Protecting Lives from Water Accidents: The Complete Guide to Safety Swimming

2026/02/24

At Keio University, there is a phrase coined by Professor Shinzo Koizumi, "Jukusei Kaiei" (All Students Must Swim), which embodies the educational philosophy that "acquiring swimming skills is one of the important qualities a person should possess." The teaching aims to ensure that Keio students do not lose their precious lives—given to them by their parents—due to an inability to swim, and that they are capable of rescuing others from drowning.

The Japan Swimming Federation has promoted "Kokumin Kaiei" (All Citizens Must Swim) since before the war, stating its mission to "strive for the spread of swimming, realize universal swimming for the public, and contribute to the maintenance and promotion of health as well as the prevention of water accidents." However, swimming education in our country has continued to focus on the four competitive strokes in pools, which runs contrary to that original intent. As a result, Japan, an island nation, has one of the highest rates of drowning accidents in the world. In recent years, the number of drowning deaths ranks second only to Russia, and continues to show a gradual upward trend.

However, as long as I, a person without disabilities, am writing about people with mental disabilities, I want to avoid writing only stories that are convenient for those without disabilities. In many cases, a "pleasant betrayal" is nothing more than a convenient betrayal that allows the majority—including those without disabilities—to feel as though they have reflected on their own position without their status actually being threatened. As far as I know, learning through fieldwork is not that sweet.

To protect human lives from water accidents, Keio Yochisha Elementary School has incorporated long-distance swimming, 1,000m pool swims, and competitive swimming into its education. Although we have led the way for 35 years with safety swimming lessons such as "clothed swimming" and "water rescue methods" ahead of the rest of society, it did not lead to the complete prevention of water accidents. Therefore, we have systematically compiled knowledge, techniques, and case studies into a book so that anyone, anywhere, can acquire safety swimming skills fairly and correctly. Furthermore, we have implemented an advanced approach by including QR code links to videos that explain the movements.

In recent years, the risk of disasters occurring worldwide has been increasing due to climate change. To protect lives from water accidents and disasters globally and to contribute to the development of "safety swimming," experts in various fields have gathered their wisdom, and we are currently working toward the publication of English and Chinese editions. In this way, I would like you to know that this book represents "Keio University's safety swimming initiatives" as a leader of the whole of society in preparing for and addressing global issues. Looking toward the near future, we will disseminate the insights regarding the "dignity of life" obtained from the systematic content of this book to the entire world. We hope you will pick up this book and enjoy reading it.

Protecting Lives from Water Accidents: The Complete Guide to Safety Swimming

Hideki Fujimoto

Toyokan Publishing

242 pages, 2,310 yen (tax included)

*Affiliations and titles are those at the time of publication.