The tour provides young swimmers with a unique opportunity to watch world-class swimming and go behind the scenes. As the official National Sponsor for the championships, UNIQLO also announces that Olympic swimming gold medalist Kosuke Hagino will lead the tour as UNIQLO Dream Captain.

The project is part of the UNIQLO Next Generation Development Program, which aims to nurture young competitive swimmers. 

The tour enables 20 elementary school students living in Japan to immerse themselves in the championships from 29-31 July. The children will see world-class swimmers in action and go behind the scenes at the venue. 

Tour applications through a special site will be open from 5 April until May 14. 

Koji Yanai, Senior Executive Officer of the Fast Retailing Group, said, “I am delighted the World Aquatics Championships will at last take place in Kyushu after a postponement of two years and that we can support this event through the power of clothing. 

"With Kosuke Hagino as our UNIQLO Dream Captain, we hope this project will inspire the dreams of participating young swimmers, helping to increase their interest in swimming and sport generally.” 

Hagino will hold a swimming clinic and a special talk to share the joys of swimming with participants. He will also take part in the SPOGOMI x UNIQLO x World Aquatics Championships - Fukuoka 2023 event on April 16 where he will help participants to pick up trash and take part with them in an art workshop to make use of trash. Hagino will also work with UNIQLO to promote the sport of swimming in Fukuoka and help build interest in this year’s championships.

“I am thrilled to participate and contribute to this UNIQLO youth development project," Hagino said. "I will work with UNIQLO to share what I learned from international competition with as many people as possible and help them gain a deep and abiding interest in swimming. I look forward to meeting many children at the World Aquatics Championships, which will return to Fukuoka after 22 years.

Kosuke Hagino Profile 

Hagino took to water early, taking his first swimming strokes at the age of six months. He set school records in his early elementary school years and in junior high and high school. At 17, Hagino made his international breakthrough at the London 2012 Olympic Games where he won the bronze medal in the 400m IM. 

At the Rio 2016 Olympics, Hagino added to his medal haul, winning gold in the 400m IM, silver in the 200m IM, and bronze in the 4x200x Freestyle Relay.  Hagino is also a three-time World Aquatics Championships medallist and a gold medallist at the World Swimming Championships (25m). He made his third straight Olympics appearance at the Tokyo 2020 Games before announcing his retirement from competitive sport later that year. Since then, Hagino has been pursuing his master's degree from the Nippon Sport Science University.