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Engagement

The Sasakawa Sports Foundation liberally shares the findings of its research activities with local governments, sports organizations, private businesses, and educational institutions, working closely with them to formulate sports promotion policies and organize sports-related initiatives to address societal issues.

We also give great importance to partnering with international organizations, having been a member of TAFISA (The Association For International Sport for All)?with whom we share the “Sports for All” philosophy?since its founding in 1991. We actively collaborate with other, overseas members and have twice hosted the TAFISA World Congress in Japan. And we actively present our research findings on ways to build a healthy and vibrant society, where everyone has opportunities to enjoy sports, at international conferences.

We coordinate all events in Japan for TAFISA-sponsored World Challenge Day, held on the last Wednesday each May to create awareness and enthusiasm for physical activity in communities around the world. These events are opportunities for us to reach out directly to area residents in encouraging physical activity and keeping fit, as well as to explore sports-related approaches to community revitalization. They help us to strengthen our ties with local governments and to support their sports-promotion initiatives through the forging of comprehensive partnership agreements, contributing to their community-building efforts in collaboration with local sports-promotion bodies.

We are engaged in expanding the number of sports volunteers by offering our knowledge of volunteer management and the findings of our research activities to various sports-promotion bodies and building cooperative relations with them. We provide knowhow on facilitating volunteer participation, such as by producing or furnishing video teaching materials, in an effort to develop the human resources to support a broad array of sports activities.

In addition, we organize meetings of local government and other officials responsible for sports policy, as well as of those engaged in disability sports, and conduct regular dialogue with the mayors of municipalities implementing a variety of sports initiatives.

Working with Groups Around the World

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The Sasakawa Sports Foundation is a member of TAFISA (The Association For International Sport for All) and works closely with various domestic and international organizations espousing the “Sports for All” philosophy, coordinating TAFISA-sponsored World Challenge Day events in Japan and presenting SSF research findings at international conferences. We seek to contribute to the building of a healthy and vibrant society where everyone has opportunities to enjoy sports.

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Challenge Day

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Challenge Day in Japan, held on the last Wednesday each May in conjunction with TAFISA’s World Challenge Day, features a variety of sports events aimed at promoting good health among area residents and invigorating local communities. Around half or more of residents from each community participate in these events each year, the legacy of which has become valuable assets for the localities. In addition to coordinating these events, we subsidize a portion of the expenses, as well as providing items used by the organizing staff and sharing knowhow with local organizers.

Year Date Participating communities Total population Number of participants Participation rate (%)
1993 26-May 1 (1 town) 6,873 4,925 71.7
1994 25-May 7 (2 cities, 5 towns) 151,305 70,279 46.4
1995 31-May 12 (2 cities, 10 towns) 173,155 94,329 54.5
1996 29-May 16 (4 cities, 12 towns) 318,301 186,638 58.6
1997 28-May 26 (2 cities, 24 towns) 355,461 249,392 70.2
1998 27-May 35 (6 cities, 27 towns, 2 villages) 646,573 395,558 63.1
1999 26-May 45 (7 cities, 32 towns, 6 villages) 759,919 449,724 59.2
2000 31-May 58 (9 cities, 37 towns, 12 villages) 880,394 565,043 64.2
2001 30-May 62 (11 cities, 37 towns, 14 villages) 1,030,512 657,441 63.8
2002 29-May 82 (14 cities, 49 towns, 19 village) 1,421,384 873,543 61.5
2003 28-May 91 (14 cities, 57 towns, 19 villages, 1 district) 1,534,518 946,019 61.6
2004 26-May 97 (14 cities, 62 towns, 16 villages, 5 district) 1,548,279 983,737 63.5
2005 25-May 77 (12 cities, 36 towns, 7 villages, 22 districts) 1,399,173 792,748 56.7
2006 31-May 93 (17 cities, 28 towns, 7 villages, 41 districts) 2,203,299 957,011 43.4
2007 30-May 92 (16 cities, 25 towns, 5 villages, 46 districts) 1,693,383 871,816 51.5
2008 28-May 109 (23 cities, 28 towns, 6 villages, 52 districts) 2,336,853 1,212,450 51.9
2009 27-May 102 (25 cities, 28 towns, 5 villages, 44 districts) 2,382,899 1,259,719 52.9
2010 26-May 117 (32 cities, 25 towns, 6 villages, 54 districts) 2,729,399 1,425,366 52.2
2011 25-May 103 (30 cities, 22 towns, 7 villages, 44 districts) 2,302,458 1,062,740 46.2
2012 30-May 121 (43 cities, 31 towns, 8 villages, 39 districts) 3,158,631 1,711,874 54.2
2013 29-May 101 (57 cities, 34 towns, 10 villages) 4,107,277 2,053,284 50.0
2014 28-May 118 (64 cities, 43 towns, 11 villages) 4,458,408 2,391,129 53.6
2015 27-May 130 (69 cities, 48 towns, 13 villages) 5,254,533 2,771,720 52.7
2016 25-May 128 (68 cities, 47 towns, 13 villages) 5,381,691 2,923,999 54.3
2017 31-May 128 (63 cities, 1 ward, 51 towns, 13 villages) 5,878,178 3,391,469 57.7
2018 30-May 121 (58 cities, 1 ward, 49 towns, 13 villages) 5,421,606 3,315,699 61.2
2019 29-May 119 (58 cities, 1 ward, 46 towns, 14 villages) 5,200,694 3,065,438 58.9
2020 Cancelled
2021 27-Oct 66 (33 cities, 24 towns, 9 villages) 2,532,116 672,531 26.6
2022 25-May 68 (34 cities, 28 towns, 6 villages) 2,175,832 995,724 45.8
2023 31-May 67 (35 cities, 27 towns, 5 villages) 2,185,181 1,080,566 49.4

Note: Canceled in 2020 and postponed until October in 2021 due to the COVID-19 state of emergency declaration.

Challenge Day Research Reports

  • The Link Between Preparations for and Participation in Local Sports Events: What to Do During the Year to Boost Participation Rates (2019)
  • The Link Between Preparations for and Participation in Local Sports Events (2018)
  • Challenge Day Research on the Implementation Process and Social Impact (2016)
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Working with Local Governments

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To achieve real-world impact through the application of our research-backed policy proposals, we work with local governments and community sports organizations to promote sports-related approaches to community building and revitalization.

Joint Implementation Projects

  • Proposed the establishment of a Regional Sport Management Organization to the city of Kakuda, Miyagi, and its board of education and jointly implements research projects in the city
  • Concluded a sports-promotion partnership agreement with the city of Fukuchiyama, Kyoto, and is advancing sports-related efforts in community-building and revitalization efforts with the city
  • Concluded a Regional Sports Innovator agreement with the Oita Sports Association for the Disabled in May 2018 and conducted numerous joint research projects through March 2021

Meetings with Local Sports Officials

Meetings are held with the sports-promotion officials of communities participating in Challenge Day events. Views and experiences are shared with the aim of formulating sports policies that better reflect the needs of local communities.

  • Fiscal 2020: Second meeting in Maibara, Shiga
  • Fiscal 2019: First meeting in Maibara, Shiga
  • Fiscal 2018: First and second meetings in Tomi, Nagano; first through third meetings in Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido
  • Fiscal 2017: Second meeting in Yonezawa, Yamagata
  • Fiscal 2016: First meeting in Yonezawa, Yamagata
  • Fiscal 2014: First meeting in Higashimatsushima, Miyagi; first and second meetings in Hekinan, Aichi; fourth meeting in Kisarazu, Chiba; fourth meeting in Naruto, Tokushima
  • Fiscal 2013: Third and fourth meetings in Kamitonda, Wakayama; first through third meetings in Kisarazu, Chiba; second meeting in Oga, Akita; first meeting in Kashiwara, Osaka
  • Fiscal 2012: First meeting in Takasu, Hokkaido; first through third meetings in Naruto, Tokushima; first and second meetings in Kamitonda, Wakayama; first meeting in Oga, Akita

Supporting the Formulation of Local Sports-Promotion Plans

The findings of our research activities are applied in assisting local governments formulate sports-promotion and similar plans. We contribute to their community-building and revitalization efforts by helping draft those plans and sharing information.

  • Fiscal 2020: Kamaishi, Iwate; Kakuda, Miyagi; Tokyo Metropolis; Tomi, Nagano; Naruto, Tokushima; Kochi Prefecture
  • Fiscal 2019: Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido; Kamaishi, Iwate; Kakuda, Miyagi; Tokyo Metropolis; Tomi, Nagano; Kochi Prefecture; Kansai Economic Federation and Kansai Association of Corporate Executives
  • Fiscal 2018: Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido; Sendai, Miyagi; Kakuda, Miyagi; Tomi, Nagano; Fukuchiyama, Kyoto; Hiroshima Prefecture; Kochi Prefecture
  • Fiscal 2017: Kakuda, Miyagi; Fukuchiyama, Kyoto; Kochi Prefecture
  • Fiscal 2016: Kakuda, Miyagi; Kodaira, Tokyo; Himi, Toyama; Kochi Prefecture
  • Fiscal 2015: Kochi Prefecture
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Working with Educational Institutions

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We share our knowhow of volunteer management with various universities to support their educational efforts to develop sports volunteers. We work with the Japan Sports Volunteer Network (JSVN) to produce or furnish video teaching materials in an effort to develop the human resources to support a broad array of sports activities.

  • Concluded an agreement on courses to develop sports volunteers with Waseda University and the JSVN, aimed at communicating the rewards of volunteering?one of the many ways to enjoy sports?and building a rich sports culture in Japan
  • Concluded an agreement on courses to develop sports volunteers with Asia University and to share our volunteer development knowhow with students
  • Concluded an agreement on courses to develop sports volunteers with Juntendo University and to share our volunteer development knowhow with students in the Faculty of Health and Sports Science
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Working with Sports-Promotion Organizations

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We share our knowhow of volunteer management at sporting and other events and the accumulated findings of our research into volunteering to build cooperative relations with a variety of sports-promotion organizations.

  • Concluded an agreement to promote volunteer activities with the Tokyo Marathon Foundation and the JSVN, aimed at fostering a culture enabling easy, ongoing access to the joys of volunteering
  • Concluded an agreement to promote volunteer activities with the Japan Sport Association and the JSVN, aimed at fostering a volunteer-friendly culture by expanding the number of and opportunities for sports volunteers
  • Concluded a partnership agreement with the Organizing Committee of the World Masters Games 2021 Kansai and the JSVN, aimed at building a cooperative relationship for the successful hosting of the World Masters Games Kansai
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TAFISA Members

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TAFISA Member Organizations (As of December 3, 2021)

http://tafisa.org/national-members

National Members: This list was made with reference to the official TAFISA website.

Total Africa Americas Asia/Oceania Europe
208 35 47 65 61

National Members: This list was made with reference to the official TAFISA website.

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