Wheelchair tennis star and four-time Paralympic gold medalist Shingo Kunieda will be the Grand Marshal of the 3rd Japan Parade.

Widely considered by many as the best wheelchair tennis player in history, Shingo Kunieda is a seven-time International Tennis Federation (ITF) World Champion, the first wheelchair tennis player to secure a Grand Slam, and the first male wheelchair tennis player to achieve a “Career Grand Slam,” in which a player wins each of the four major championships over the course of their career. In 2006, Kunieda made history by becoming the first Asian to reach rank No. 1 in the world rankings and in April 2009, Kunieda became the first Japanese wheelchair tennis player to turn pro. Kunieda also holds four gold and two bronze medals over four Paralympic Games. Dominating the sport for 21 years, he retired from wheelchair tennis in 2023 at the age of 38.

In March 2023, Kunieda became the first Para athlete to receive the People’s Honor Award in Japan. Established in 1977, the award has been presented by Japanese Prime Ministers to people who brought a “light of hope” to society through accomplishments in different fields such as sports and culture. He has also achieved six Guinness Book of World Records titles.

“I am very honored to serve as Grand Marshal of the Japan Parade, and I’m delighted to be involved in this opportunity to promote Japanese culture,” said Shingo Kunieda. “I look forward to marching in the parade with all of you.”