It has been revealed that Sho Sakurai will appear in the Sunday drama "GIFT" (Sundays at 9pm), starring Shinichi Tsutsumi. Sakurai, who will play the chairman of the Japan Wheelchair Rugby Association, has a deep connection to parasports and said, "It is one of the sports that I have watched for many years, not only for reporting purposes but also in my private life, so I was happy to be able to participate."
Sakurai has been deeply involved with parasports, serving as NHK's special navigator for the Tokyo Paralympics and starring in the drama "Kimi ni Sasageru Emblem" (Fuji TV), which is based on wheelchair basketball.
Furthermore, he himself is familiar with rugby and is a classmate of Toshiro Hirose, a former captain of the Japanese national rugby team and currently the vice chairman of the Japan Wheelchair Rugby Federation. Hirose has already appeared in "GIFT," and this will be their second "co-starring" appearance, following their collaboration in the rugby-themed Sunday drama "No Side Game" (2019).
◇Sho Sakurai's comment
I was so happy to be able to participate, as this is one of the sports I've watched for many years, both for interviews and in my private time.
Since some time had passed since filming began, I was nervous to join the project, but I was able to enjoy filming because there were directors and staff members I had worked with before. I was also happy to be able to act alongside the lead actor, Tsutsumi-san, for the first time, and it was a very fulfilling experience.
I had the opportunity to participate in a tense scene towards the end of the story, which presents yet another challenge, so I hope you'll look forward to it.
