JAPAN and the WORLD Magazine OCTOBER ISSUE 2016 #Issue 17

SPORT FOR TOMORROW HEALTH 日本政府によるスポーツを通じた国際貢献事業 SPORT FOR TOMORROW AND JAPAN’S GLOBAL HEALTH INITIATIVE INTRODUCTION Time for sport and health is becoming rare in Japan. Adults are working longer hours and children spend more time than ever in school. On top of that, adults and children alike are spending more time entertaining themselves with electronics or being indoors. The government of Japan wants to see this change and is spreading word of the importance of sports and health. 日本では、スポーツと健康のための活動に割く時間が減りつつある。大人は長時間働き、子どもはかつてないほど長い時間を学校で過ごしているうえ、大人も子どもも電子機器で遊んだり、屋内で過ごしたりする時間が増えているからだ。日本政府はこの状況を変えようと、スポーツと健康の重要性を広く呼びかけている。 F rom now until the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the Japanese government, along with a consortium of Non- Government Organizations, will be running the Sport for Tomorrow initiative. The goal of the initiative is to promote the benefits of playing sports and intercultural exchange. The initiative also entails the offering of courses in sports management to foreign students in Japan and anti-doping agency funding. The Japanese government is not only promoting sport internationally, but domestically as well. Facing a rapidly aging population, promoting sport and exercise will be integral in maintaining the health of Japanese citizens as they get older. 18 // OCTOBER 2016 Dr. Yuichi Ando Chairman, Institute of Global Medical Sports Science. According to a recent Japanese government white paper, around 22.7% of Japanese companies have employees working about 50 hours a week or more and this is an overwork average that exceeds any other developed nations. The Japanese government is not only promoting sport internationally, but domestically as well. Facing a rapidly aging population, promoting sport and exercise will be integral in maintaining the health of Japanese citizens as they get older. For a long time, it has not been uncommon to see coordinated stretch and exercise routines being done by employees in suits first thing in the morning, before starting a long shift. The exercise is important because the amount of hours many Japanese employees work and their resulting stress have been found to have incredibly negative effects on the employee’s mental and physical health. According to a recent Japanese government white paper, around 22.7% of Japanese companies have employees working about 50 hours a week or more and this is an overwork average that exceeds any other developed nation’s. The Japanese government has recognized this issue and is working to promote less work hours and more holidays, plus getting workers to be active and engage in sports to increase health and reduce stress. Thanks to coordinated promotional efforts by the Japanese government, it is now becoming common to see groups of elders, out exercising together in public first thing in the morning. It is believed that the promotion of exercise in the workplace and in retirement has helped to contribute to the life longevity that many Japanese attain. JAPAN AND THE WORLD MAGAZINE

JAPAN and the WORLD Magazine OCTOBER ISSUE 2016 #Issue 17 | Page 18