(born 20 December 1969) is a Japanese

politician A politician is a person who participates in Public policy, policy-making processes, usually holding an elective position in government. Politicians represent the people, make decisions, and influence the formulation of public policy. The roles ...

and former

Nordic combined Nordic combined is a winter sport in which athletes compete in cross-country skiing (sport), cross-country skiing and ski jumping. The Nordic combined at the Winter Olympics has been held since the first 1924 Winter Olympics, Winter Olympics in ...

skier who won several medals at the

Winter Olympics The Winter Olympic Games (), also known as the Winter Olympics, is a major international multi-sport event held once every four years for sports practiced on snow and ice. The first Winter Olympic Games, the 1924 Winter Olympics, were held i ...

, the

FIS Nordic World Ski Championships The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships is a biennial Nordic skiing event organized by the International Ski Federation (FIS). The World Championships was started in 1925 for men and opened for women's participation in 1954. World Championship eve ...

, and the

Holmenkollen ski festival The Holmenkollen Ski Festival ( or ) is a traditional annual Nordic skiing event in Holmenkollen, Oslo, Norway. The full official name of the event is Holmenkollen FIS World Cup Nordic. History It takes place in March and has been arranged every ...

. He won gold medals in the Nordic combined team events at the

1992 1992 was designated as International Space Year by the United Nations. Events January * January 1 – Boutros Boutros-Ghali of Egypt replaces Javier Pérez de Cuéllar of Peru as United Nations Secretary-General. * January 6 ** The Republ ...

and

1994 Winter Olympics The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games (; ) and commonly known as Lillehammer '94, were an international winter multi-sport event held from 12 to 27 February 1994 in and around Lillehammer, Norway. Hav ...

. Ogiwara won two gold medals each in the 15 km individual (1993, 1997) and the team (3 x 10 km: 1993, 4 x 5 km: 1995) events and one bronze in the 7.5 km sprint (1999) at the Nordic skiing world championships. In 1995, Ogiwara won the Nordic combined event at the Holmenkollen ski festival. Ogiwara received the Holmenkollen medal in 1995, becoming the first non-

Europe Europe is a continent located entirely in the Northern Hemisphere and mostly in the Eastern Hemisphere. It is bordered by the Arctic Ocean to the north, the Atlantic Ocean to the west, the Mediterranean Sea to the south, and Asia to the east ...

an and first

Asia Asia ( , ) is the largest continent in the world by both land area and population. It covers an area of more than 44 million square kilometres, about 30% of Earth's total land area and 8% of Earth's total surface area. The continent, which ...

n to ever receive the honor. At the

1998 Winter Olympics The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially known as the and commonly known as Nagano 1998 (), were a winter multi-sport event held from 7 to 22 February 1998, mainly in Nagano, Nagano, Nagano, Nagano Prefecture, Japan, with some events ...

, he took the Athlete's Oath. Ogiwara's twin brother Tsugiharu competed with him at the 1995 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in

Thunder Bay Thunder Bay is a city in and the seat of Thunder Bay District, Ontario, Canada. It is the most populous municipality in Northwestern Ontario and the second most populous (after Greater Sudbury) municipality in Northern Ontario. Its population i ...

Ontario Ontario is the southernmost Provinces and territories of Canada, province of Canada. Located in Central Canada, Ontario is the Population of Canada by province and territory, country's most populous province. As of the 2021 Canadian census, it ...

, sharing a gold with him in the 4 x 5 km team event. Ogiwara has also stood as candidate for Liberal Democratic Party. He ran for the Mayor of Nagano election, which was executed on October 31, 2021, won 98,711 votes, and was appointed Mayor of Nagano on November 11, 2021.

Filmography

*''11 Rebels'' (2024)

References

*
Holmenkollen medalists
- click Holmenkollmedaljen for downloadable pdf file
Holmenkollen winners since 1892
- click Vinnere for downloadable pdf file
IOC 1998 Winter Olympics
1969 births Living people 21st-century mayors of places in Japan Mayors of Nagano (city) Skiers from Gunma Prefecture Waseda University alumni Nordic combined skiers at the 1992 Winter Olympics Nordic combined skiers at the 1994 Winter Olympics Nordic combined skiers at the 1998 Winter Olympics Nordic combined skiers at the 2002 Winter Olympics Holmenkollen medalists Holmenkollen Ski Festival winners Japanese male Nordic combined skiers Olympic Nordic combined skiers for Japan Olympic gold medalists for Japan Japanese sportsperson-politicians Members of the House of Councillors (Japan) FIS Nordic Combined World Cup winners Japanese twins Liberal Democratic Party (Japan) politicians Olympic medalists in Nordic combined FIS Nordic World Ski Championships medalists in Nordic combined Medalists at the 1992 Winter Olympics Medalists at the 1994 Winter Olympics Winter World University Games medalists in Nordic combined Oath takers at the Olympic Games FISU World University Games gold medalists for Japan Competitors at the 1989 Winter Universiade Competitors at the 1991 Winter Universiade 20th-century Japanese sportsmen {{nordic-skiing-bio-stub