Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium opens ahead of Rugby World Cup 2019 in Japan

Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium opens ahead of RWC 2019 On 5 June, 2011, less than three months after the earthquake and tsunami, Kamaishi welcomed Yamaha Júbilo for the first match of the season. It was therefore highly symbolic and with a great sense of pride that the people of Kamaishi and the Seawaves Rugby Football Club welcomed Yamaha Júbilo back for this special memorial match to mark the opening of the new stadium. 

The newly-built venue in Iwate Prefecture opened on Sunday 19 August with a memorial match between the local Kamaishi Seawaves Rugby Football Club and Top League side Yamaha Júbilo.

World Rugby Chairman Bill Beaumont said: “The opening of the Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium marks a very special moment on the journey to Rugby World Cup 2019. The stadium stands as a testament to the indomitable spirit of the people of Kamaishi and will act as a beacon of hope and inspiration for generations to come, providing an important legacy for the future of this region of Japan that has rugby at its heart.

“Rugby World Cup will bring four top international teams, thousands of fans and the attention of the world to the region next year and promises to be one of the highlights of the event. World Rugby will continue to work closely with the organising committee and the Iwate Prefecture to ensure that the venue is a success, both for the Rugby World Cup, and for the future of the region.”

Built on the former site of the local Elementary and Junior High Schools, construction of the stadium began in April 2017. The Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium is the only newly-built facility of the 12 Rugby World Cup venues. It has a permanent capacity for 6,000 spectators, however during next year’s tournament 10,000 additional temporary seats will be added, bringing the total capacity of the stadium to 16,000 for the two Rugby World Cup fixtures.

The Kamaishi Recovery Memorial Stadium will host Fiji versus Uruguay in Pool D on 25 September, 2019, followed by the Pool B match on 13 October between Namibia, who secured their place at Rugby World Cup 2019 yesterday, and the winner of the repechage tournament, which will take place in November in Marseille, France.