The 1993 inauguration of the J League, which touted strong ties to communities, and the lobbying activities to host the 2002 FIFA World Cup are said to be catalysts for the spread of the sports-centric approach to regional development in Japan. In recent years, the excitement of the 2019 Rugby World Cup tournament held in Japan comes to mind.
Even in 2021, though the coronavirus pandemic showed no signs of abating, the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, postponed for a year, were held in the summer, with thrilling competitions unfolding across Japan.
In this issue of “Kanko Bunka”, we received contributions from five communities who have engaged in regional sports promotion and international exchange projects for many years on topics including the history of their efforts, the current circumstances and challenges, the future outlook, and how they approached the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic games held under the coronavirus pandemic. We hope it will prompt examination of the key to sports events and promoting regional development.