JAPAN Trends and Developments Contributed by: Shiro Kato and Yudai Suzuki, Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu
integrated development of sports facilities with urban development referred to here is named a “sports com - plex”. It is expected to contribute to the creation of vibrant regional communities through revitalisation of the local economy and promotion of exchange both within and beyond the region. Traditionally, public sports facilities developed by the national and local governments had focused on the “playing” aspect of sports. In recent years, however, through “watching”, “gathering” and “connecting”, such facilities have been expected to function as hubs of the local community and even as core facili - ties for sustainable regional economic growth. Trends that contribute to this goal include integration with other facilities such as commercial and lodging facili - ties, and collaboration with local professional sports teams. The Amendment can be seen as a response to the reconsideration and development of the multi - faceted value of sports facilities in recent years. The Japan Sports Agency and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry are promoting stadium and are - na reforms to position sports as a growth industry, and cutting-edge sports facilities have been opening nationwide. Business opportunities are expanding as operators with advanced expertise in stadium and arena development and operations from Europe and the United States as leaders in sports entertainment are increasingly entering the Japanese market. (2) Prevention of sports accidents associated with climate change Article 14 of the Act imposes a general duty on the national and local governments to endeavour to take the necessary measures to prevent accidents in sport, including training for instructors, development of sports facilities, improvement of the environment for sports participation, and dissemination of knowledge on how to maintain and promote physical and mental health and ensure safety in sport. The Amendment newly specifies in the same article that particular atten - tion should be paid to addressing climate change in the environments in which sport is conducted, includ - ing measures against heatstroke. With the progression of global warming, measures against heatstroke have become increasingly important to ensure the safety of athletes and participants. In Japan as well, risks have increased when conducting sports in high-tem -
perature and high-humidity environments during the summer. Although not necessarily the direct intention of this provision, issues also include the impact on snow sports due to reduced snowfall and the impact on marine sports due to changes in the ocean envi - ronment. Meanwhile, initiatives such as the “Sports for Climate Action Framework”, endorsed by numer - ous sports organisations worldwide, underscore the importance of using sport’s reach and social impact to raise awareness and address these issues. Further deepening of discussions on the relationship between sports and climate change is anticipated. (3) Utilisation of information and communications technologies that contribute to the promotion of sports Newly added Article 16-2 of the Act imposes on the national government the duty to take necessary meas - ures to develop an environment for utilising informa - tion and communications technology (ICT) that con - tributes to the promotion of sport, to secure personnel to support such utilisation, and to advance research concerning such utilisation. Local governments are also subject to a duty to endeavour to promote meas - ures for utilising ICT that contribute to the promotion of sport, tailored to regional circumstances. Further - more, sports organisations are subject to a duty to endeavour to utilise ICT that contributes to their activi - ties, taking into account the state of their operations. Promoting digital transformation (DX) in sports has been a major agenda item in Japan in recent years. Taking into account national initiatives and aligning with their respective circumstances, local govern - ments and sports organisations are expected to utilise ICT that contributes to the promotion of sport. Exam - ples include programs that can be enjoyed remotely through the use of VR or AR, the development and dissemination of technologies that create opportuni - ties to engage in sport through digital means, data analytics in athlete development, and research into diverse support methods using digital technologies. (4) Securing opportunities to enjoy sports in response to diverse needs Newly added Article 21-2 of the Act imposes on the national and local governments a duty to endeavour to secure opportunities to enjoy sport tailored to diverse needs and, through this, to develop the environment
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