A comprehensive strategic document presented by the Japan Sports Agency on August 4, 2025, at the "Task Force for Economic Revitalization and Regional Revitalization Using Sports," outlining strategies for regional economic development and social problem-solving through sports utilization.
The document identifies critical challenges facing Japanese communities, including rapid population decline and aging, resulting economic stagnation, reduced community vitality, decreased social connections and recreational opportunities. The task force recognizes sports as a powerful solution due to its unique characteristics: fostering enjoyment, connection, and unity among people; entertainment value and promotional power; brand recognition capabilities; and valuable resources including content, facilities, and fan bases.
Strategic Framework: Sports Innovation Ecosystem
The task force has established the vision of "maximizing sports potential to contribute to regional and social revitalization and problem-solving." The fundamental approach emphasizes creating positive cycles that increase investment in sports and engagement participation, enabling simultaneous growth and development of both the sports industry and regional communities.
To achieve this vision, the strategy focuses on "creating sports innovation ecosystems through new combinations with diverse stakeholders and sectors." This involves expanding recognition of sports' diverse values and possibilities while promoting collaboration and co-creation with various entities including corporations, universities, and local governments.
Current Challenges and Solutions
The document identifies three primary challenges hindering effective sports utilization. Challenge 1 addresses "insufficient recognition of sports value and potential," including limited understanding among sports stakeholders and communities regarding sports' benefits, inadequate utilization knowledge, and insufficient policy support and investment.
Challenge 2 concerns "limited collaboration between sports organizations and corporations/communities." Sports organizations often operate with minimal staff handling both competition management and business operations, lacking personnel and expertise for new initiatives. Social collaboration activities are difficult to monetize and maintain sustainability.
Challenge 3 involves "organizational capacity issues for business expansion and diversification." Regional sports commissions and local organizations typically have weak organizational structures and lack personnel capable of strategic business development and management.
Implementation Strategy and Specific Measures
The initiative aims to create sustainable innovation ecosystems where sports-driven economic and regional revitalization activities develop autonomously, generating bidirectional value circulation between the sports industry and regional communities. Key implementation focuses include strengthening collaboration among diverse stakeholders and sectors through promoting understanding of sports' value and potential, engaging various stakeholders, and developing creative initiatives leveraging regional characteristics.
Priority measures include strengthening functions of intermediate support organizations such as regional sports commissions, expanding investment and partnerships in professional sports and top-level corporate teams, and expanding environments where people can enjoy sports through "participation" and "enabling others to participate."
The document concludes that maximizing sports' multifaceted values will enable simultaneous achievement of regional economic revitalization and social problem-solving through sustainable ecosystem construction.