About Yacht Aid Japan
As you can see, we are the nonprofit organization for disabled people who want to have fun of sailing. We do volunteer activity though sailing and our basic objection are these as follow,

to make opportunity of sailing and support disabled people
to make marine facility satisfactory for disable people
positive proposal for revising present system of marine law

There were many sailor who have had splits like "want to have fun with many more people" or "want to contribute something for society using our specialized part: Sailing, then finally the organization was committed in august 1990 as marine supporter for disable people. It has been since 13 years then, we have done some wonderful jobs such as

Supporting Japanese Paralympics national team
Launch special sailing program for disabled people since 1992
Research and development of yacht for disabled people
Proposal for removing barrier in marina

and so on...
Wave and wind, sun and rain; nature is always equal for everyone. Sailing is few sports which have same condition for disabled people. What only need for it are knowledge and experiences. Being disabled does not mean restriction of action.

Various Activities of Yacht Aid Japan

【holding sailing events in 7 areas in Japan】
We have branches in Tokyo, Chiba, Kanagawa, Tokai, Kansai, Shikoku, Kyusyu.

【Support the Paralympic Sailing Team】
We support the Paralympic Sailing Team and will start the special training program in the Paralympic Sailing Center in Gamagori-shi, Aichi Prefecture

【Participating in the international races and going to the overseas tour】
We participate in the international races, such as IFDS Disabled Sailing World Championships, Japan-China Friendship Exchange Races, Paralympic Games, and Asia Games for the Paralympic Games.

【Research and Development of marine facilities and the boats】
We made a yacht specially designed for the disabled and suitable for the condition of the sea in Japan. Also we made a guideline for facilities in marina to make them satisfactory for the disabled people.

【Seminar for the volunteer members】
YAJ made a guidebook for the volunteer members who support our sailing activity.

【Support disabled people to take a boat license】
We hold seminars to help disabled people to take a boat license.

【Award】
We set the award for volunteer captains , TANABE EIZO Memorial Volunteer Captain Award

Japanese Paralympic Sailing Team
Yacht Aid Japan（YAJ） has been developing Paralympic sailors sincesailing appeared as a demonstration sport at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games.

Sailors with physical disability, cerebral palsy and visual i Sailors mpairment canparticipate in the training for the Paralympic Games.

Those sailors are functionally classified along the IFDS Functional ClassificationManual to enable fair and equitable competition at all levels of disabilities.

To be qualified for the Paralympic Games, firstly sailors must be higher ranked inthe world championships.
Then YAJ approves and recommends them to the Japan Paralympic Committee (JPC) to be officially recognized as a Japanese Paralympic Sailing Team organized by JPC.

Yacht Aid Japan is the sole member of JPC among the sailing organizations in Japan.

Our Challenge to the 2012 London Paralympic Games

Since Yacht Aid Japan started its sailing support program, many disabled sailor have experienced a new world that had never seen. They soon became enthusiastic fun of sailing. At the same time, some of them set a goal to compete in a world race. To meet their need for getting higher level, Yacht Aid Japan started a Special Training Program for Paralympic Games in 1996 with one SONAR boat imported from U.S.A.

Their first challenge was in Atlanta Pre-Paralympic Games in 1996 resulting in a great success to have a ticket to Atlanta Paralympic Games next year. Since Sailing was officially included in the competition programme of the Paralympic Games, Japan has participated in almost all Games in spite of their young history.

But the road to the Paralympic Games was not an easy way. At the time when Yacht Aid Japan started its special training for Paralympic Games, there were so many elements that prevented them from going to the sea. Nothing was suitable for the disabled sailor to do a satisfactory training, such as problems of marina, coaches, and laws.
They had to compete not only with their opponents but also with the Japanese society.

Though they could not get the ticket to the Beijing, they have just started to their new challenge for the 2012 London Paralympic Games.
Yacht Aid Japan has decided to organize a group of 1,000 supporters to accomplish their higher goal.