From the President

The Promotion of Sport and the Development of Japanese Football

Sport can provide people with dreams and hope, and the opportunity to boost their health and strength. Sport also gives people opportunities to interact socially and to discover a sense of humanity. It provides a natural opportunity for people to learn how to follow rules and respect others. In modern Japanese society, which has fewer children and an aging population and where the sense of community has declined, sport is expected to take on a significant role in people’s social life and education.
Under such circumstances, the Japan Football Association – which aims to be a driving force in the sporting world – has an obligation to understand society’s trends and respond promptly to its needs.
Having recently taken office as the 11th President of the JFA, I would like to make it a priority to see through the 11 “mission” projects we’ve been working on with our 47 prefectural associations.
In the past few years, these prefectural associations have been transformed into a corporate body, and they now have more responsibility to initiate sports activities in their areas and meet the expectations of the people they serve.
They can work in a variety of ways, including helping to expand the football family, promoting sports for children who tend to stay at home rather than play outside, encouraging girls and junior high school students to play football and improving the sporting environment. Such activities are important in promoting the development of football and other sports in this country.
To make such projects successful, we at the JFA need to communicate more with our 47 prefectural associations. We also need to assist them financially to help them realize these projects. One of the ways we can do this is to make our national team more attractive and create dreams for people.
Since the 2006 FIFA World Cup, TV ratings and attendance for national team games have been declining. Since the J. League started in 1993, football has won its place as a major sport in Japan, but we are concerned that some top players lose their way when they find themselves in such a comfortable and financially rewarding atmosphere. At times, I feel that they don’t have the necessary desire to play for their country – thanks, to some extent, to the booming success of the J. League – and they don’t seem to have learned the significance of being a national team player.
It is important for us to not only raise the level of play in Japan, but also to educate youngsters in the correct attitude and mentality they must have as top-class players.
The JFA, the J. League and the clubs should all become more professional. In addition, there should be unity between teams and the front office as we try to create “an attractive national team.” In other words, pride and awareness will be key factors in bringing about the development and unity we need in Japanese football.
Japanese football is on the right track, and I think it won’t be too long before we reach the Top 10 in the world. Since 2004, our national teams – including Beach Soccer Japan and Futsal Japan – have qualified for FIFA World Cups in all age categories, while our men’s and women’s teams also played in the Olympic football tournaments. On top of that, the Urawa Reds won the AFC Champions League and went on to finish third in the FIFA Club World Cup last year. All these things prove that we are steadily progressing towards our dream of playing at the world’s top level.
Our Japan national team is revered by young children, and our players should recognize the pride and honor of playing for their country and display this pride on the pitch. But other people working in football should also have a good awareness of what it means to be professional. They, too, should work hard on acquiring the knowledge necessary to develop themselves and the game.
I would also like to continue with the tasks of my predecessor in the areas of raising elite players in the JFA Academy, carrying out social activities such as the “JFA Kokoro Project” that cultivates aesthetic sentiments in children, and continuing with the “Green Project” to increase the number of grass-covered school playgrounds across the country.
In contrast with Europe, we still have to do more work to establish sport as a deep-rooted part of our society’s culture. To make it happen, we need to make greater social contributions and gain the recognition and understanding of the Japanese people and society.
As the leader of the JFA, I can tell you that I won’t be afraid to take risks. I will make the decisions I have to make and devote myself to the development of Japanese football.
As such, on behalf of the Japan Football Association, I would like to ask for your support and cooperation.