Hirotsugu Kimura, a 24-year-old company employee, has become the youngest Japanese person to complete a solo circumnavigation of the world on a sailboat without any port calls or resupply.
Kimura, who lives in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, achieved the feat at the age of 24 years and 9 months, breaking the previous record set 30 years ago by sea adventurer Kojiro Shiraishi, 57, who was 26 years old. and 10 months old was up to date.
Around 10:30 a.m., Kimura’s sailboat arrived at a pier in a port in Nishinomiya after a journey of about 230 days. He was greeted by about 100 people, including supporters and local citizens.
“I am very happy to come back after successfully sailing around the world,” Kimura said with a smile at a ceremony held in front of the pier to celebrate his safe return. Sea adventurer Kenichi Horie, 85, was also at the event to congratulate Kimura.
Kimura took off in October 2023, traveling east across the Pacific Ocean, passing the southern points of South America and Africa.
He crossed the finish line at Kii Canal near Wakayama Prefecture on Saturday around 2:45 p.m.
It was his second attempt at a non-stop solo trip around the world. His first attempt in November 2022 was thwarted by an equipment failure due to a storm shortly after departure.
Kimura is from Hiji, Oita Prefecture. He took up sailing when he was in high school when he started idolizing Shiraishi and dreaming of sailing around the world.
He worked for the Maritime Self-Defense Force before moving to his current company. He pursued his ambition with the support of the company.
