Osaka - Sunday, March 7, 2010

In part 1 Is Japan a Developing Country of Sports? (Part 1) possible reasons why Japan is/can be said as a developing country of sports were explained. In this article of part 2, the author would like to introduce a few examples of support and assistance from organizations to athletes recently delivered by news media, and attempt to draw a conclusion answering to the title of the article.

1. It cannot be denied that Japan is a developing country of sports.

In conclusion, it cannot e denied that Japan is a developing country of sports. The reason is that the support and assistance from the organizations to athletes to be introduced below are minority, complementing the insufficient support from the government and other public sector, and insufficient public infrastructure and systems (facilities etc.)

2. Some universities provide full support to their top class athletes to complement insufficient public support.

It is common in Japan that universities provide full support to their top class athletes. Athletes actually decided which university to go by the availability of support, including the facilities the school own, level of coach available and other "soft" support such as flexibility the school can provide to the athlete so that they can balance being a student and an athlete.

Daisuke Takahashi, bronze medalist of male figure skating of Vancouver Olympics, goes to Kansai University in Osaka, one of the few universities in Japan that own skating rink. Mao Asada, silver medalist of female figure skating of Vancouver Olympics, and Miki And, ranked 5th of female figure skating of Vancouver Olympics, go to Chukyo University in Nagoya, Aichi prefecture, another university in Japan that own skating rink. Both universities are private.

A good example of support was introduced in a recent TV programme by Chukyo University to Ms. Asada, by having staff members to keep the rink in excellent condition for her training, especially at the peak of training/practice for the Vancouver Olympics. Skating rink needs to be kept in good condition (smooth surface) by hard work of staff. Ms. Asada needed to practice intensively, starting from 6:00 in the morning (the time of her performance at the Vancouver Olympic). The staff members smoothed the skating rink surface to maintain the rink condition 6 times a day, the first maintenance before 6:00 am. Of course, similar support is provided by Kansai University, and both universities have been providing support daily to all their athletes. Such universities are minority.

3. Some companies/organizations support their top class athletes, a few providing full support, to complement insufficient public support.

A few companies and other organizations owning sports club with necessary facilities and coaches support their athletes, such as the following examples introduced in recent TV news, but they are also minority.

1) Full soft support to athlete from companies and organizations is an exception.

The hospital that Nao Kodaira works for, gives full soft support. Ms. Kodaira is a speed skater, who participated in several games in the Vancouver Olympics including team speed skating that won silver medal. She had delivered excellent result in the recent World Tournament. Recent TV news reported how she was warmly welcomed by the hospital staff members and patients when she came back from the Vancouver Olympics, and that she thanked them, showing her silver medal to patients. The news also mentioned that she will be leaving the hospital a few days later to attend the next tournament to be held abroad, and the hospital has been allowing her to focus on speed skating, not making her doing hospital work.

This kind of full support is exceptional. The reality of many athletes, even if the organization they belong to has relevant facilities, is that they work 8 hours a day and do training in the morning and after work. Some supportive organizations allow their athletes to work shorter hours and/or focus on training before tournaments.

2) Reward for exceptional result is breaking news.

Rewards from a company or an organization to their athletes for exceptional result has never been given until the recently, which turned out to be "breaking news". TV news recently reported press conference by NIDEC SANKYO Corporation, the company Kiichiro Nagashima, silver medalist of male speed skating and Jyoji Kato, bronze medalist of male speed skating works for.

In the press conference held on March 3 in which the founder and CEO of NIDEC, the parent company joined, and made announcement that Mr. Nagashima is given reward or 10 million yen and Mr. Kato 6 million yen (in addition to a few million yen reward from Japan Olympic organization). Another announcement made was that both of them will be promoted to positions 2 levels above their current positions as of April 1, 2010. 8 million yen, half of the total reward given to the 2 athletes, were paid from the pocket money of the CEO of NIDEC. The reward and promotion was a big surprise to the two athletes as well as the media, who reported this as breaking news immediately, and caused a big repercussion.

4. The government needs to take the lead to drive support from the public sector, making private sector to follow.

With the above exceptional examples complementing insufficient support from the private sector meaning Japan is a developing country in sports, the government need to take initiative to improve support from the public sector. This would make burden of individual athletes smaller (e.g. easier to use necessary facilities) and make private sector easier to follow to support, being able to support with less burden. Then above kind of examples could become less exceptional.

First measure is improving infrastructures and systems, especially facilities. Next measure is financial and other resource support, including minor sports especially Paralympics, which currently winners (medalists) are not rewarded at all, although this issue may depend on whether athletes are defined/positioned as professional or amateur.

Such measures would drive "soft" mental support, winning attention from the media and the general public, and as a result, making Japan a "developed country" of sports.