The new year of 2023 has begun. In this new year’s greeting, Sasakawa Sports Foundation president Kazutoshi Watanabe reviews the achievements of the Japanese sports world in 2022 and ponders what the coming year might have in store.
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The new year of 2023 has begun. In this new year’s greeting, Sasakawa Sports Foundation president Kazutoshi Watanabe reviews the achievements of the Japanese sports world in 2022 and ponders what the coming year might have in store.
Happy New Year from all of us at the Sasakawa Sports Foundation.
Last year saw the formulation of Japan's Third Sport Basic Plan. Among the policies listed in the plan to be advanced during the five-year period to 2026, building on the legacy of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games is strongly advocated.
Looking back on the Japanese sports world during 2022, there was no shortage of achievement. Along with as the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games held in Beijing, Japanese athletes reached new heights of excellence at the World Games, winning 33 medals, and the Japanese soccer team impressed at the FIFA World Cup. It seems to me that we are seeing satisfying results from the efforts of various sports associations to improve their programs for cultivating individuals and teams and lay the foundations for competition on the international stage.
On the other hand, the legacy of Tokyo 2020 means more than top athletes competing globally.
The theme of Tokyo 2020 was "Diversity and Inclusion," and work on the three foundational concepts of "Achieving Personal Bests," "Unity in Diversity," and "Connecting to Tomorrow" under the auspices of this vision has only just begun.
From fiscal 2023, responsibility for supervising the sports club activities of secondary schools on weekends and holidays will gradually shift from teachers to local sports clubs and other organizations. This shift is an opportunity to strengthen the sporting environment for children and is sure to prove a major turning point in the sports world, with far-reaching implications for regional sports promotion.
As a think tank where research and engagement are integrated, the SSF believes it is important to closely observe the situation over this 5-year activity period, identify challenges, and offer solutions to national and local government bodies and sport-related organizations. Through the originality and ingenuity of each and every individual in the SSF and our network of excellence, which connects external organizations and networks to amplify their capabilities, we will strive toward resolving social issues and contributing to regional invigoration and development by putting the power of sports to use.
President, Sasakawa Sports Foundation
January 1, 2023
