A while back, there was a thread in one of Australian running website message boards, titled "World's Best Coach". Arthur Lydiard received more than 40% vote as the leading figure. We certainly wouldn't have any objection to that but I personally didn't think the question, or the list of coaches, quite valid because they didn't list any of the current Japanese marathon coaches. In the past 4 Olympic Games, out of possible 24 medals in the marathon, both men and women, Japanese had won 5 of them (Kenya 4, Ethiopia 3, US 2, Korea 2). Coaching involves not only having one fast runner; but it involves developing athletes, not just one or two, but series of athletes; and peak on the championship day.
When we talk about Japanese marathon coaches, we cannot ignore legendary coach, the late Kiyoshi Nakamura. Nakamura coached Toshihiko Seko who had a track record of 9 wins out of 15 startings, including 2 Boston marathon wins, London and Chicago marathon, as well as 4 Fukuoka marathon wins. Nakamura wasn't just a one-athlete coach either. He had 2 runners in the final of 1984 LA Olympic 10000m final (Kanai and Shintaku) as well as Nanae Sasaki who finished 20th in the women's marathon. He also led Waseda University Ekiden road relay team to the national title at New Year's prestigious Hakone Ekiden. Nakamura brought a group of runners to New Zealand way back in 1963 to learn "Lydiardism". Out came Kokichi Tsuburaya's world record run in 20000m and one hour run (finishing second behind Bill Baillie), Toru Terasawa breaking Abebe Bikila's world best marathon time, Tsuburaya winning the bronze medal at 1964 Tokyo Olympic marathon, and Kenji Kimihara winning the silver medal in 1968 Mexico City Olympic marathon--all from the group Nakamura took to New Zealand. Nakamura always publicly admitted that he based his training principles on Lydiard.
Hideo Suzuki was a young high school runner when he was first influenced by Yoshio Koide (whose story will follow). He ran for a high school team which Koide coached while he was a high school teacher. Kiode was influenced by Nakamura as a collegiate runner, dreaming to run Hakone Ekiden. Suzuki later became a high school teacher/running coach and led his team to the national championships Ekiden in Kyoto. Since he became a corporate team coach for Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance 
Company women's team, he has led his team to 6 national titles in the past 8 years. Mitsui team is led by 2 of their star runners; Yoko Shibui and Reiko Tosa.
Shibui was a fairly good runner in high school, running a leg of national road relay championships in her senior year. She ran the fastest debut marathon (at the time) of 2:23:11 in 2001 when she was a mere 22 years old, followed by 4th place finish at Edmonton World Championships. She also ran then Japan's national record of 30:48 for 10000m at Cardinal meet in 2002, a few steps ahead of Deena Kaster's then US national record; as well as 2:19:41 marathon at Berlin in 2004. Reiko Tosa wasn't much of a runner throughout high school and college. She ran her first marathon for a graduation event in her senior year in college, finishing in 2:58--not bad but hardly eye-catching to any of corporate team. After joining Mitsui team, she emerged as one of the leading marathon runners, finishing second to would-be Sydney Olympic marathon champion, Naoko Takahashi, in the Olympic trial race at Nagoya women's marathon in 2000, followed by a silver medal performance at Edmonton World Championships. We saw the preview of Osaka World Championships marathon in 2004 at the Olympic trial race at Nagoya women's marathon where Tosa was left way behind at 32km point. The only way she could get a ticket to Athens would be to win the race. She gradually reeled back the leader, Megumi Tanaka, and regained the lead only 4km to go. Millions of TV viewers saw Tosa breathing heavily, could almost see teary eyes behind the shade of sunglasses. It was the same scenario last year at Osaka World Championships. Japan, as the host country, had not won any medal until the last day, women's marathon. Tosa was in the leading group but dropped back to the 5th place in the final miles. Her face contorted, breathing heavily; once again, we could not see her eyes behind the 
sunglasses... This surely was ranked as one of the most exciting performances in Japan's sporting history; resulting 40+% of viewing rate on the national TV coverage. It peaked when she gradually brought herself back to the third place, only 2km to go, securing the bronze medal—the only medal won by Japan on the last day of competition in the final mile and a half. The mayor of Osaka was so moved that he decided to build a monument at where she came back to the third place, right outside the Nagai Stadium (it was supposed to be her statue but she declined and now it's "only" a plaque with her footprints). She is now one of the most consistent marathon runners in Japan with the 5th place finish at Athens Olympic being her worst placing.
It was 1999 when Arthur Lydiard came to the US for his second to last US lecture tour that he told me this young coach from Japan visiting him at his Auckland house a year earlier. This young Japanese coach, Shigeharu Watanabe, stayed at his house for 10 months, studying "Lydiardism". Arthur gave me his address and I wrote to him and we stayed in touch for a couple of years. But it wasn't until later when I received a Christmas card from him that I learnt that he was an assistant coach at Mitsui Sumitomo team (he is now promoted to the head coach with coach Suzuki still overlooking the entire team)! Then he contacted me in March of 2006, asking if I could get Reiko in Boston marathon (in 5 weeks!) and act as her agent. It was such a short notice but, thanks to Mr. Pat Lynch of John Hancock, we were able to bring Reiko to this historic marathon where she finished 3rd, the highest placing by Japanese woman since 1997 (Yuko Arimori was 3rd then).
Earlier this month (May), I received a call from coach Suzuki. Reiko Tosa and coach 
Suzuki, along with 2 of her teammates as training partners, arrived Boulder, CO, for a month-long preparation for Beijing. I told him that I would be coming to Boulder over Memorial Day weekend. After Bolder Boulder race, we got together at Lorraine's favorite Chinese restaurant. I brought Lorraine and Rod Dixon along with me. Earlier that weekend, I ran into Reiko during our morning run along Boulder Creek. We ran along the creek for a few minutes until I realize I couldn't keep up with her (!) but she told me that she ran about 1000km this month and was heading for famous Magnolia for the afternoon workout. Her training is going really well with no sign of aches or pains. Lorraine was very pleased to see healthy appetite the girls demonstrated. "When you are over-training, you don't have any appetite," she explained. Coach Suzuki was happy for the approval from this 3-time Osaka Ladies Marathon champion. Naturally, topic of conversation turned to training. While coach Suzuki was busy explaining the Japanese sake drinking manner to Rod Dixon, Rod explained the importance of aerobic base building. Suzuki was also very happy to hear such reassurance. "It's great to hear such living proof from running legends like Mr. Dixon or Ms. Moller. I feel so confident now that all we've been doing is correct after all." It was such reassurance for us as well to hear such a humbling comment from one of the most successful coaches in the world. Reiko is such a lovely person with cheerful personality. She has already run the Beijing course in April for the Pre-Olympic marathon. She jogged in for 4th place in 2:47. Asked about much-discussed polution, Reiko shrugged her shoulders and simply said, "It's beyong our control anyways. Besides, it wasn't as bad as people are making it sound..." Lydiard Foundation wishes her very best, injury-free preparation and performing at her utmost potential at Beijing on August 17th.
A Happy Gang at a Chinese restaurant; Reiko Tosa is on the far right; a young girl on the left, Chisato Osaki, was 7th at world half marathon championsihps last year(5/26/08).
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