SASAKAWA SPORTS FOUNDATION, Sports research foundation in Minato, Tokyo, Japan
The Sasakawa Sports Foundation is a sports research and promotion organization based in the Akasaka district of Minato, Tokyo. It works with local sports clubs, municipalities, and professionals across Japan, supporting training programs and developing policy on physical activity.
The organization was founded in March 1991 as part of The Nippon Foundation network, with the goal of building a nationwide sports information system. Over the following decades, it expanded its work to cover research, community sport promotion, and policy support.
The foundation organizes Japan's Challenge Day, an annual competition where municipalities compete to get the most people participating in sports activities within their areas. This event shows how sport is lived in local communities and reflects the foundation's role in encouraging physical activity as part of daily life.
The foundation is housed in the Nippon Zaidan Building in Akasaka, within easy reach of several metro stations in the area. As this is a professional organization rather than a public venue, it is worth reaching out in advance before planning a visit.
Every three years, the foundation publishes a White Paper on Sport in Japan that maps participation patterns by age, gender, and region. This report is widely used by researchers and policymakers and stands as one of the most detailed sources of data on sporting habits in the country.
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