Table of contents
Introduction

Methods



Results

About SSF

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Since 2001, the Sasakawa Sports Foundation (SSF) has conducted its Sports-Life Survey of Ages 10
to 19 on children in Japan, with the goal of achieving “Sport for Everyone” by understanding exercise andIntroduction

sports participation of children during after-school periods and on holidays as well as sports environments
surrounding these children. In 2009, the SSF also began conducting the Sports-Life Survey of Ages 4 to 9
on young children in order to better ascertain the factors that lead to the polarization of exercise and sports
participation observed in those aged 10 - 19 and the turning points for such phenomenon.
From the 2017 survey, the target age groups were newly categorized into those aged 4 -11 and those
aged 12 -21; these surveys have been conducted every two years on exercise and sports participation ofpreschool through university-age in Japan.

1) Population:2) Sample numbers:

Methods

4-21 year olds living in Japan[4-11 year olds] 2,400[12-21 year olds] 3,000
3) Locations:
225 (207 urban areas and 18 rural areas)4) Extraction method: 2-staged stratified random sampling5) Survey methods:
Leaving method
6) Survey period:
June-July 2023
7) Collected questionnaires (rate): [4-11 year olds] 1,350 (56.3%)
			 [12-21 year olds] 1,495 (49.8%)
8) Survey contents:
Frequencies, time, and intensity of exercise and sports participation, sports facilities, sports
teams/clubs, liking for exercise and sports participation, sports spectating, favorite athletes,
sports volunteering, status of physical activities of daily living, sleeping time, media usage time(screen time), and frequencies of exercise, sports, and physical play with family, etc.
9) Scope of exercise and sports:
Activities and free play after kindergarten or preschool, as well as school club activities andactivities during recess periods, are included. However, lessons at kindergarten, preschool, or
school are not included, nor are school events such as sports days or race tournaments.

The 2023 SSF National Sports-Life Survey of Children and Young People Executive Summary

1Result

1

Frequencies of exercise and sports participation■ 4-11 year olds

【Table 1】Exercise and sports participation
frequency groups (4-11 year olds)
Frequency
Non-participationgroup
Low frequency
group【Fig.1】Annual trends in exercise and sports participation frequency groups(4-11 year olds)
Non-participation
group

Standards
Non-participation
for the past year
(0 time/year)
At least once a year but lessthan 3 times a week
(1-155 times/year)

Moderatefrequencygroup

At least 3 times a week but
less than 7 times a week
(156-363 times/year)

High frequency
group

At least 7 times a week
(364 or more times/year)

Overall 2019 (n=1,538) 3.1 16.4

Boys

Girls

Moderate frequency
group

High frequency
group

35.0

45.5

2021 (n=1,496) 3.1

17.1

34.4

45.4

2023 (n=1,350) 3.4

18.6

34.7

43.3

2019 (n=792) 2.4 14.9

34.8

47.9

2021 (n=750) 3.9

15.1

34.8

46.3

2023 (n=701) 3.3

16.5

33.2

46.9

2019 (n=746) 3.8

18.1

35.1

43.0

2021 (n=746) 2.4

19.2

33.9

44.5

2023 (n=649) 3.5

20.8

0

2

Low frequency
group

36.2
20

40

39.4
60

80

100 (%)

Source: 2023 Sasakawa Sports Foundation National SportsLife Survey of Ages 4 to 11

Source: 2023 Sasakawa Sports Foundation National Sports-Life Survey of Ages 4 to 11

The 4-11 year old group was divided into 4 groupsof “Non-participation group”, “Low frequency group”,“Moderate frequency group”, and “High frequency
group” based on standards set from exercise and sports
participation frequency over the past year (Table 1).

Annual trends in exercise and sports participation frequency groups (ages 4-11) are indicated in Figure 1.
At 43.3% overall, the high frequency group was the most common in the 2023 survey, followed by themoderate frequency group (34.7%), the low frequency group (18.6%), and the non-participation group(3.4%). The percentage of the high frequency group showed a decrease of 2.1 points from the 2021 survey.
Regarding the percentages by gender, the high frequency group was 46.9% for boys, which was 7.5
points higher than 39.4% for girls. The percentage of the high frequency group for boys was little changed
from the 2021 survey, whereas the percentage for girls decreased by 5.1 points. Since 2019, the trend
continues with a higher percentage of the high frequency group for boys than for girls.

The 2023 SSF National Sports-Life Survey of Children and Young People Executive Summary

Frequencies of exercise and sports participation■ 12-21 year olds
【Table 2】Exercise and sports participationlevels (12-21 year olds)
Level【Fig.2】Annual trends in exercise and sports participation levels(12-21 year olds)

Standards0

Non-participation for the past year
(0 time/year)

1

At least once a year but less than oncea week (1-51 times/year)

2

At least once a week but less than 5 times
a week (52-259 times/year)

3

At least 5 times a week(260 times or more/year)

4

At least 5 times a week (260 times ormore/year) with a duration of 120 minutes,
and with more than moderate intensity

Level 0Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Level 4Overall 2019 (n=1,675)

21.7

15.1

20.3

18.2

24.7

2021 (n=1,663)

19.7

14.9

21.8

21.9

21.8

2023 (n=1,495)

20.7

16.0

Boys

Girls

22.3

21.4

19.6

2019 (n=875)

15.7

13.9

19.9

19.2

31.3

2021 (n=840)

14.5

13.5

22.0

21.7

28.3

2023 (n=763)

17.4

14.8

22.8

2019 (n=800)

28.32021 (n=823)

24.9

16.3

2023 (n=732)

24.2

17.2

0

16.4

20

40

22.3
20.8

22.7
17.1

17.5

21.5

22.2

15.1

21.7

20.5

16.4

60

80

100 (%)

Source: 2023 Sasakawa Sports Foundation National SportsLife Survey of Ages 12 to 21

Source: 2023 Sasakawa Sports Foundation National Sports-Life Survey of Ages 12 to 21

The 12-21 year old group was classified into 5 levels
from level 0 to level 4 based on standards set fromexercise and sports participation frequency, time, andintensity over the past year (Table 2).

Annual trends in exercise and sports participation levels (ages 12-21) are indicated in Figure 2.
The overall rates in the 2023 survey were 20.7% for Level 0, 16.0% for Level 1, 22.3% for Level 2,
21.4% for Level 3, and 19.6% for Level 4. Level 4, which represents those who had a higher frequency withat least 120 minutes at a time and at least moderate intensity than other levels, was on a downward trend.
Regarding the rates by gender, Level 2 was the highest for boys at 22.8%, whereas Level 0 was thehighest for girls at 24.2%. Annual trends show that Level 4 has continued to decrease since the 2019 survey
for boys, whereas Level 0 has decreased since the 2019 survey for girls.

The 2023 SSF National Sports-Life Survey of Children and Young People Executive Summary

3

Result

2

Exercise and sports types【Table 3】Exercise and sports types often carried out over the past year (multiple answers were allowed.)
4-11 year olds (n=1,304)
Types of exercise/sports

Rank

12-21 year olds (n=1,185)
Percentage
Rank
(%)

Types of exercise/sports

Percentage
(%)

1

Tag

57.2

1

Badminton

20.3

2

Dodgeball

32.0

2

Basketball

20.2

3

Swimming

31.4

3

Jogging/running

18.5

4

Bicycle riding

29.4

4

Walking

18.3

5

Swings28.9

5

Soccer

18.1

Soccer25.4

6Muscle training

17.1

Jump rope (including long jump rope)

25.4

7

Volleyball

15.7

8

Hide-and-seek

17.9

8

Table tennis

13.2

9

Iron bar

17.2

9Baseball

11.0

10

Race

14.2

10

Tag

10.4

6

Source: 2023 Sasakawa Sports Foundation National Sports-Life Survey of Ages 4 to 11 and National Sports-Life Survey of Ages 12 to 21

Table 3 indicates the top 10 exercise or sports activities

carried out often (on many occasions) in the past year.
For the 4-11 year old group, “Tag” was the highest at 57.2%,
followed by “Dodgeball” at 32.0%, “Swimming” at 31.4%,

4

The 2023 SSF National Sports-Life Survey of Children and Young People Executive Summary“Bicycle riding” at 29.4%, and “Swings” at 28.9%.
For the 12-21 year old group, “Badminton” was in the firstplace at 20.3%, followed by “Basketball” at 20.2%, “Jogging/running” at 18.5%, “Walking” at 18.3%, and “Soccer” at 18.1%.

Result

Sports teams/clubs■ 4-11 year olds

■ 12-21 year olds

【Fig.3】Participation rates in sports teams/clubs(4-11 year olds)【Fig.4】Participation rates in sports teams/clubs(12-21 year olds)

Overall

Overall59.6(n=1,331)

Boys(n=692)

Girls

Boys

0

20

40

60

50.8

(n=744)

Girls

52.7

(n=639)44.1(n=1,464)

65.9

37.2

(n=720)80 (%)

3

0

20

40

60

80 (%)*1) Including school club activities, sports teams, private sports teams/clubs (swimming,
gymnastics, etc.), community sports teams/clubs (youth sports team, sports classes,etc.).

*1) Including school club activities, sports teams, private sports teams/clubs (swimming,
gymnastics, etc.), community sports teams/clubs (youth sports team, sports classes,etc.).

Source: 2023 Sasakawa Sports Foundation National Sports-Life Survey of Ages 4 to 11

Source: 2023 Sasakawa Sports Foundation National Sports-Life Survey of Ages 12 to 21

The participation rates in sports teams/clubs for ages 4-11 are indicated in
Figure 3.
The overall rate of participation in sports teams/clubs for ages 4-11 was
59.6%. Regarding the rates by gender, boys had a participation rate of 65.9%
and girls had a participation rate of 52.7%.

The participation rates in sports teams/clubs for ages 12-21 are shown in
Figure 4.
The overall rate of participation in sports teams/clubs for ages 12-21 was
44.1%. For boys, the participation rate was 50.8%, which was 13.6 points
higher than 37.2% for girls.

The 2023 SSF National Sports-Life Survey of Children and Young People Executive Summary

5Result

4

Liking for exercise and sports participation【Fig.5】Liking for exercise and sports participation

I like doing exercise
and sports

If I had to choose, I would
say I like doing exercise
and sports

4-11 year olds

If I had to choose, I would
say I do not like doing
exercise and sports

26.5

64.1

(n=1,345)

I do not like doing
exercise and sports

7.3
2.1

12-21 year olds

33.3

44.3

(n=1,486)

0

20

40

60

15.4
80

7.0
100 (%)

Source: 2023 Sasakawa Sports Foundation National Sports-Life Survey of Ages 4 to 11 and National Sports-Life Survey of Ages 12 to 21

The rates of liking and disliking for exercise and sports
participation are indicated in Figure 5.
For ages 4-11, “I like doing exercise and sports” was 64.1%;“If I had to choose, I would say I like doing exercise and sports”
was 26.5%; “If I had to choose, I would say I do not likedoing exercise and sports” was 7.3%; and “I do not like doing
exercise and sports” was 2.1%.

6

The 2023 SSF National Sports-Life Survey of Children and Young People Executive Summary

For ages 12-21, “I like doing exercise and sports” was

44.3%, followed by “If I had to choose, I would say I like doing
exercise and sports” at 33.3%, “If I had to choose, I would say
I do not like doing exercise and sports” at 15.4%, and “I do not
like doing exercise and sports” at 7.0%.

Sports spectating■ 12-21 year olds

Result5【Fig.6】Rates of live sports viewing at the venue (12-21 year olds)

Overall

29.6(n=1,435)

Boys

33.0

(n=727)

Girls

26.1

(n=708)

0

10

20

30

40 (%)

Source: 2023 Sasakawa Sports Foundation National Sports-Life Survey of Ages 12 to 21

The rates of live sports viewing at the venue for ages 1221 are shown in Figure 6.
Overall, 29.6% of survey respondents watched a sports
match at a gymnasium, stadium, or other facilities in the past
year. This rate increased by 11.2 points from 18.4% in the2021 survey.

In terms of the rates by gender, 33.0% of boys and26.1% of girls watched a sporting event, with boys

exceeding girls by 6.9 points. This tendency of boys with ahigher rate of live sports viewing at the venue than girls hasremained unchanged since the first survey of this item in
2001.

The 2023 SSF National Sports-Life Survey of Children and Young People Executive Summary

7

Result

5Sports spectating■ 12-21 year olds
【Table 4】Types of sports viewed live at the venue (12-21 year olds) (multiple answers were allowed.)
Rank

Overall

Types of sports

Boys

(%)

Girls

(n=1,435)(n=727)(n=708)

10.9

12.5

9.2

1

Professional baseball (Nippon Professional Baseball)

2

High school baseball

4.9

5.1

4.7

3

Japan Professional Football League (J1, J2, and J3 Leagues)

4.5

7.0

2.0

4

Soccer (high school, university, JFL, etc.)

3.2

3.7

2.7

5

Professional basketball (B.LEAGUE)

2.7

2.9

2.5

70.4

67.0

73.9

I have not watched a sports match at the venue live
Source: 2023 Sasakawa Sports Foundation National Sports-Life Survey of Ages 12 to 21

Table 4 reveals the types of sports that were viewed live at thevenue by the 12-21 age group.
Overall, “Professional baseball (Nippon Professional Baseball)”
had the highest viewing rate at 10.9%, followed by “High school
baseball” at 4.9%, “Japan Professional Football League (J1, J2, andJ3 Leagues)” at 4.5%, “Soccer (high school, university, JFL, etc.)”

8

The 2023 SSF National Sports-Life Survey of Children and Young People Executive Summary

at 3.2%, and “Professional basketball (B.LEAGUE)” at 2.7%. For
both boys and girls, “Professional baseball (Nippon Professional
Baseball)” had the highest viewing rate, 12.5% for boys and 9.2%
for girls, followed by “Japan Professional Football League (J1, J2,
and J3 Leagues)” at 7.0% for boys and “High school baseball” at
4.7% for girls.

Sports spectating■ 12-21 year olds
【Fig.7】Rates of sports viewing via media (12-21 year olds)

Overall

71.7(n=1,483)

Boys

77.7

(n=757)

Girls

65.6

(n=726)

0

20

40

60

80

100 (%)*1) Includes sports viewing through media such as television, smartphones, tablets, PCs, etc.
Source: 2023 Sasakawa Sports Foundation National Sports-Life Survey of Ages 12 to 21

The rates of sports viewing via media for ages 12-21 are
indicated in Figure 7.
Overall, 71.7% of survey respondents watched a sports
match using a television, smartphone, or other forms of

media in the past year. Regarding the rates by gender,
77.7% of boys and 65.6% of girls watched a sports match,with boys outnumbering girls by 12.1 points. This trend has
not changed since the survey was first conducted in 2013.

The 2023 SSF National Sports-Life Survey of Children and Young People Executive Summary

9Result

6Sports volunteering■ 12-21 year olds

【Fig.8】Sports volunteering rates (12-21 year olds)【Fig.9】Sports volunteer activities (12-21 year olds)(multiple answers were allowed.)
n=166

OverallSports instruction or
helping with sports
instruction

11.2(n=1,486)

Boys

Referee or helping
the referee

12.4(n=758)

Girls
0

5

10

42.8

Helping witha sporting event

9.9(n=728)49.4

15 (%)

31.9
0

20

40

60 (%)

Source: 2023 Sasakawa Sports Foundation National Sports-Life Survey of Ages 12 to 21

Source: 2023 Sasakawa Sports Foundation National Sports-Life Survey of Ages 12 to 21

Figure 8 shows the sports volunteering rates for ages 12-21.
Overall, 11.2% of survey respondents participated in sports volunteeringin the past year. In terms of the rates by gender, 12.4% of boys participated in
sports volunteering, which was 2.5 points higher than 9.9% for girls. The trend

The 12-21 age group was also asked about the types of sports volunteer
activities they participated in.
As indicated in Figure 9, “Sports instruction or helping with sports
instruction” was the highest participated volunteer activity at 49.4%. Then, it
was followed by “Referee or helping the referee” at 42.8% and “Helping with asporting event” at 31.9%.

of the rate for boys outnumbering the rate for girls has continued since the firstsurvey in 2005.

10 The 2023 SSF National Sports-Life Survey of Children and Young People Executive Summary

Status of physical activities of daily living■ 12-21 year olds

Result7【Fig.10】Number of days with at least 60 min/day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activities
in the past 7 days (12-21 year olds)
None

Overall

1 day

30.2

(n=1,492)

Boys
Girls

(n=730)0

3 days9.1

26.6(n=762)2 days9.8

4 days

9.2

9.3 10.2 8.9

33.8

8.9

20

40

9.3

5 days6 days7 days

9.2

15.1

8.0 9.4

10.9

15.7

8.8

9.6 7.4

14.4

7.3 9.3

60

80

9.4

100 (%)*1) Number of days in the last 7 days doing physical activity equivalent in intensity to heart pounding or large increases in heart rate for a totalof at least 60 minutes per day.
Source: 2023 Sasakawa Sports Foundation National Sports-Life Survey of Ages 12 to 21

Figure 10 reveals the number of days in the last 7 days respondents
engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physical activities for at least 60 minutes
a day. Moderate-to-vigorous physical activities refer to activities equivalent
in intensity to heart pounding or large increases in heart rate, including
sports, playing with friends, walking or biking to school, etc.
Overall, 30.2% of survey respondents answered “None”, followed by“5 days” at 15.1%. Those who engaged in moderate-to-vigorous physicalactivities 5 or more days a week were 32.5%. The results by gender
showed that “None” was the highest percentages for both boys and girls, at
26.6% and 33.8% respectively, with girls outnumbering boys by 7.2 points.
Regarding the rates of “5 or more days a week”, boys showed 33.9% andgirls 31.0%, with little gender difference.

The 2023 SSF National Sports-Life Survey of Children and Young People Executive Summary

11

Result

8Media usage time (screen time)■ 4-11 year olds
【Fig.11】Media usage time (4-11 year olds)
Less than
30 min.

30 min. to lessthan 1 hour

1 hour to lessthan 2 hours

Weekdays Overall (n=1,344)

Holidays

8.0

Boys

(n=701)

6.3

Girls

(n=643)10.0

Overall (n=1,342) 2.9 6.5
Boys(n=699)5.6
2.3
Girls (n=643) 3.6 7.5
0

2 hours to lessthan 3 hours

19.6
17.1

3 hours to lessthan 4 hours

31.3

25.0

32.1
22.2

18.0
16.7

19.0

30.6

20

18.3

27.2
40

3.6 2.6
1.3
9.8 4.1 3.6
0.9
7.3 3.1
1.6 1.7

23.8

29.0

19.8
60

I don't know

8.6

26.1
30.3

19.4

5 hours
or more4 hours to lessthan 5 hours

10.8
10.7
10.9
80

11.5
14.0

2.3

1.7
8.7 3.0100 (%)*1) Number of hours watching TV or DVD, using PCs, video games (including TV, PCs, cellular device games, etc.) or using smartphone per day outside of school class(including kindergarten and preschool).
Source: 2023 Sasakawa Sports Foundation National Sports-Life Survey of Ages 4 to 11

Figure 11 indicates the media usage time (screen time) for the 4-11
age group on weekdays and holidays.
In terms of the media usage time per day (outside of lessons at
kindergarten, preschool, or school), the highest reported answer for
weekdays was “1 hour to less than 2 hours” at 31.3%, followed by “2 hours

12 The 2023 SSF National Sports-Life Survey of Children and Young People Executive Summary

to less than 3 hours” at 25.0%. For holidays, the most frequent response
was “2 hours to less than 3 hours” at 29.0%, followed by “3 hours to lessthan 4 hours” at 19.0%. The rates of media usage time less than 2 hours
on holidays were lower than the rates on weekdays, whereas the opposite
was true in the rates of media usage time more than 3 hours.

Media usage time (screen time)■ 12-21 year olds
【Fig.12】Media usage time (12-21 year olds)
Less than
30 min.

30 min. to lessthan 1 hour

1 hour to lessthan 2 hours

Weekdays Overall (n=1,486)

5.6
1.8(n=760)
5.8
Boys
2.1
(n=726)
5.4
Girls
1.5

Holidays

Overall (n=1,484)

5.5
0.8 2.0(n=758)5.8Boys
1.2 2.0(n=726)5.1
Girls
0.4 1.9
0

3 hours to lessthan 4 hours

2 hours to lessthan 3 hours

14.1

25.6

14.6

26.3

13.5

20.8
21.3

24.9

5 hours
or more4 hours to lessthan 5 hours

20.2

I don't know

10.4

16.6

5.2

9.9

16.4

3.6

10.9

16.7

6.9

14.8

19.1

18.3

33.1

6.5

15.8

18.2

18.7

33.6

4.6

13.8

20.1

17.8

20

40

32.5
60

8.4
80

100 (%)*1) Number of hours watching TV or DVD, using PCs, video games (including TV, PCs, cellular device games, etc.) or using smartphone per day outside of school and/or
work.
Source: 2023 Sasakawa Sports Foundation National Sports-Life Survey of Ages 12 to 21

Figure 12 shows the media usage time (screen time) for the 12-21
age group on weekdays and holidays.
Regarding the media usage time per day (outside school or work), thehighest reported answer for weekdays was “2 hours to less than 3 hours”

at 25.6%, followed by “3 hours to less than 4 hours” at 20.8%. For holidays,
the most frequent response was “5 hours or more” (33.1%). These results
highlight that the rate of the 12-21 age group who used media for longer
periods of time on holidays was higher than the rate on weekdays.

The 2023 SSF National Sports-Life Survey of Children and Young People Executive Summary

13

Result

9

Frequencies of exercise, sports, and physical play with family■ 4-11 year olds
【Fig.13】Exercise, sports, and physical play with family (4-11 year olds)
Often

Overall

12.6

Boys

15.0

(n=1,344)(n=701)

Girls

52.9
53.8

10.0

(n=643)0Sometimes

51.9
20

Almost neverNot at all

26.0

8.5

23.3

8.0

29.1

40

60

80

9.0
100 (%)*1) Family indicates parents and guardians.
Source: 2023 Sasakawa Sports Foundation National Sports-Life Survey of Ages 4 to 11

Figure 13 shows the frequency of engaging in exercise,sports, or physical play together with family for the 4-11 agegroup. Their parents or guardians were asked: “Do you or
another family member engage in exercise, sports, or physicalplay together with your child participating in the survey?”.
Overall, 12.6% responded with “Often”; 52.9% with

14 The 2023 SSF National Sports-Life Survey of Children and Young People Executive Summary“Sometimes”; 26.0% with “Almost never”; and 8.5% with“Not at all”. A total of 65.5% of children aged 4-11 engaged
in exercise, sports, or physical play together with a family
member “Often” or “Sometimes”; 68.8% for boys and 61.9%
for girls.

About SSF
President's
message

A think tank whose every dream
and action is taken with the future in mind.

The activities of the Sasakawa Sports Foundation (SSF) are aimed
at creating a "Sport for Everyone society" in which everyone enjoys
sports in a manner that fits their own lifestyle and interests. Sports not
only have the power to maintain and improve mental and physical health,but also the mysterious ability (value) to act as a universal remedy thathelps people grow and encourages the formation of society.
The role of the community in people’s lives has been shrinking over
the years, and kids are growing up with fewer opportunities to interact
with those in different age groups. The rapid graying of the population ispushing up health- and nursing-care costs, exacerbating already strained
fiscal resources. These are issues confronting not just Japan but also an
increasing number of countries around the world.
We at the Sasakawa Sports Foundation (SSF) believe that one
way of tackling these issues is to utilize the power of sports to build ahealthier, more vibrant, and more inclusive society.
Sports can lead to better physical and mental health and can also
be used as a communication tool to bridge differences in age, language,
and gender. Our task at the SSF is to help provide an environment
where everyone can participate in sports and expand opportunities forinterpersonal contact, thereby energizing and invigorating both individuals
and communities. Such initiatives can not only encourage greater “selfhelp” efforts toward better health but also deepen understanding ofothers, fostering an altruistic desire for “mutual aid” and prompting thegovernment to enhance “public assistance.”
And as people’s engagement with sports and the community
increases, they will experience all three facets of sports: “participate,”“spectate,” and “volunteer.”

To achieve these goals, we undertake research activities to obtain
the data needed to develop concrete, effective policy solutions. We
then work with individual and organizational partners to implement
those policies, actively engaging with the community to gauge theireffectiveness and feeding the results back to our research team. The twopillars of our activities thus act as a feedback mechanism, enabling us todevelop even better, more practical solutions confronting society.
A key component of this virtuous cycle is World Challenge Day—a
day on which communities around the world encourage as many people
as possible to be physically active. It provides an opportunity for not
only individual participants to take up physical activity but also the hostmunicipalities to directly engage with local residents and to promote good
health and stronger community ties.
It has been thanks to our active involvement in Challenge Day that
we have been able to conclude partnership agreements with a numberof local governments to jointly develop and implement sports-related
initiatives, and we hope to share the best, most successful practices withmany more municipalities both in Japan and around the world.
It is our strong hope that our efforts to address social challenges
through the power of sports will trigger similar initiatives abroad, andwe intend to actively offer our insights to organizations sharing theSports for All philosophy. At the same time, we seek to incorporate many
innovative, promising practices from other countries, working closely withresearchers and professionals around the globe to create a better world
for all.

Kazutoshi Watanabe, President
Sasakawa Sports Foundation

The 2023 SSF National Sports-Life Survey of Children and Young People Executive Summary

15

About SSF

Outline of activities

1

Research and surveys

The Institute of Sports Policy, establishedin SSF carries out fact-finding surveys, casestudies and empirical research in the threefields of “sports policy”, “community-building
through sports” and “promotion of sports
among children and youth”.
The institute gathers and analyses
quantitative data and advanced cases in
the country as well as overseas, which areessential for the national government andlocal governments to draft sports policy
and for various organizations to plan sports
promotion programs. SSF proactively makes
proposals for policies to governments andfor plans to sports organizations, based onevidence obtained from the research andsurvey.

2Collaboration with local
governments

SSF promotes a nationwide sport program, whichaims to encourage people to participate in sports
and physical activities, called Challenge Day. In thisprogram, municipal communities with similar size of
populations compete over the percentage of theirresidents who did some kind of sports and physicalactivities for a minimum of fifteen minutes on the last
Wednesday of May. Through Challenge Day, SSF
is able to forge closer links with local governments
and other organizations, and to verify that sports are
beneficial in building local communities and promoting
relationships between people of different generations,and to propose a system in which individual residents
can enjoy sports in their communities.
Furthermore, in collaboration with local
governments who participate in Challenge Day andwith other local governments nationwide, SSF draws
up sports promotion plans for local communities andoffers the results of its surveys and research.

16 The 2023 SSF National Sports-Life Survey of Children and Young People Executive Summary

3

Public relations

SSF disseminates the information about
its initiatives as described above, andreleases the latest sports information in
the country and overseas that is beneficial
for sports policy research, using its official
website, social media, at symposiums,
seminars, and international conferences.
As part of its public relations activities,
SSF publishes the results of the NationalSport and Lifestyle Survey, which isbiannually conducted to understand the stateof participation and involvement in sports by
Japanese, by means of a report called the
SSF National Sports-Life Survey.
SSF also brings out and extensively
distributes White Paper on Sport in Japan,
in which the latest data in the country andoverseas is printed.

The 2023 SSF National Sports-Life Survey of Children and Young People Executive Summary
Date
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31 Dec. 2023
Kazutoshi Watanabe
Sasakawa Sports Foundation
1-2-2 Akasaka Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0052 Japan
URL https://www.ssf.or.jp/ Email data@ssf.or.jp
Nihon Publicity Co.,Ltd.
Junko Fukuchi (gehn graphics LLC.)©Sasakawa Sports Foundation, 2023 Printed in Japan