Aramitsu Kitazono
{{Short description|Japanese judoka (born 1991)}}
{{Infobox judoka
| name = Aramitsu Kitazono
| image =
| imagesize =
| caption =
| headercolor = lightsteelblue
| nickname =
| nationality = Japanese
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1991|2|17}}
| birth_place = Kobe, Japan
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height =
| weight =
| sport = Para judo
| disability = Visually impaired
| disability_class =
| event = 81kg
| club =
| coach =
| retired =
| pb =
| medaltemplates =
{{Medal|Sport|Men's paralympic judo}}
{{MedalCountry| {{JPN}}}}
{{Medal|Competition|Asian Para Games}}
{{Medal|Bronze|2018 Jakarta|81kg}}
| residence =
}}
Aramitsu Kitazono (born 17 February 1991) is a Japanese visually impaired Paralympic judoka.{{Cite web |title=Aramitsu Kitazono - Judo | Paralympic Athlete Profile |url=https://www.paralympic.org/aramitsu-kitazono |website=Paralympic.org |publisher=International Paralympic Committee |access-date=28 August 2021}} He made his first Paralympic appearance during the 2012 Summer Paralympics.{{Cite web |title=Judo: KITAZONO, Aramitsu |url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/en/results/judo/athlete-profile-n1681494-kitazono-aramitsu.htm |work=Tokyo 2020 Paralympics |publisher=Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games |access-date=28 August 2021 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828064628/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/en/results/judo/athlete-profile-n1681494-kitazono-aramitsu.htm |archive-date=28 August 2021}} He was set to represent Japan at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in the judoka competition but had to withdraw from the event after being hit by a self driving bus.{{Cite web |title=Japanese Paralympic judoka with visual impairment hit by autonomous bus in athletes village |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2021/08/28/paralympics/summer-paralympics/aramitsu-kitazono-athletes-village-injury/ |website=The Japan Times |date=28 August 2021 |access-date=28 August 2021 |language=en-US}}
Career
He represented Japan at the 2012 Summer Paralympics which was his first Paralympic appearance and competed in men's 100kg event. He also represented Japan at the 2016 Summer Paralympics and took part in the men's 73kg event. He claimed a bronze medal in the men's 81kg event at the 2018 Asian Para Games which was held in Jakarta.{{Cite web |url=https://gms.asianparagames2018.id/rs2018/bm/cm/Schedule_type_1.aspx?sid=26&sname=Judo&scode=JU&fid=2>ype=K |title=Result System - Asian Para Games Jakarta 2018 |website=AsianParaGames2018.id |access-date=28 August 2021 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203143918/https://gms.asianparagames2018.id/rs2018/bm/cm/Schedule_type_1.aspx?sid=26&sname=Judo&scode=JU&fid=2>ype=K |archive-date=3 February 2019}}
= 2020 Tokyo Paralympics =
He was scheduled to compete in the round of 16 event of the men's 81kg category at the 2020 Summer Olympics on 28 August 2021 and it would have been his third Paralympic appearance for Japan.{{cite web |date=19 August 2021 |title=Judo – Competition Schedule |url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/resPG2020-/pdf/PG2020-/JUD/PG2020-_JUD_C08_JUD-------------------------------.pdf |work=Tokyo 2020 Paralympics |publisher=Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games |access-date=27 August 2021 |archive-date=27 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827034553/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/resPG2020-/pdf/PG2020-/JUD/PG2020-_JUD_C08_JUD-------------------------------.pdf |url-status=dead }}{{cite web |date=25 August 2021 |title=Judo – Men -81 kg – Entry List by Event |url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/resPG2020-/pdf/PG2020-/JUD/PG2020-_JUD_C32C_JUDM81KG----03030-----------------.pdf |work=Tokyo 2020 Paralympics |publisher=Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games |access-date=27 August 2021 |archive-date=27 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827162953/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/resPG2020-/pdf/PG2020-/JUD/PG2020-_JUD_C32C_JUDM81KG----03030-----------------.pdf |url-status=dead }} However, he was forced to withdraw at the last minute two days before his scheduled event after sustaining injuries to his head and legs during an accident which happened on 26 August 2021 at the Paralympics athletes village.{{Cite web |title=Athlete hit by self-driving car is out of Games | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News |url=https://www3.nhk.or.jp/nhkworld/en/news/20210828_11/ |website=NHK WORLD |access-date=28 August 2021}} It was revealed that Aramitsu was hit by a Toyota e-Palette driverless vehicle when he was walking on a pedestrian crossing and the vehicle was blamed for its technical fault.{{Cite web |date=28 August 2021 |title=Japanese judoka hit by self-driving vehicle inside Paralympic Village |url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1112233/japanese-judoka-hit-self-driving-vehicle |website=insidethegames.biz |access-date=28 August 2021 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210828070237/https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1112233/japanese-judoka-hit-self-driving-vehicle |archive-date=28 August 2021}}
According to reports, the driverless vehicle which caused the accident had been operated by Toyota and the accident prompted the company to temporarily suspend the e-Palette driverless vehicle service.{{Cite web |title=Visually impaired Paralympian hit by self-driving bus |url=https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20210827-visually-impaired-paralympian-hit-by-self-driving-bus |website=France 24 |date=27 August 2021 |access-date=28 August 2021}} According to the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department, he needs to rest for at least two weeks in order to recover from the injuries. President of Toyota, Akio Toyoda, personally intervened into the matter and apologised to Aramitsu stating that there had been overconfidence in the technology of autonomous driving.{{Cite web |title=Toyota pauses Paralympics self-driving buses after one hits visually impaired athlete |url=http://www.theguardian.com/technology/2021/aug/28/toyota-pauses-paralympics-self-driving-buses-after-one-hits-visually-impaired-athlete |website=The Guardian |date=28 August 2021 |access-date=28 August 2021}} His opponent Dmytro Solovey of Ukraine automatically qualified to the quarterfinals as a result of Aramitsu's late withdrawal.{{cite web |title=Judo – Men -81 kg – Official Communication – Judo weigh-in Men -81kg |url=https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/resPG2020-/pdf/PG2020-/JUD/PG2020-_JUD_C67_JUD-------------------------------3.pdf |work=Tokyo 2020 Paralympics |publisher=Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games |date=27 August 2021 |access-date=27 August 2021 |archive-date=27 August 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827173126/https://olympics.com/tokyo-2020/paralympic-games/resPG2020-/pdf/PG2020-/JUD/PG2020-_JUD_C67_JUD-------------------------------3.pdf |url-status=dead }}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- {{IPC|aramitsu-kitazono}}
{{authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kitazono, Aramitsu}}
Category:Visually impaired category Paralympic competitors
Category:Judoka at the 2012 Summer Paralympics
Category:Judoka at the 2016 Summer Paralympics
Category:Paralympic judoka for Japan
Category:Sportspeople from Kobe
Category:Martial artists from Hyōgo Prefecture
Category:Judoka at the 2020 Summer Paralympics
Category:21st-century Japanese sportsmen