A girl in her early teens is making waves in the world of surfing.
Kokona Kawase, 13, a junior high school student in Shima, Mie Prefecture, became the youngest to pass the professional surfer test this summer, allowing her to compete in the world of pro surfing with older rivals from next year.
"I want to perform well in Japan and compete with people from around the world, representing Japan," she said, indicating her interest in competing in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where surfing will be included for the first time.