Naoki
Isobe 礒部 直樹

2020.02.07

Never give up as long as there is a possibility

Naoki Isobe first held a rifle in his first year of high school. Twenty years later, Isobe, who works for Oita City Hall, is still active at the forefront. He placed sixth in the domestic rankings, released in December 2019, for the men’s 50 meter rifle prone (FR60PR).

Wanting to deliver dreams and excitement through the rifle

Isobe gets a constant flow of requests for guidance from varying levels of students—from high school students to top-class rifle shooters on Japan’s national team. “I have no intentions of hiding my experience,” he said. “Rifle shooting is a minor sport in Japan, but once you win an Olympic medal, it’ll change the situation. I want to deliver dreams and excitement through the rifle.” Isobe cherishes the hope that rifle shooting will come under the spotlight someday.

Isobe casually started the sport of shooting, owing partly to his father, who used to be a rifle shooter qualified for the National Sports Festival. At his first-ever competition, Isobe, a boy who was planning to join his school’s boxing club, was “defeated by an opponent in the same grade who looked frail.” It was frustrating. His natural concentration and enthusiasm for research worked well for rifle shooting, helping him remarkably improve his ability. As a third-year student, Isobe set a new record at that year’s all-japan high school championships and the JOC Junior Olympic Cup. He became the first high school student to be selected for the national team and attracted a lot of attention.

Isobe went on to university, where he constantly produced results and participated in international competitions. After he started working, he received coaching job offers from many universities as well as local governments that had promoted the training of higher-level athletes competing at the National Sports Festival. But Isobe moved to Oita City, drawn to a good environment that has allowed him to continue playing as an athlete while doing coaching work. Isobe has won successive victories at the all-Japan rifle invitational tournament, all-japan rifle shooting championships, and all-japan working adult championships, and has also won medals at the Asian Games. He produced results consecutively, but the Olympic Games seemed far away.

Aiming for the Paris Olympics as an athlete

For the Tokyo Olympics to be hosted by his own country, Isobe decided to play a supporting role at the strong request of the National Rifle Association of Japan and national team members. However, he sees this as a preparatory period to participate in the next Paris Olympics as an athlete.

Isobe keeps playing at the forefront because he is sure that he “has potential.” During the national team training camp at the end of last year, he tried a new tool at a trial performance and set a new personal record.

Since higher “reproducibility” matters for rifle shooting, many shooters are afraid of changing tools. But Isobe sees change as an opportunity. “It makes no sense to be scared of minor changes. You need to have the courage to change,” he said.

“Rifle shooting is not a sport you compete in for scores or against opponents,” he continued. “Whether you win or lose, you are the one who’s responsible. Everything depends on you, and effort doesn’t betray you.” Sticking to his belief, Isobe keeps on going.

Naoki Isobe’s philosophy

Never fear change, and seize it as an opportunity.