Shunichiro Okano

Shunichiro Okano studied at Tokyo University and later went into the business world, serving as President of Okano Eisen Co., Ltd. In Japan he was a member of the National Council of Educational Reform (1984-87), a member of the 14th Central Council for Education (1989-91), and a member of The National Taxation Council (1993-2004).

In sports Okano played football, playing for the Japanese National Team in 1955, and earning two caps. He was player-coach of the Japanese team at the 1968 Olympics, but did not play in any matches. He later managed the Japanese National Team in 1970-71, and coached the Japanese team at the 1964 Olympics. Okano became secretary-general of the Japanese Olympic Committee in 1977, serving until 1991 when he joined the Executive Committee. He was a director of the Japan Amateur Sports Association from 1975-91, Vice-President of the General Association of Asian Sports Federations (GAASF) from 1985-90, President of the Japanese Football Association from 1998-2002, and then was named successively Honorary President (2002-2008), and then Supreme Advisor (2008-) to the Japanese Football Association.

Okano joined the IOC in 1990 and served on the Olympic Programme Summer Commission (1992-94), the Sport and Environment Commission (1996-2001), and the Olympic Programme Commission (2002-12). He has received numerous governmental awards, including The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Neck Ribbon from the Japanese government in 2004; and The Order of the Blue Dragon from the Korean government in 2003. Okano was awarded the Olympic Order in silver in 2012.