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The percentage of people who attended a live sporting event at the stadium or arena in the past year was 19.3%. In terms of gender comparison, 23.2% of males was 7.8 points higher than 15.4% of females.
The Sasakawa Sports Foundation has been conducting the National Sports-Life Survey in Japan.
The percentage of people who attended a live sporting event at the stadium or arena in the past year was 19.3%. In terms of gender comparison, 23.2% of males was 7.8 points higher than 15.4% of females.
This trend of males with more attendance to a live sporting event than females has remained unchanged since the first survey of this item in 1994.
The rate of live sports spectating at the stadium or arena was the highest at 30.7% in the 18-19 age group, followed by 23.9% in the 40-49 age group, 20.8% in the 30-39 age group, 20.3% in the 20-29 age group. Those aged 50 and over showed a relatively low percentage of less than 20.0%: 18.3% in the 50-59 age group, 16.0% in the 60-69 age group, and 14.6% in the 70 and over age group.
“Professional baseball (NPB)” recorded the highest attendance rate at 8.7%. It was followed by “Professional football (J.LEAGUE)” at 3.0%, “High school baseball” at 2.8%, “Football (high school, university, JFL, WE LEAGUE, etc.)” at 1.3%, and “Professional basketball (B.LEAGUE)” at 1.0%. These were the top 5 sports with the highest attendance rate.
| Total (n=3,000) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Types of sports | Attendance rate (%) |
① Estimated spectators (in 10,000s) |
② Frequency (times/year) |
③ Estimated annual total (① × ②) (in 10,000s) |
| 1 | Professional baseball (NPB※) | 8.7 | 917 | 2.74 | 2,513 |
| 2 | Professional football (J.LEAGUE) | 3.0 | 316 | 2.93 | 926 |
| 3 | High school baseball | 2.8 | 295 | 3.29 | 971 |
| 4 | Football (high school, university, JFL, WE LEAGUE, etc.) | 1.3 | 137 | 3.49 | 478 |
| 5 | Professional basketball (B.LEAGUE) | 1.0 | 105 | 2.50 | 263 |
Note: The estimated number of spectators was calculated by multiplying the total population of individuals aged 18 and over (105,448,713 people according to the basic resident register as of January 1, 2021) by the percentage of each attendance rate.
※NPB: Nippon Professional Baseball
The 2022 SSF National Sports-Life Survey
For both males and females, “Professional baseball (NPB)” recorded the highest attendance rate at 11.6% and 5.8% respectively. It was followed by “High school baseball” at 4.2% and “Professional football (J.LEAGUE)” at 3.9% for males, while it was followed by “Professional football (J.LEAGUE)” at 2.0% and “High school baseball” at 1.5% for females.
Aside from baseball, football, and basketball, “Martial arts (boxing, mixed martial arts, etc.)” was ranked in the top 5 for males for the first time since the survey started.
| Male (n = 1,503) | Female (n = 1,497) | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Types of sports |
Attendance rate (%) |
Rank | Types of sports |
Attendance rate (%) |
| 1 | Professional baseball (NPB※) | 11.6 | 1 | Professional baseball (NPB※) | 5.8 |
| 2 | High school baseball | 4.2 | 2 | Professional football (J.LEAGUE) | 2.0 |
| 3 | Professional football (J.LEAGUE) | 3.9 | 3 | High school baseball | 1.5 |
| 4 | Professional basketball (B.LEAGUE) | 1.4 | 4 | Football (high school, university, JFL, WE LEAGUE, etc.) | 1.2 |
| 5 | Martial arts (boxing, mixed martial arts, etc.) | 1.3 | 5 | Basketball (high school, university, W LEAGUE, etc.) | 1.0 |
| Football (high school, university, JFL, WE LEAGUE, etc.) | 1.3 | ||||
※NPB: Nippon Professional Baseball
The 2022 SSF National Sports-Life Survey
Regarding sports that were watched on TV in the past year, the most popular was “Professional baseball (NPB)” at 46.0%, followed by “Japan national football team games (including the Olympics and Nadeshiko Japan)” at 36.8%, “Marathon/Ekiden road relay” at 34.8%, “High school baseball” at 33.9%, and “Figure skating” at 30.2%.
For males, “Professional baseball (NPB)” was the most watched on TV at 55.9%, followed by “Japan national football team games (including the Olympics and Nadeshiko Japan)” at 42.6%, and “High school baseball” at 37.1%. On the other hand, for females, “Figure skating” was the most watched at 42.4%, followed by “Professional baseball (NPB)” at 36.0%, and “Marathon/Ekiden road relay” at 35.1%.
| Total （n=3,000） | Male（n=1,503） | Female（n=1,497） | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rank | Types of sports | Viewing rate (%) | Rank | Types of sports | Viewing rate (%) | Rank | Types of sports | Viewing rate (%) |
| 1 | Professional baseball (NPB※) | 46.0 | 1 | Professional baseball (NPB※) | 55.9 | 1 | Figure skating | 42.4 |
| 2 | Japan national football team games (including the Olympics and Nadeshiko Japan) | 36.8 | 2 | Japan national football team games (including the Olympics and Nadeshiko Japan) | 42.6 | 2 | Professional baseball (NPB※) | 36.0 |
| 3 | Marathon/Ekiden road relay | 34.8 | 3 | High school baseball | 37.1 | 3 | Marathon/Ekiden road relay | 35.1 |
| 4 | High school baseball | 33.9 | 4 | Marathon/Ekiden road relay | 34.5 | 4 | Japan national football team games (including the Olympics and Nadeshiko Japan) | 30.9 |
| 5 | Figure skating | 30.2 | 5 | Major League Baseball (MLB) | 31.0 | 5 | High school baseball | 30.7 |
| Didn't watch any sports on TV | 20.3 | Didn't watch any sports on TV | 16.6 | Didn't watch any sports on TV | 24.0 | |||
※NPB: Nippon Professional Baseball
※2 Nadeshiko Japan: Women's national team
The 2022 SSF National Sports-Life Survey
In order to understand the levels of participation in sports and physical activities by Japanese, the Sasakawa Sports Foundation (SSF) has examined the statistical data gathered through the “SSF National Sports-Life Survey”, which has been conducted every other year since 1992. This survey measures the number of people aged 18 and over taking part in sports and physical activities across Japan in terms of frequencies, duration, and intensity. People take part in sports and physical activities in different ways, with many doing a range of activities including sports spectating and sports volunteering.
1） Population: People aged 18 and over who live in Japan
2） Sample size: 3,000
3） Number of locations: 300 (90 in metro areas; 122 in cities with a population of over 100,000 people; 64 in cities with a population of less than 100,000 people; 24 in towns and villages)
4） Extracting method: Quota method
June 10th - July 10th, 2022
Leaving method:
The survey officials visit respondents, distributing a paper-based questionnaire and having the respondents fill out the questionnaire within a certain period. Then, the survey officials return to the respondents to collect the questionnaire.
| 3,000 | Male : 1,503, Female : 1,497 | |
|---|---|---|
| 18・19 years old | 75 | Male : 41, Female : 34 |
| 20-29 | 374 | Male : 193, Female : 181 |
| 30-39 | 437 | Male : 223, Female : 214 |
| 40-49 | 582 | Male : 299, Female : 283 |
| 50-59 | 529 | Male : 267, Female : 262 |
| 60-69 | 489 | Male : 241, Female : 248 |
| 70 and over | 514 | Male : 239, Female : 275 |
This survey measures a wide range of sporting activities including fitness activities, Strolling/Walking/Cycling for leisure or travel and dance.The school PE classes were excluded whilst sports club activities at schools and workplaces were included.
Estimated sports participants are calculated by applying the rate of regular sports and physical activities participation over the past year to the total population of those 18 and over (105,448,713 people in Japan).
In this survey, the participation in sports and physical activities are divided into the following levels; “Level 0” for those who did not participate in any sports or physical activities for the past year; “Level 1” for those who participated at least once during the year, but less than twice a week; “Level 2” for those who participated at least twice a week; “Level 3” for those who participated at least twice a week with a duration of “more than 30 minutes”; and “Level 4” for those who participated at least twice a week, duration of “more than 30 minutes”, and with more than moderate intensity.
Upon request, we will provide raw data (including cross-tabulation results, text in Japanese only) from every National Sports-Life Survey taken to date. Interested parties should contact the SSF through the link below.
