Akira Toyoshima
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Akira Toyoshima (豊島 英, Toyoshima Akira) is a Japanese wheelchair basketball player who plays for the Japan men's national wheelchair basketball team.[1]
Akira Toyoshima was working as an accountant at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant when the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami struck Japan. The tsunami eventually claimed the lives of thousands of people.[2] Toyoshima said that he was organizing important and urgent documents in the main office building of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant as a member of the accounting team.[3] The March 2011 tsunami shattered the hopes of Toyoshima's goal of competing at the 2012 Summer Paralympics. He was directly affected by the impact of the tsunami and aftershocks. He pointed out that his ambition to compete at the 2012 Summer Paralympics became an afterthought after what transpired following the 2011 tsunami. He took note of the number of people who had to live in emergency shelters after the disaster which prompted him to withdraw from the 2012 London Paralympics.[2]
He inspiration to pursue his dreams in wheelchair basketball came from footballer Aya Sameshima who played an instrumental role in helping Japan win the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup. Japan stunned America in the final which was decided with a penalty shootout. Full time score was 2–2. Aya Sameshima happened to be one of Akira Toyoshima's colleagues while working at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant.[2]