorates

Nippon Sport Science University (NSSU) awards Honorary Doctorates to the deserving recipients as described below pursuant to the Regulation on the Conferral of Nippon Sport Science University Honorary Doctorates (enacted in October 2008).

(1) Individuals that have made exceptionally significant accomplishments in their respective academic or cultural fields, whose commendation by NSSU is deemed appropriate.
(2) Individuals that have made significant contributions in education and/or research at NSSU or in foreign countries through international exchange or cooperation activities. 
(3) Individuals that have made significant contributions to, and accomplishments in, international exchange or international peace at large.


名誉博士号
Honorary Doctor No. 1, conferred on February 21, 2002.
SanjibegziinTumur-ochir
[Chairman, The State Great Hural (Parliament) of Mongolia]
Chairman Tumur-Ochir was bestowed the honorary doctorate for his contributions in promoting sports and other international exchange activities between Mongol and Japan.

名誉博士号
Honorary Doctor No. 2, conferred on February 22, 2003.
Young Seek Choue
[President, Kyung Hee University]
Dr. Choue studied at Nippon Professional School of Physical Education (Nippon TaiikuSenmonGakko) that would later become NSSU. After returning to his home country of South Korea, Dr. Choue founded Kyung Hee University and conducted peace research activities in cooperation with the United Nations. For all the aforementioned merits, the honorary doctorate was bestowed upon him.

名誉博士号
Honorary Doctor No. 3, conferred on November 22, 2005.
Miyoko Sakaguchi
[President, Sakaguchi International Scholarship Foundation]
Ms. Sakaguchi studied at Nippon Professional School of Physical Education (Nippon TaiikuSenmonGakko) that would later become NSSU and held numerous offices at various education and research institutions. She founded Sakaguchi International Scholarship Foundation, and provided aid for international students from across Asia and other regions to attend universities in Japan. For all the aforementioned merits, the honorary doctorate was bestowed upon her.

名誉博士号
Honorary Doctor No. 4, conferred on October 23, 2008.
Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed AL-SABAH
[Crown Prince, Kuwait/President, Olympic Council of Asia]
The honorary doctorate was awarded for his immense international contributions to the advancement of academic studies, culture, education, and sports in Asia and beyond, while also promoting communication and interaction between Japan, Kuwait, and the Olympic Council of Asia.

名誉博士号
Honorary Doctor No. 5, conferred on June 23, 2011.
Chiharu Igaya
[Former Vice President, International Olympic Committee]
The honorary doctorate was awarded for his promotion of the Olympic movement domestically and globally as member, executive board member, and vice president of the International Olympic Committee for many years, thereby making significant contributions toward achieving peace in the global community through sport.

森 喜朗
Honorary Doctor No. 6, conferred on December 5, 2011.
Yoshiro Mori
[85th-86th Prime Minister of Japan/Member of the House of Representatives/President Emeritus, Japan Sports Association]
Mr. Mori was instrumental in the enactment of key statutes such as the Act on Carrying Out, etc. Sports Promotion Vote in May 1998, the Basic Act on Shokuiku (Food and Nutrition Education) in June 2005, and the Basic Act on Sports in June 2011 as a legislator. He was also influential in spreading and advancing sports in Japan as presidents of the Japan Sports Association, the Japan Professional Sports Association, the Japan Rugby Football Union, etc. He also successfully led the 100th anniversary events of the Japan Sports Association and the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC) in July 2011 as executive committee chair, published the Declaration on Sport in Japan for both domestic and global audiences, and championed the achievement of world peace through sports, for all of which the honorary doctorate was bestowed upon him.

ハミド・カルザイ
Honorary Doctor No. 7, conferred on July 9, 2012.
Hamid Karzai
[President, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan]
Mr. Karzai allowed for the dispatchment of Afghan athletes to the Olympic Games and other international competitions and provided a sense of hope to the citizens of war-torn Afghanistan that underwent major social unrest. He was also instrumental in fostering amity and goodwill in the global community through the promotion of sports in pursuit of world peace, for all of which the honorary doctorate was awarded.

名誉博士号
Honorary Doctor No. 8, conferred on April 8, 2013.
Bruno Grandi
[7th President of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG)]
As president of the FIG, Mr. Grandi was influential in promoting the sport of gymnastics around the world for many years, whilst facilitating the Olympic movement and striving to bring about peace in the global community, for all of which the honorary doctorate was awarded.

岡本 昭
Honorary Doctor No. 9, conferred on March 7, 2014.
Akira Okamoto
[Member, Yokozuna Deliberation Council, Japan Sumo Association]
Mr. Okamoto was awarded the honorary doctorate for his influential roles in encouraging and promoting sumo and other traditional martial arts of Japan and in facilitating international exchange between Japan and North Korea through sporting events, thereby promoting the Olympic movement with a view toward achieving world peace.

名誉博士号
Honorary Doctor No. 10, conferred on March 7, 2014.
Jung-haengKim
[President, Korean Sport & Olympic Committee]
The honorary doctorate was awarded for his influential roles in the promotion of international exchange between South Korea and Japan through athletic activities involving judo and other sports, and in facilitating the Olympic movement with a view toward attaining peace in the global community.

トーマス・バッハ
Honorary Doctor No. 11, conferred on October 21, 2016.
Thomas Bach
[9th President, International Olympic Committee (IOC)]
As President of the IOC, Mr. Bach facilitated the Olympic movement and made significant accomplishments with a view toward attaining world peace through sports, for which the honorary doctorate was bestowed upon him.

名誉博士号
Honorary Doctor No. 12, conferred on March 10, 2017.
Keiko Ikeda
[Professor Emeritus, Nippon Sport Science University]
As a gymnast and pioneering female athlete, Ms. Ikeda performed brilliantly at numerous domestic and international competitions and left an impressive record. In addition, she was involved in developing new talents from their junior years for many years and played a major role in promoting the sport of gymnastics in Japan, for all of which the honorary doctorate was awarded to her.

名誉博士号
Honorary Doctor No. 13, conferred on March 10, 2017.
Kenshiro Matsunami
[Chairman of the Board, Nippon Sport Science University]
Dr. Matsunami not only represented Japan well as a top athlete and left an impressive record but also served as a great instructor that coached numerous athletes to become Olympians. Furthermore, he promoted sport in Japan as an educator and researcher in the field of physical education and sport, and made significant contributions in international exchange with other countries through sporting activities, for all of which the honorary doctorate was awarded to him.

名誉博士号
Honorary Doctor No. 14, conferred on April 3, 2018.
Toshihiro Nikai
[Former Minister of State/Member of the House of Representatives]
Mr. Nikai played a key role in establishing the Japan Tourism Agency and the Japan Sports Agency, and also supported joint sporting activities between NSSU and over 50 municipalities across Japan with the aim of vitalizing their local communities. He also assumed the critical role of being the head of Japan’s parliamentary friendship association that supported international cooperation between Japan and 20-plus developing countries with a view toward achieving world peace, for all of which the honorary doctorate was bestowed upon him.

川淵 三郎
Honorary Doctor No. 15, conferred on December 19, 2019.
Saburo Kawabuchi
[Advisor, Japan Football Association]
After a highly successful career as a professional footballer, Mr. Kawabuchi played a central role in the creation and development of the J.League (professional football league) and the B.League (professional basketball league) in Japan. He also served as an exemplary leader in the sport industry that not only enhanced Japan’s athletic competitiveness but also made far-reaching contributions to society at large, which were conducive to the advancement of sports in Japan. For all the aforementioned accomplishments, the honorary doctorate was bestowed upon him.