ITTF President Petra Sörling completed an East Asian tour with productive visits to Japan and Korea Republic, in which cooperation with national stakeholders and the broader Olympic community was advanced.
“Japan and Korea Republic are appreciated active members of our global family,” said President Sörling. “These visits confirmed our shared dedication to development, strong governance and excellent events.”
President Sörling started a two-day program in Tokyo, where she was welcomed by the Japan Table Tennis Association President Masaya Kawwata, vice-president Ichiro Hoshino and ITTF-Executive Vice-President Masahiro Maehara. The meeting was opened with greetings and a rating for the long contribution of Japan at table tennis and the narrow partnership between JTTA and the ITTF.
Conversations were aimed at collaboration for the well -being of athletes and about the ITTF World Team Table Tennis Championships Finals 2028 in Fukuoka. JTTA confirmed that the preparations are underway. President Sörling noted the high expectations of the global table tennis family for a large return to Japan and praised the record of the Land of Delivery.
“The ITTF World Team Championships Finals 2028 will be a milestone for our sport and a celebration of the Japanese table tennis city,” said President Sörling. “We look forward to working closely with JTTA to offer players, fans and partners an experience of world class.”
The visit also included a courtesy visit to the Japanese Olympic Committee. President Sörling met the newly elected JOC president Hashimoto Seiko and Secretary-General Ota Yuki, learned more about the Vision 2064 of the JOC and discussed how table tennis can contribute through development programs and additional international events in Japan. The exchanges underline the role of Japan as future host championships and opened further ways for cooperation with the JOC and Japanese stakeholders.
President Sörling also met co -international federation presidents and IOC members Morinari Watanabe and Lord Sebastian Coe. During the invitation of Lord Coe she went to the World Athletics Championships 2025, praised the quality of the event and the organizers and noted useful insights for major event operations and legacy in table tennis.
The next stop was Seoul, where President Sörling and ITTF Secretary General Raul Calin attended the 22nd International Paralympic Committee General Meeting and Conference from 24 to 27 September. The meeting brought together nearly 400 representatives of around 190 IPC membership organizations, together with various IPC-recognized international federations, including the ITTF.
President Sörling met the Korean sports and Olympic Committee President Ryu Seungmin and Korea Table Tennis Association President Lee Tae Sung. Discussions aimed at the inheritance of the ITTF World Table Tennis Championships Finals Busan 2024 and preparations for the ITTF World Masters Championships Gangneung 2026.
“We all have lively memories of our time in Busan last year, and the work of Table Tennis of Korea has retained the momentum for our sport in the country,” said President Sörling. “We can already see this in the strong interest in Gangneung, with registrations that reach 20 percent of the expected participation in just two months.”
President Sörling will then visit China to attend the WTT China Smash.
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