The autonomy of the sports industry should be respected in efforts to promote sports, and it is imperative for the national government to cooperate and collaborate in its effort to promote sports in Japan in sound partnership with private sports associations and relevant parties involved in sports promotions.

 In this context, sports associations - including the Japan Sports Association, JOC and other umbrella organizations - are expected to make voluntary initiatives with an aim to promoting sports, while the national government will take measures to develop the financial, institutional and legislative framework, as follows:

1. Efficient utilization of the national sports promotion fund

 In order to promote the implementation of this Strategy, it is important to secure financial resources for sports promotions.  In this context, efforts will be made to increase the capital sum of the national sports promotion fund and sports promotion lottery sales through creation of a culture of giving.  The roles of government funds and subsidies from the national sports promotion fund and the sports promotion lottery will be clearly divided, thereby upgrading these financial resources and making use of them in an effective and efficient manner.

 Specifically, in relation to government funds, measures the implementation of which would be the responsibility of the national government (e.g. to strengthen the national team, build infrastructure for community sports, upgrade physical education courses at school, etc.) will be implemented, while the subsidies from the fund and the lottery will be consolidated into the “sports promotions subsidies” (provisional title).

 In addition, with regard to the sports promotion lottery, measures will be taken to make effective use of this invaluable financial resource for sports promotions and to widely inform the general public of the fact that the sports promotion lottery is capital to support sports.

 Furthermore, the purpose and the allocation of these financial resources will be reviewed in order to restructure the subsidy mechanisms by, for example, using the fund as a stable financial source to provide continuous subsidy to individuals.

2. Organizational structure to promote the comprehensive national sports policy

(1) Consider a comprehensive structure for sports administration

a Set up a new liaison meeting to coordinate the work of relevant government ministries and agencies, so as to implement comprehensive sports promotion measures that take account of the needs of those directly involved in sports promotions.  

b Consider the validity of a “sports agency” in a review of administrative structure of the national government.

(2) Upgrade the support functions and the structure of the National Agency for the Advancement of Sports and Health (NAASH)

 In order to contribute to cooperation and collaboration within the sports industry as a whole, human and material resources at NAASH (researchers, facilities and equipment including research and training equipment) as well as its subsidy granting functions (subsidies from the national sports promotion fund and the sports promotion lottery) will be fully taken advantage of.  Its organizational structure will be reviewed in order to coordinate its resources and functions, thereby ensuring its operation in an integrated and efficient manner.  Furthermore, the structure of NAASH will be restructured in such a way as to smoothly reflect the views and opinions of relevant parties as a central organization to provide support for the sports industry, by setting up a conference of the sports industry to be composed of representatives of the Japan Sports Association, JOC and other relevant organizations.

3. Formulation of the Basic Sports Act and related legislation

(1) Consider the formulation of the Basic Sports Act

 Review of the “Sports Promotion Act” introduced a half century ago and consider the formulation of the “Basic Sports Act” that should provide a basis for new policies.

(2) Review relevant laws and regulations

 Alongside the consideration of the formulation of the “Basic Sports Act” and the review of financial resources for sports promotions, efforts will be made to review, as necessary, the Act on the National Agency for the Advancement of Sports and Health and the Act on Carrying Out, etc. Sports Promotion Vote.

4. Future activities

 In the future, efforts will be made to consider the formulation of the “Basic Sports Act”  in reference to this Strategy.  Measures to be implanted on a short term basis will be reflected in the fiscal 2011 budget request to be produced based on the strategic financial management as well as in the portfolio of subsidies from the sports promotion lottery and the national sports promotion fund.

 With regard to measures to be implemented on a mid- to long-term basis, the specific implementation timetable will be set out in the new Basic Plan for the Promotion of Sports to be formulated in the future.