Home > Policy > White Paper, Notice, Announcement > White Paper > JAPANESE GOVERNMENT POLICIES IN EDUCATION,SCIENCE AND CULTURE1991 > PART PARTA Chapter2 �6

PART SPORTS AND HEALTH

PART A Promotion of Physical Education and Sports

International exchange through sports is a highly significant endeavor. It goes without saying that such exchanges have contributed to the spread and development of the nation's sports and have played an important role in promoting mutual understanding and good will between Japan and other nations.

International exchanges have also contributed to promoting sports in developing countries. International sports exchanges with Japan have become more active every year and exchanges today have undergone a wide range of development extending from first-class athlete to average citizens. Furthermore there is a diversity of types of exchange going on ranging from the previous kind of international exchanges (centered around international athletic events) to newer types of exchange such as sports-related mutual training, research cooperation and grass-roots international exchange in a variety of sports.

According to the October 1991 "Survey on Physical Fitness and Sports," conducted by the Prime Minister's Office, the item "promoting international exchange in sports" as a choice among other items which "the national, prefectural and municipal governments should put effort into from now on," rose from I4.2% in October 1988 to 22.3% in October 1991. This indicates that there is considerable public interest in international sports exchanges and that promotion of such exchange is seen as necessary.

The Ministry in considering the aforementioned significance of international sports exchanges continues to provide necessary support for the following projects by local governments, the Japan Amateur Sports Association, the Japanese Olympic Committee and other organizations. The total funding for these projects for 1992 was one billion, twenty eight million yen.

This refers to grassroots level exchange activities between Japanese local citizens and people from Asian and developing countries carried out by municipalities as a means of furthering mutual goodwill and understanding through sports (sending and inviting people.) This is an expansion of a previous project entitled "Sports Exchange Activities With Asian Countries" which was carried out up until 1990.

As of 1991 25 towns/cities in 20 prefectures including the town of Shibata in Miyagi Prefecture, are carrying out international exchanges with participants from 4 nations; the Republic of Korea, the People's Republic of China and the Philippines and Malaysia in volleyball, table tennis, soccer and other sports.

Example of an actual international sports-for-all exchange project

In 1990, the town of Karasuyama in Tochigi Prefecture held friendship matches in soccer and other events with youth from Malaysia for promoting friendship and mutual understanding through sports. Thirty local youth from seven of the town's schools were selected to play in these friendship matches. Included in this project were a welcome party sponsored by the town and exchange and friendship meetings sponsored by the town's International Exchange Association. Exchange meetings exclusively for children were also part of the activities. These activities helped to create ties of friendship between the children of both countries and served to raise the international consciousness of individual local citizens. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the town sent a group to Malaysia the following year taking up the challenge of further international exchange through sports.

As the governing organization for amateur sports in Japan, the Japan Amateur Sports Association is carrying out international exchange activities from the standpoint of promoting sports among the public.

l) Japan-Asia junior sports exchange meet (Since 1981)

The Japan Amateur Sports Association carries out youth sports exchanges principally with neighboring countries, thus contributing to mutual understanding and improving competitiveness.

2) Programme for study tour group of Japanese sports leaders (Since 1978)

Japan Amateur Sports Association certified coaches and leaders are sent abroad to survey and carry out research on sports related issues, problems and coaching methods, thus contributing to upgrading their quality.

3) Study tour of Asian youth sports leaders in Japan (Since 1991)

The Japan Amateur Sports Association contributes to sports promotion for young people through inviting leaders and coaches from ASEAN and East Asian nations who are helping to develop youth sports related associations offering programs for studying the situation of youth sports in Japan and the activities and organizations of Japan Junior Sports Clubs Association.

4) JASA sport-for-all seminar (Since 1981)

Hosting training seminars for sports staff invited from Asian and other countries thus contributing to strengthening and establishing sports leadership systems in those countries.

The Japanese Olympic Committee (J.O.C.) carries out international exchange projects from the standpoint of strengthening Japanese athletes and heightening the nation's international competitiveness.

l) Projects for international exchange (Since 1957)

The Japanese Olympic Committee is helping to boost the nation's international competitiveness through international athletic events. The Japanese Olympic Committee dispatched athletic teams to the Barcelona Olympic Games and other international athletic events.

2) Dispatching teams (Since 1977) and Inviting Teams (Since 1978)

As a means of strengthening the nation's athletes the Japanese Olympic Committee, in addition to dispatching players and staff overseas to international athletic meets for skills reinforcement, also invites top level foreign athletes and teams from all over the world to Japan for athletic exchange matches for the same purpose.

3) Dispatching Junior athletes (Since 1978)

To help foster and strengthen the rising generation of junior athletes the Japanese Olympic Committee dispatches teams to athletic meets overseas.

4) Hiring expert coaching staff from overseas (Since 1977)

Inviting top-level coaches from around the world for long-term periods introduces expert instructional techniques into Japan and raises the competitive level of Japanese athletes.

5) Overseas training activities for coaches and leaders (Since 1979)

Dispatching young coaches and sports leaders abroad for short term (1 year) or long term (2 year) periods allowing them to study ways of improving the level of their particular sports promotes the development of the rising leaders in Japan's sports world.

6) Dispatching coaches for training (Since 1978)

Sending active "front-line" coaches abroad and having them study and engage in information gathering and analysis serves to upgrade coaching quality.

7) Projects for Olympic solidarity (Since 1992)

Japanese Olympic Committee staff members are sent abroad to provide technical guidance assisting organizational development and management reforms for the Olympic committees of Asian countries.

8) Joint research with cooperating nations

In order to supplement mutual improvements in international competition, Japan is carrying out shared research and study in sports medicine and science with cooperating nations.

A 1990 Ministry survey of the achievements in international sports exchange by the Japan Amateur Sports Association, the Japanese Olympic Committee and other major athletic associations shows that, for that year, 51 associations sent 646 delegations to 57 foreign countries with a total of 7,204 athletes and 2,340 coaches and staff participating. On the receiving side 37 Japanese sports associations hosted 983 delegations from 93 different countries for a total of 5,069 visiting athletes and 2,198 visiting coaches and staff.

In recent years, with national, corporate and other support a large number of international athletic events have been held in Japan primarily through central athletic associations representing their respective sports and through local governments.

In August of 1991 the 3rd IAAF World Championships in Athletics held in Tokyo thrilled the entire nation as a truly memorable event.

Hosting these types of international events makes a significant contribution towards promoting goodwill, sports promotion etc., and also invigorates the public, particularly the upcoming generation who are watching these world class athletes in competition and provides them with material for their future hopes and dreams.

According to the results of the "Survey on Physical Fitness and Sports," conducted by the Prime Minister's Office (October 1991), 86.1% of the respondents answered that "Japan's hosting of the Olympics and other international sports events" was a good thing (this figure represents pooled responses for those who answered "it's a very good thing" 40.5% + it's a good thing" 45.6%). These results indicate positive public support.

In the coming years Japan will play host to the 12th Asian Games (Hiroshima city) in 1994, in 1995 the Universiade (Fukuoka city) and in 1998 the 18th Olympic Winter Games (Nagano city).

As the government recognized the great significance of hosting these kinds of international athletic events, Cabinet approval was given for providing the necessary governmental cooperation for hosting the games. Approval was given in March 1986 for the Hiroshima Asian Games, in June of 1989 for the Nagano Olympic Winter Games and in February 1991 for the Fukuoka Universiade.

Most notably, in support of preparations for the Nagano Olympic Winter Games the Chief Cabinet Secretary and the Minister of Education, Science and Culture were installed as members of the Organizing Committee for the Nagano Olympic Winter Games which was established in November 1991 as a legal corporation. For cooperation in administrative affairs, the Planning Council for the Nagano Olympic Winter Games was established in the Prime Minister's Office as a cooperative system to handle liaison and communications for government policy issues related to the preparation of the Winter Games. This committee consists of permanent Vice-Ministers from Ministries concerned, and the Chief Cabinet Secretary was made it's chairman.

Also, a bill entitled, "Law Regarding Special Measures Required for Necessary Preparations and Management of the Nagano Olympic Winter Games" submitted to the 123rd Session of the Diet was put into law in May of 1992. In regards to funding, one billion one hundred and twenty million yen was appropriated in the fiscal 1992 budget as government subsidies for construction and improvement of athletic facilities.

Furthermore, in January 1992 the Competitive Sports Division within the Bureau of Physical Education and Sports at the Ministry began making organizational arrangements for smooth and efficient management of administrational affairs of the Nagano Olympic Winter Games, the Hiroshima Asian Games and the Fukuoka Universiade. Also the permanent Vice-Minister of Education, Science and Culture was installed as a member of the organizing committees for the Hiroshima Asian Games and the Fukuoka Universiade providing administrational coordination for these games.

In addition, a large number of other future international athletic events are being planned for Japan including the February 1993 Alpine World Ski Championships in the town of Shizukuishi in Iwate Prefecture.