MY HISTORY

After the World Cup in Germany in May, he dropped out of the top-16 ranked fencers for the first time in seven seasons. Drawing on his experience as a former world number one and Olympic gold medallist, he went on to win individual silver at the World Championships in July — the first individual medal at the World Championships for Japanese men’s épée. Carrying that momentum into the team event, he also won bronze — Japanese men’s épée’s first-ever team medal at the World Championships.

In March, at the final Tokyo 2020 Olympic qualifying event for teams in Sochi, Russia, Japan finished 5th and missed out on qualifying on its own merit. In April, however, Japan’s place in the men’s épée team event was confirmed through the host-nation quota. Selected for the team, he earned his second Olympic individual appearance and his long-awaited first Olympic team event. He finished 10th in the individual event.

In the team event — which had eluded him at Rio 2016 — Japan won its opening match against the United States. Having been substituted during that match, he was unable to fence in the following matches under the special Olympic rules, but the team pulled off a stunning comeback against France, then beat Korea, and defeated the ROC (Russian Olympic Committee) in the final to win Japan’s first-ever Olympic gold medal in fencing. As team captain, he never took off his uniform, fighting alongside his teammates and encouraging them throughout — a moment that remains vivid in many memories. That year Japan also became the season’s overall number-one team nation for the first time. After the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, he underwent hernia surgery.

The COVID-19 pandemic plunged the sports world into an unprecedented situation. In fencing, every competition after the March World Cup was cancelled for the rest of the year, and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games were postponed by one year. With no certainty that the Games would go ahead the following year and with training conditions severely limited, it was hard even to know what to aim for — the toughest year of his career. Yet, in recognition of his season-champion title the year before, he was selected as a TEAM JAPAN Symbol Athlete, making it also the year he took his place, in name and in substance, among Japan’s top athletes.

Beginning with a World Cup victory in Switzerland the previous November, he won three events in the 2018–19 season — two Grands Prix (Hungary and Colombia) and one World Cup (Switzerland) — and became the first Japanese fencer to finish a season as overall champion, ranked world number one. It was a turning point: the year he cleared the highest hurdle on his way to becoming the strongest fencer in the world.

Competed at the Asian Games in Jakarta
and won gold in the men’s épée team event.

Ranked 11th in the FIE world ranking published on 4 April,
he secured his long-cherished place in the men’s épée individual event at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.

The qualifying period for the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games (4 April 2015 – 3 April 2016) began.
He won bronze in the men’s épée individual event at the Asian Championships — his first individual podium at an international competition.
Competing at the World Championships, Grands Prix and World Cups, he won his first men’s épée individual title at the World Cup in Estonia in November — the first time a Japanese fencer had ever won an épée event at world level.
The fencing year closes with the individual events of the All-Japan Fencing Championships. Having challenged again and again with the sole aim of reaching the top, he won the men’s épée individual title for the first time.

Competed at the Asian Games in Incheon
and won silver in the men’s épée team event.

Went to Italy on his own to train.
He spent his days training with some of the world’s best fencers.

Dreaming of the Olympic Games, he fought through a year-long qualifying campaign
but missed out on the London Olympic Games. Realising that a little talent and ordinary effort
would never win an Olympic place, he experienced the greatest setback of his career.
Yet it was that very setback that made him who he is today.
The day after missing out on London,
he vowed to compete at the Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.
This is where the real story of Kazuyasu Minobe begins.
He launched a four-year plan to thoroughly strengthen his physical ability, technique and mental strength.

Joined NEXUS Co., Ltd.
The qualifying campaign for the London Olympic Games began.
Reached the last eight in the men’s épée individual event at the Asian Fencing Championships.
Competed at his second Universiade (Guangzhou).

Entered Hosei University, where he met fencing coach Mamoru Saita.
Kanto Intercollegiate Championships, Freshman event — Individual épée: 1st
All-Japan Intercollegiate Championships — Individual épée: 1st
Kanto Intercollegiate Championships — Individual épée: 1st
In his fourth year he won all five team titles in men’s épée: the Kanto Intercollegiate Championships,
the Kanto Intercollegiate League, the All-Japan Team Championship Final,
the All-Japan Intercollegiate Team Championships and the All-Japan Championships.
Internationally, he competed at the Universiade in Kazan — often called the Olympics for university students.
Competed at the Asian Games in Guangzhou and won bronze in the men’s épée team event.

Took up fencing at Fukui Prefectural Takefu Commercial High School,
where he met the fencing club’s adviser, Katsuaki Moroe.
National High School Selection Fencing Tournament — Team: 3rd
National High School Championships (Inter-High) — Individual: last eight