Kuga-imo Recovery Power Proved at All-Japan Weightlifting Championships; 6 Wins with Okinawa Television Development Food

Okinawa Television Development Co., Ltd. (Naha, Okinawa; President: Naoya Ota) announced that athletes incorporating 'Kuga-imo' (Ryukyu yam), an indigenous rare Okinawan yam, achieved top-three placements in 9 out of 15 weight classes at the All-Japan Weightlifting Championships held from May 29-31, 2026, with 6 participants winning gold.

This project serves as a model for regional revitalization by addressing logistics costs and brand value issues in Okinawan primary industry through expansion into the sports food market.

The Logistics Challenge While nutrient-dense, Kuga-imo producers have dwindled. Shipping Okinawan produce to mainland Japan is prohibitively expensive. Okinawa Television Development focused on the yam's 'diosgenin' content. In partnership with Ritsumeikan University, they developed the 'Lekiom' sports food brand. By concentrating ingredients and reducing weight, they bypassed logistics issues, creating an ecosystem that supports agricultural sustainability.

Proven in Weightlifting Top weightlifting teams facing rigorous recovery demands have adopted Kuga-imo products. At the All-Japan Championships, athletes like Rakuei Azuma (Waseda University) set university records to win gold. Overall, users of Kuga-imo products won 6 out of the 15 weight classes.

Future Outlook This initiative is subsidized by the 'Okinawa Sports Island Value-Added Construction Support Grant.' Future plans include expanding to national fitness markets, aiming to establish a model case for regional revitalization using untapped local resources.