Okada Foundation Inc, the community-action arm of Philippine casino resort business Okada Manila, is providing PHP200,000 (US$3,400) per month per athlete, to support Filipino-Japanese judokas and brothers, Keisei Nakano (pictured left) and Shugen Nakano (pictured right), in their preparation for the Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028, to be held in the United States.
The foundation stated in a recent press release, the move was “marking a significant step” in the body’s “continued commitment to nation-building through sports development”.
The Okada Foundation said that via the partnership with the young judokas, it will provide PHP200,000 per month per athlete “for domestic training expenses, totalling PHP4.8 million for one year, to support their preparation” for the next edition of the summer Olympics.
The update added that the support “ensures sustained access to high-level training and competitive exposure as they pursue Olympic qualification”.
James Lorenzana (pictured above, left), Okada Foundation president, was quoted saying: “Shugen and Keisei embody determination, resilience, and a deep sense of pride in representing the Philippines.
“We are honoured to stand beside them as they work toward their Olympic dream and bring glory to the nation.”
Okada Manila’s operator, Tiger Resort, Leisure & Entertainment Inc, is controlled by Japanese leisure conglomerate Universal Entertainment Corp.
The update said the judo athletes’ sponsorship “supports the Philippine government’s National Sports Development Plan, which calls for strengthened, multi-sectoral backing of Filipino athletes in their quest to bring pride and honour to the nation”.
Per the update, the Nakano brothers are members of the Philippine national judo team, and were born in Iwate prefecture, Japan, to a Japanese father and Filipina mother.
The athletes have already represented the Philippines in international competitions. Shugen Nakano, competing in the 66-kilo (145.5 pound) division, won two gold medals at the 2022 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, and additional golds at the International Judo Federation’s (IJF’s) Tahiti Oceania Open in 2022 and 2024.
Keisei Nakano, in the 73-kilo division, has earned podium finishes in major international tournaments including: the IJF’s Tahiti Oceania Open; Abidjan African Open; and the Lima Panamerican Open in 2024.
