## Part 1 Improving Child Fitness

## 1 Importance of Child Fitness

Physical fitness is absolutely essential for humans to develop, grow, and engage in creative activities. It is the source for the energy people require to develop their intellect and exercise their intellectual capabilities, as well as the source for the energy needed for day-to-day life. Humans qua humans utilize their physical fitness, intellectual capability, and energy in combination when engaging in activities. Physical fitness is an extremely important element in the “zest for living.” Achieving physical fitness, the “fuel” for all human activity, from childhood is thus very important for the future of children. Consequently, the communities, schools, and families that protect and nurture children need to have an accurate awareness of child fitness.

On the importance of child fitness, the educational materials prepared for parents and guardians by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) as part of the “Child Fitness Campaign” to be discussed later contained the following message offered by Daichi Suzuki, gold medalist in the 100-meter backstroke at the Seoul Olympics (see Column 1).

Column

## Message on the Importance of Child Fitness

Although I did win the gold medal in the 100-meter backstroke at the Seoul Olympics, I was not always in better shape than others of my age when I was a child. Quite the contrary; I could well have been called a physically fragile child.

A little while after I started swimming, though, my physical strength improved and swimming then became quite fun. Before I knew it, I had become fairly good at swimming and was able to participate in a variety of competitions.

Swimming boosted my physical fitness, but it improved not only my physique but also helped me cultivate the desire and concentration to take on other challenges and enhanced my academic ability.

▲ Daichi Suzuki

In pushing my competitive skills to the next level, I learned that I had to pay attention to all aspects of my lifestyle, including eating a balanced diet and getting sufficient rest.

This attention has not only helped me win a gold medal but has also given me the physical and mental health I enjoy now.

Parents and guardians should understand the importance of physical fitness and give their children numerous chances to engage in outdoor play and sports. I sincerely hope that they will become actively involved in the day-to-day lives of their children to ensure that their children acquire regular lifestyle habits.

## 2 Concrete Approaches to Improving Child Fitness

In light of the state of child fitness as discussed in the Foreword, the Central Council for Education on April 11, 2001 held an inquiry on “Comprehensive Measures to Improve the Physical Fitness of Children.” The Sports/Youth Subcommittee of the Central Council for Education discussed the causes of declining physical fitness, means of motivating people to exercise, steps to help people enjoy exercise and sports, and measures for formulating desirable lifestyle habits to improve physical fitness; on September 30, 2002, the “Comprehensive Measures to Improve the Physical Fitness of Children” were compiled as recommendations by the Central Council for Education.

These recommendations pointed out that physical fitness is the wellspring of human activity, that it is also integrally connected to maintaining and enhancing physical health and to enhancing mental health in terms of desire and energy, and that the problem of declining physical fitness among children impacts not