By Retta Race on SwimSwam
24-year-old Olympic silver medalist Tomoru Honda of Japan will no longer be racing at the Pan Pacific Championships or the Asian Games due to being involved in a criminal driving offense.
Honda was indicted for violating the Act on Punishment of Offenses Relating to Driving, a condition that typically involves dangerous driving causing injury. (Chunichi Sports)
The incident reportedly took place in November of 2025, yet was not brought to the Japanese Swimming Federation (JASF) until last month.
The JASF released a comprehensive statement on its official website on Friday, August 7th, writing, “We would like to express our sincere gratitude for your continued understanding and support of our federation’s activities.
“We would like to inform you that Mr. Tomoru Honda, a member of the Japanese national swimming team of our federation, was indicted on charges of dangerous driving causing injury after causing a traffic accident while driving her private vehicle, and that this matter was reported to our federation a considerable time after the incident and the indictment.
“First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest sympathies to the injured victims and sincerely apologize to all those involved for the great concern and inconvenience caused.
“Furthermore, we take very seriously the delay in becoming aware of and reporting this matter, as we are a public interest corporation that has a responsibility to be accountable to society, and we sincerely apologize.
“Upon receiving a report on this matter, our federation immediately confirmed the facts and has since held careful discussions and deliberations. As a result, in light of the seriousness of this matter, we have determined that it is not appropriate for Mr. Honda to continue his activities as a representative athlete representing Japan in international multi-sport competitions. After consulting with Mr. Honda herself, we have decided to withdraw him from the Pan Pacific Championships and the 20th Asian Games.
“Please note that we will refrain from disclosing details of this case out of consideration for the protection of the victim’s privacy and the procedures of the relevant authorities. We will inform you again if any matters that should be disclosed become apparent in the future. We appreciate your understanding.
“As a public interest corporation that should earn the trust of society through sports, our federation takes this matter very seriously. Moving forward, we will proceed with the necessary procedures, including deliberations by our Ethics Committee, and further strengthen compliance education for athletes and coaches to prevent recurrence and restore trust. We also strongly expect Mr. Honda to take this matter seriously, to respond sincerely to the victim, and to work diligently to restore trust from society.”
Honda took to social media as well, posting on Instagram, “First and foremost, I would like to express my deepest sympathies and apologies to the victim who was injured in the incident I caused, as well as to their family. I also offer my profound apologies to everyone who has supported me—including my sponsors and all other associated parties—for the great concern and trouble I have caused.
“Furthermore, I deeply regret the significant delay in reporting the incident and my subsequent indictment to my employer and the Japan Swimming Federation; this delay resulted in further trouble and concern for the many people involved. Consequently, I have decided to withdraw from competing in meets and participating in national training camps for the time being.
“I am deeply sorry for my thoughtless actions, which inflicted sudden, intense fear upon the victim, disrupting their peaceful daily life, and caused physical injury and suffering. Moving forward, I will prioritize acting sincerely toward the victim and earnestly reflect on my responsibility.
“I am committed to re-examining my conduct and striving to act responsibly in every aspect, in hopes of regaining even a measure of the public’s trust. Please understand that, as criminal proceedings are currently underway, I must refrain from commenting on the specific details of the incident. I offer my sincerest apologies. August 7, 2026 — Tomoru Honda.”
Honda won gold in the men’s 200m butterfly at the 2024 World Championships and earned silver in the event at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. He is the reigning short course meters 200 butterfly world record holder and a three-time Asian Games medalist.
He isn’t the first man to be booted off the Pan Pacific Championships and Asian Games squad. We reported this past May how 24-year-old Riku Matsuyama was withdrawn from the competitions, with the backstroker being found in violation of ethics rules.
Toshiaki Kurasawa, Acting Swimming Committee Chairman within the JASF, said at the time about Matsuyama, “During the first training camp in March, there was an act that violated the code of conduct.
“I will refrain from giving details for the sake of his reputation, but we take the matter very seriously.”
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