Details of The 56th Hofu Yomiuri Marathon

MGC Series 2025-26 (Men:G1, Women:G3)

National Selection Trial (men) for Asian Games Aichi・Nagoya 2026

National Selection Trial (men) for Olympic Games Los Angeles 2028

Organizers

Chugoku Athletics Association, Yamaguchi Athletics Association, Yamaguchi Prefecture, Yamaguchi Amateur Sports Association, Hofu City, Yomiuri Shimbun, KRY Yamaguchi Broadcasting Co., Ltd.

Supporters

Japan Association of Athletics Federations (JAAF), Hofu City Sports Association, Hofu City Board of Education, Sports Hochi Western Headquarters

Supervisors

Yamaguchi Athletics Association, Hofu City Athletics Association

Cooperators

JGSDF (Japan Ground Self-Defense Force) 17th Infantry Regiment, Air Self-Defense Force 12th Flight Training Wing, Air Self-Defense Force Air Basic Training Wing JGSDF 13th Brigade, Hofu Medical Association, Hofu Traffic Safety Association, Hofu Scout Council, Hofu Tourism Convention Association, Hofu Neighborhood Association, Hofu City Sports Promotion Committee

Sponsors

TBD

Schedule

Starting at 10:40 am, Sunday, December 7, 2025

Course

Hofu Yomiuri Marathon Course – certified by JAAF and WA/AIMS: 42.195km

Prefectural Road in front of Salt Arena Hofu ～ Oaza Tajima, Hofu (turnaround point) ～ Hofu City Sports Center Athletics Stadium

• The record of 15km, 20km, half, 25km, 30km and the marathon of the athletes who completed the race will be certified.

Broadcast

TV and radio by KRY – Yamaguchi Broadcasting Co. Ltd.

Event

Marathon: men and women, IPC registered men and women

Time Limit

4 hours (from 10:40 to 14:40)

• Time regulations will be enforced on the signal gun.
• Closing time is set for each gate for transportation, security and operation purposes. If deemed significantly late, the athlete will be asked to stop the race even between the gates.

Qualification (excluding elite men)

Athletes satisfying the following requirements:

General

1. 19 years old and over on the race day
2. athletes whose record is beyond the set time at a certified race in or out of Japan from December 1, 2021 to the deadline of the application, and
   • Net time will be accepted.
3. registered in JAAF or not registered for 2025 yet

Yamaguchi Prefecture resident spots, Shiawasemasu Hofu spots, Hometown Tax payer spots

The following requirements in addition to ①②③ above also have to be satisfied:

1. Yamaguchi Prefecture resident spots: athletes who are registered residents of Yamaguchi Prefecture
2. Shiawasemasu Hofu spots: athletes who are registered Hofu residents
3. Hometown Tax payer spots: athletes who paid Hometown Tax with the entitlement to participate in this race, and are not registered Hofu residents

IPC athletes

Athletes who have handicap in sight and registered in IPC (International Paralympic Committee) for 2025 Series

Competition Rules

1. This race will be conducted in accordance with the latest rules and regulations of WA, JAAF, and this race. This is a WA Elite Label Road Race; thus WA Road Race Label Regulations and WA Advertising Regulations will also be applied. In addition, the doping test will be carried out under WA regulations.
2. As for the IPC athletes, IPC Athletics Rules and Regulations, and the rules of this race will be applied.

Capacity

3,500

• Capacity varies by the participating division.

Selecting Method

General: 3000 (including 400 Yamaguchi Prefecture resident spots)

If the number of applications exceeds the capacity, participants will be determined by lottery.

Hometown Tax payer spot: 400

First 400 applicants

Shiawasemasu Hofu spots, Elite men, and IPC athletes : unlimited

All athletes satisfying the qualification are admitted to participate.

Entry Fee

13,000 yen

Entry

Internet

1. General (men, women, Yamaguchi Prefecture residents spots, Shiawasemasu Hofu spots, Hometown Tax payer spots)
2. Elite (men)

Designated transfer form

1. IPC athletes

Entry Period

As written on the application requirements

• The entry period varies by the application divisions.
• If the number of applicants exceeds the capacity, participants will be determined by lottery.

Award

1. General men and women, and elite men: the first to the eighth of each division
2. IPC athletes: the first man and woman

Registration

Time and Date: 7:30～10:00, Sunday, December 7, 2025

• Please register with the QR Code on the Participation Guide using the QR Code scanner placed at the venue.
• The Participation Guide, the athlete bib, the timing chip, etc. will be sent to you by two weeks before the race.

Venue: North area of Athletics Field at Salt Arena Hofu 174-1 Oaza Hamakata, Hofu, Yamaguchi

• Please check the tournament website regarding the shuttle buses.

Personal Information

1. The organizers and JAAF recognize the importance of personal information, comply with the laws and regulations to protect the information, and deal with it based on the personal information protection policy of the organizers. Personal information will be used to improve the services to the participating athletes, to send the Participation Guide, a record, necessary information, and the next event guide, to provide medical aid and the services from sponsors, supporters, and other groups, and to announce the record (ranking). Organizers, JAAF, or contractors may contact you to confirm the details of your application.
2. Organizers, sponsors, JAAF and the third party granted by them may use the image, pictures, articles of this race, personal records, etc. on promotional pamphlets, posters, products, TV, radio, newspapers, magazines and/or the Internet.

Cancellation of the Race

The criteria of the race cancellation:

1. when a governmental agency requests the cancellation of the race
2. when it was considered difficult to carry out the race due to a natural disaster, etc.

Others

1. This race will be held as a race of MGC Series; G1 for men, and G3 for women.
2. Please participate in this race upon checking and agreeing on the guidelines and regulations (tournament regulations, competition regulations, entry regulations, etc.) of this race.
3. This road race will observe and be conducted in accordance with the legislation of Japan.
4. Organizers shall hold the publication right of videos, pictures, articles, records, etc. of this race on television, newspapers, magazines, and the Internet, etc. Furthermore, any commercial use including SNS, etc. (regardless of the users being companies, groups, athletes or non-athletes), of image taken by athletes or the third party without permission of organizers is prohibited.

Secretariat

Hofu Yomiuri Marathon Secretariat

7-1 Kotobuki-cho, Hofu City, Yamaguchi Prefecture 747-8501

TEL: 0835-25-2274 / FAX: 0835-25-5578

E-mail: sports@city.hofu.yamaguchi.jp