Charity sports events are starting to take hold in Japan, with an increasing number of people making sizeable donations to a variety of worthy causes in exchange for an entry pass to run in famous marathons.
"Though ¥100,000 is by no means a small sum, I feel less reluctant because the money I voluntarily paid will be used to help other people," said Toru Matsumoto, a 70-year-old resident of the city of Niigata who will run in next month's Tokyo Marathon for the first time.
Matsumoto took up jogging after reaching retirement age and had applied to compete in the race every year since, but was never successful in the lottery held to determine the entrants.