Famous People in Japan



Kawai Shunichi

Date of Birth 3 February 1963
Place of Birth Niigata

Kawai Shunichi was a famous volleyball player. But now he is active on TV as a sportscaster and a TV personality.

When he was in elementary school, he started to play volleyball. And when he was in high school, he was said to be a volleyball player of great promise.

In 1983, Japan national volleyball team, including Kawai, had a game with Chinese team at Asia Championships. At the game he played an active part and Japan team make a come-from-behind win. In 1984, in the Los Angeles Olympic Games, he was selected as a member of Japan national volleyball team, its only student. At that time, he was a student of Japan Physical Education University.

Also, in 1988, he was chosen the Seoul Olympic representative for volleyball.

After he graduated from the university, he joined Fuji Film, and he acted as captain of their volleyball team. He was good at blocking, so he won recognition as the No.1 blocker in the Japan League.

He is 195 centimeters in height and has good looks, so he was the object of many girl students' admiration.

In 1990, he retired from active playing, and became a sportscaster. But he is still active as a pro-beach volleyball player.

Recently, he has become a TV personality.

Now he is becoming an entertainer because he is said to be "gay" although he has been married to a woman. He himself admits it.

References: Gendai Nihonjin Meiroku

Reported by: Motonari Izawa
Data verified by: Hitoshi Yoshida
Date of Report: November 1995
Updated by: Miyuki TakenoMay 1998

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