JICA Global Agenda for

No. 10 Sport and Development

Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) works toward the achievement of the Sustainable Development
Goals (SDGs).
0. Introduction (Characteristics of
Sport)

Sport has the power to attract people. Sport brings fun, enthusiasm, and excitement.
For some people, sport can even be a reason to live. Sport also has the power to bring
together people and regions with different cultural, religious, and linguistic
backgrounds. In this way, sport can realize peace by fostering mutual understanding
and respect for diversity. Sport comes in various forms that can be enjoyed not only by
"playing," but also by "watching" and "supporting." Sport therefore makes it possible to
carry out various initiatives suited to a target region or target purpose.
In this Global Agenda, we will make full use of the characteristics and strengths of
sport to solve development issues. By doing so, we will promote the realization of a
peaceful world that attracts people and wins their love, based on a network of proactive
individuals and organizations.

1. Objective

To promote the realization of a peaceful society where all people can equally choose
to enjoy sport regardless of gender, age, culture, social or economic status, or disability.

2. Current Situation, Analysis of Issues,

and Reasons for Setting Objectives

(1) Current Situation and Analysis

1） Trends in the international arena
In France and other European countries, sport has long been regarded as a
human right. In addition, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural
Organization (UNESCO) clearly states in the International Charter of Physical
Education and Sport, adopted in November 1978, that “The practice of physical
education and sport is a fundamental right for all.” The States Parties to the
Convention on the Right of the Child (1989), the Convention on the Rights of Persons

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with Disabilities (2006), and the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of
Discrimination Against Women (1981) all mention that the enjoyment of sport should
be guaranteed as a human dignity and right, along with education, health, and social
security for all (Japan has ratified all three treaties).
Meanwhile, the concept of "sport and development" has steadily developed since
the beginning of the 21st century. Since the United Nations General Assembly
adopted the Resolution on Sport as a Means of Spreading Education, Promoting
Health and Building Peace in November 2003, sport has become an approach to
human development and peacebuilding. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable
Development, adopted in September 2015, states, in its preamble, that "Sport is also
an important enabler of sustainable development. We recognize the growing
contribution of sport to the realization of development and peace in its promotion of
tolerance and respect and the contributions it makes to the empowerment of women
and of young people, individuals and communities, as well as to health, education
and social inclusion objectives.”. In addition, The 6th International Conference of
Ministers and Senior Officials Responsible for Physical Education and Sport:
MINEPS VI), held in Russia in July 2017, set the theme of “maximizing the
contribution of sport to sustainable development and peace,” clearly affirmed the
contribution of sport to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals, and advanced
the development of indicators for measuring effectiveness.

2） Challenges in developing regions

While some countries in developing regions have reflected the value and
significance of sport in their policies, developing regions as a whole have yet to
implement sufficient projects focused on sport. A lack of project budgets, the weak
organizational capacity and human resource shortages of related organizations have
hindered progress. There have also been many cases where sports-related projects
in a country have sought only to improve competitive sport for the benefit of
specialized elite athletes while doing little to improve the quality of life of the people.
Though an estimated 1 billion people in the world have disabilities, of whom about
80% live in developing regions, there has been little progress in creating an
environment where persons with disabilities can enjoy sport on a daily basis. Women
also have limited opportunities to take part in sport in many regions, mainly due to
gender disparity and cultural factors. The children in developing countries also face
obstacles in sport. Though school physical education is compulsory as part of the
national curriculum in more than 90% of the world’s countries, it is often insufficiently
implemented in developing countries due to a lack of recognition or shortages of
instructors and facilities.

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（2） Reasons for Setting the Objectives for the Global
Agenda
It is the right of all people to have access to sport and to lead happy and fruitful
lives through sport. Sport has various positive effects: for individuals, it provides
opportunities to maintain physical and mental health and personal growth; for
society, it provides opportunities to promote the participation of diverse people in
society, to foster a sense of unity and vitality in the community, and to promote
international mutual understanding. In developing regions, however, access to sport
is limited by a lack of software and hardware infrastructure, restrictions due to
cultural, social, and economic forces, and instabilities caused by conflicts. As such,
the global community needs to create a world where all people in developing regions
can enjoy sport throughout their lives in safe and fair environments according to their
interests and aptitudes, regardless of gender, age, culture, social or economic status,
or disability. Therefore, this Global Agenda aims to improve access to sport and to
realize a global society in which all people can enjoy sport according to their own
interests and aptitudes, and lead happy and affluent lives through sport.

（3） Global Efforts in the Issue

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the United Nations High
Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), and The Food and Agriculture Organization
of the United Nations (FAO) use sport to solve their respective problems of focus
(e.g., poverty eradication awareness, friendly matches for cross-cultural exchanges,
educational programs, and the provision of sports equipment). Bilateral aid agencies
from countries such as the United Kingdom, France, the United States, and Australia
also use sport as a means for pursuing development and peace, as well as for
improving their own international standing.

（4） Policy of the Government of Japan

In the Development Cooperation Charter in Japan (2015), sport is listed as one
of the human-centered development themes that support people's basic life. The
Basic Law on Sports in Japan (2011) and several sports-related policies in support
of the law state that sport is a universal human culture, and that "living life happily
and fruitfully through sport is the right of all citizens.” The law further states that sport
fosters a sense of unity and vitality in the community by promoting interaction
between people and between communities, and contributes greatly to international
peace by promoting international mutual understanding. Thus, the law holds, sport
plays an extremely important role in enhancing Japan's international status.

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3. Significance of Japan’s Engagement

Conducting international cooperation in the field of sport by taking advantage of the

following strengths of Japan significantly demonstrates Japan's unique brand of
cooperation backed by a development philosophy that promotes spiritual affluence as
part of human development.

（1） Japan's experience with school physical education in

equalizing sports opportunities
Through physical education in Japanese schools conducted in concert with the
UNDOKAI (school sport festivals) and extracurricular activities (club activities), sport
opportunities have been provided to all people, regardless of their levels of wealth or
poverty, since before World War II, and have played a major role in developing the
foundation of sport in Japan. These activities have also contributed to the
development of a wide range of individual abilities and attitudes such as autonomy,
cooperativeness, and self-esteem, in addition to the nurturing of qualities and
abilities conducive to improving one’s physical fitness and enjoying physical activities
throughout life. In particular, UNDOKAI and extracurricular activities (club activities)
are unique to Japan. Even in developing countries where opportunities for sport are
limited, school-focused activities to promote the development of sports infrastructure
in parallel with human resource development are considered effective.

（2） Japan's experience in integrating sport into daily life

and society early on
With the recent increase in the average life expectancy, the world's population is
aging year by year. In parallel, the percentage of deaths due to non-communicable
diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, diabetes, and heart disease in the global death toll
is also increasing. As developing countries are coping with these same trends, they
also need to provide exercise opportunities for people of all ages in order to maintain
and improve the physical fitness of their elderly and prevent and improve lifestyle-
related diseases. People in Japan enjoy sport at home and in the community, often
through radio exercises and other activities designed to maintain and improve their
health and promote social harmony across age groups. Japan is also one of the first

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countries in the world with an aging society, and local governments have taken the
lead in providing exercise programs and other measures to cope. The sharing of these
experiences with developing countries is therefore important.

（3） JICA's long track record in the field of sport and

development
JICA has been dispatching sports volunteers since the establishment of the
Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCVs) in JFY 1965. As of the end of
March 2020, JICA has dispatched a cumulative total of about 5,000 sports and
physical education volunteers to various countries, positioning dispatch programs
conducted in cooperation with Japanese universities as one axis. In the 1990s, JICA
began providing a training program in the field of sport for persons with disabilities.
In the 2000s, JICA began collaborating with NGOs in the field of cooperation through
sport. In these ways, JICA has built up a long track record of working on "sport and
development." In the field of peacebuilding, in particular, JICA has focused on the
characteristics of sport to promote mutual understanding. JICA has been actively
involved in sports events, such as the Independence Memorial Sports Festival held
in Timor-Leste in 2002 to promote national reconciliation immediately after
independence, and the National Unity Day (NUD) in South Sudan held since 2016
to promote social cohesion and unity. And by taking advantage of Japan's strengths
in school physical education, JICA has dispatched physical education volunteers and
implemented technical cooperation projects to promote physical education subjects
through the preparation of teaching materials, teacher training, and classroom
practice in developing countries. In addition to improving physical fitness and health,
JICA’s programs have contributed to the human development of the next generation,
the generation who one day will be responsible for the advancement of developing
countries, by fostering self-affirmation, initiative, and cooperation.

（4） Contribution to Human Security

Sport is a fundamental human right and dignity that should be enjoyed by all
people, and making sport accessible to all will protect the vital core of human life and
expand the freedom and potential of all people. Therefore, it can be said that working
on "sport and development" contributes to the realization of "human security" as
advocated by Japan and the mission of JICA. Japan has played a very significant
role as a leader of global efforts to address “sport and development,” as Japan has
provided opportunities for all people to access sport through school physical
education, has incorporated sport into daily life and society from early on, and has

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achieved many good works in the field of "sport and development." These efforts will
also contribute to the improvement of Japan's international status.

4. Scenarios Contributing to the

Objectives of the Global Agenda and
Clusters

（1） Basic Principles and Approach of the Global Agenda

There are two facets of Sport and Development. One is the "development of
sport," which considers sport as a development issue and works to promote and
strengthen sport itself. The other is "development through sport," which considers
sport as a means and incorporates sport into activities to solve development issues.
While we work on "development of sport" to achieve the objectives of this global
agenda, we also work on “development through sport” in coordination with JICA’s
other global agendas. “Development through sport” is undoubtedly an effective tool
for development, and using sport as a tool for development will lead to increased
access to sport. An overall picture of the "Sport and Development" area is shown in
the figure below. This global agenda has three main pillars: (1) to improve access to
sport, (2) to develop human resources with sound minds and bodies through sport,
and (3) to promote social inclusion and peace through sport.

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An Overview of Sport and Development

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1）To Improve access to sport
（a）Targets
JICA will expand opportunities for participation in sport in developing regions and
deliver the value and enjoyment of sport to people in developing countries. The
priority regions will be Asia, where there is a high interest in Japanese sports
organizations, Africa, where access to sport is more limited than in other regions,
and Latin America, where there is a high interest in Nikkei society.

（b）Details of initiatives
① Development of software infrastructure
JICA will expand opportunities for more people to participate in sport by
developing sports-related policies and systems, strengthening the systems of the
government, administration, and athletic organizations, developing mechanisms and
systems for training referees and instructors, and supporting sports tournaments,
mainly through technical cooperation projects and the JICA Partnership Program.
Policies, systems, and frameworks should also be developed to give all people,
including people with disabilities and women, the opportunity to enjoy sport
throughout their lives, and to establish and support systems and frameworks not
narrowly specialized on competitive sport.

② Development of hard infrastructure

JICA will work on the development of facilities and sports grounds where various
sports can be played in accordance with the rules, the development of sports-related
equipment, and the creation of a sports-friendly town, mainly through grant aid
projects and cooperation with private companies. For the development of sports-
related equipment for persons with disabilities, in particular, equipment and facilities
will be developed in cooperation with private companies specialized in apparatus
such as wheelchairs and artificial limbs for competitions. In addition, facilities to be
constructed should be designed in ways that ensure they can be easily used by
everyone, including persons with disabilities.

③ Promotion and strengthening of sport

JICA will work to promote sport through sports instruction, the training of
instructors and referees, and the implementation of various events, mainly through
the JICA Volunteer program and cooperation with Japanese athletic organizations.
JICA will also work to develop athletes who can be active on the international stage,
as well as coaches and organizations who can nurture those athletes. Furthermore,
Japanese athletes and coaches will be dispatched to developing countries, and
promising athletes from developing countries will be invited to Japan.

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（c）Main collaborators
Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC), Japanese Paralympic Committee (JPC),
Japan Sport Council (JSC), Japan Sport Association (JSPO), Japanese Para-Sports
Association (JPSA), athletic organizations, sports clubs, local governments,
universities, NPOs/NGOs, private companies, athletes, and other individuals

2）To Develop human resources with sound minds and bodies through sport
（a）Targets
JICA will promote the maintenance of physical fitness of the elderly and the
prevention and improvement of lifestyle-related diseases by providing exercise
opportunities to people of all ages. In addition, JICA will promote human resource
development for the next generation in developing countries through the
development of school physical education and extracurricular activities. The former
will focus on Asia and the Pacific, where measures against aging and lifestyle-related
diseases are much needed, while the latter will focus on Asia and Africa, where there
is a strong need for educational support.

（b）About the initiatives

① Health promotion for people of all ages
Exercise is well known to have various positive effects on physical and mental
health when it is performed continuously and with appropriate intensity and
frequency. In particular, moderate exercise plays a significant role in maintaining the
physical fitness of the elderly and in preventing and improving lifestyle-related
diseases. Therefore, we aim to maintain and improve health by providing
opportunities for exercise to people of all ages and by creating a community where
everyone can exercise easily.
Specifically, we will provide opportunities for people of all ages in developing
countries to maintain and improve their physical fitness and health through exercise,
mainly through the JICA Volunteers program. In providing opportunities for exercise,
we will devise ways to make it enjoyable for everyone, including persons who do not
excel at exercise. Our activities to lift the barriers to exercise will include the Active
Child Program developed by the Japan Sport Association (JSPO), along with various
weight loss and obesity prevention programs for adults to encourage the adoption of
moderate exercise as a habit. As Japanese sports clubs, local governments, and
private companies are also offering various programs to improve people's health, we
will be exporting these programs to developing countries, as well.

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 ② Support for school physical education
By incorporating sport into school education, children can acquire the physical
strength and habits to stay healthy throughout their lives. Numerous studies
performed in recent years have pointed out that future income and career success
are linked not only to cognitive abilities such as literacy and numeracy, which can be
measured by so-called academic tests, but also non-cognitive abilities
encompassing a wide range of personal strengths and attitudes such as goal
achievement, cooperation with others, and emotional control. As non-cognitive
abilities are developed from early childhood to adolescence, we aim to improve these
abilities through sports opportunities such as school physical education, athletic
meets, and extracurricular activities.
Specifically, we will support the preparation of textbooks and teaching guidelines
for physical education and teacher training, as well as strengthen the implementation
systems in developing countries by collaborating with experts from universities and
sports organizations, NPOs/NGOs, and local governments through technical
cooperation projects and the JICA Partnership Program. To ensure that classes are
based on textbooks and teaching guidelines, physical education volunteers will be
dispatched in collaboration with the technical cooperation projects to strengthen the
capacity of teachers and the implementation systems of the schools, including their
systems to maintain the equipment needed for physical education. We will also be
actively introducing Japan’s unique "UNDOKAI," a program encompassing not only
individual competitions, but also group competitions where groups of people can take
equally take part in activities such as dance, in order to provide opportunities for
children to become familiar with sports and sports-like activities.

（c）Main collaborators
Japan Sport Association (JSPO), Japan Sport Council (JSC), sports clubs,
NPOs/NGOs, universities, local governments, private companies

3) To Promote social inclusion and peace

（a）Targets
JICA will provide opportunities for persons with disabilities and women to
participate in sport as a means to enhance their sense of self-efficacy, and thereby
promote their participation in society. We will also be developing sports opportunities
in which everyone can participate fairly and equitably, in order to deepen exchanges
among diverse people, promote mutual understanding, and thereby contribute to the
realization of a peaceful society. The priority regions will be Asia, where there is a
high level of interest and concern among Japanese sports organizations, and the
Middle East and Africa, where there is a strong need for peacebuilding and women's

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 social advancement.

（b）About the initiatives

① Promotion of social participation
Participation in sport provides psychological healing and spiritual support to those
who have limited opportunities to participate in society for some reason, such as
disaster victims, refugees, persons with disabilities, women, children, and other
socially vulnerable groups. Sports participation also leads to individual
empowerment by helping to eliminate prejudice and discrimination through the
universal inclusion of all people and interaction under fair rules. Communities are
also formed through sports participation, which encourages inclusion and creates
opportunities for the interaction of many people. In this way, we aim to empower
every individual and promote their participation in society through sport.
Specifically, the project will provide a place where persons with disabilities and
women can enjoy sport on a daily basis, as well as a place for competitions and other
events that can serve as a catalyst for social participation and help eliminate
prejudice and discrimination in society. We will also work to develop role models who
can serve as targets for persons with disabilities and women.

② Peacebuilding
Sport can bring people together and promote mutual understanding while
overcoming various differences such as race, language, and religion. Sport, where
decisions are made fairly based on rules, can also provide opportunities to learn
values such as social justice and compliance with norms. The holding of international
and domestic sports events such as the Olympics and Paralympics, moreover, can
create a sense of unity among people throughout a country and around the world.
The sight of athletes participating and playing in these events can become a symbol
of national unity and ethnic harmony and connect the hearts of the people. Even in
a world transformed by COVID-19, sport is expected to reconnect people and
societies that have been separated both psychologically and physically. In this way,
we aim to realize a peaceful society that respects diversity by taking advantage of
the characteristics of sport that can promote mutual understanding by overcoming
various differences such as language, culture, and religion.
Specifically, we will support the holding of national championships in which all
people can participate in a fair and equitable manner, and the creation sports venues
in which diverse people can participate. In Japan, meanwhile, these characteristics
of sport will be put to use in international exchanges and in programs in which human
resources are invited to Japan from overseas to promote a multicultural society and
international understanding among the general public.

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（c）Mains collaborators
Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC), Japanese Paralympic Committee (JPC),
Japanese Para-Sports Association (JPSA), sports organizations, sports clubs, local
governments, universities, NPOs/NGOs, private companies

The indicators to be achieved in this global agenda are as follows.

<Indicators to be achieved with JICA funds>

(1) To bring the value, fun, and joy of sport to 300,000 people in developing countries
annually through JICA projects.
2) To promote individual empowerment by broadening the scope of sport and
providing opportunities to participate in sport, especially for refugees, persons with
disabilities, women, and people facing challenges such as poverty (SDGs 3, 4, 5,
10, 16, and 17)
(3) To deliver the value, fun, and joy of sport online and through other technology-
based forms of cooperation, in light of the physical limitations of travel due to the
impact of COVID-19.
(4) To promote public participation and cooperation through awareness-raising and
publicity both in Japan and overseas, taking advantage of the strong appeal of sport
among the general public.

<Indicators of the achievements accomplished through the use of external funding

and cooperation>
(5) To deliver the value, fun, and joy of sport to 1 million people per year through
collaboration with external organizations (general sports organizations, NFs,
universities, the private sector, local governments, donors, etc.).

In addition, the main SDGs to which we aim to contribute through this Global
Agenda are listed below.

SDGs JICA’s Activities

Goal 3 Promote school physical education
Ensure healthy lives and
Provide opportunities for exercise for
promote well-being for all at all
people of all ages
ages

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 Goal 4 Ensure inclusive and equitable Promotion of school physical
quality education and promote education
lifelong learning opportunities for Provide opportunities for learning
all through sports for people of all ages
Goal 5
Secure sports opportunities for
Achieve gender equality and
women
empower all women and girls

Goal 10
Reduce inequality within and Improve the sports environment
among countries Promote school sports

Goal 16
Promote peaceful and inclusive
Create venues and opportunities
societies for sustainable
(competitions, exchange programs,
development, provide access to
etc.) to promote mutual understanding
justice for all and build effective,
Foster athletes (role models) who will
accountable and inclusive
become symbols of national unity and
institutions at all levels
ethnic harmony
Goal 17 Strengthen the means of
Improve access to sports
implementation and revitalize the
Cooperate with a wide variety of
global partnership for
external organizations
sustainable development

（2） Development Scenarios (Clusters)

Clusters are not defined in this global agenda.

（3） Initiatives to be mainstreamed

“Development through sport" aims to use sport as a means to solve development
issues such as healthcare, education, social security, disability and development,
gender, peacebuilding, urban development, and industrial development. Therefore,
in order to mainstream the use of sport, in other words, to spread the awareness
that sport is an effective approach to international cooperation and to make sport a
common practice, JICA will work closely with relevant external organizations and
parties to encourage the flow of international cooperation in the field of domestic
sport. In addition to the above, JICA will also promote cooperation between sports
and projects focused on other development issues within JICA.

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 Furthermore, this Global Agenda will compile international trends and case
studies on "Sport and Development" for mainstreaming, actively disseminate them
within and outside JICA, and provide advice on the formation of new projects and
the ways sport can be used in existing projects. The agenda will also develop
common indicators for measuring the effectiveness of "Sport and Development"
projects through research on their effectiveness.

5. Strategic Approaches for the Global

Agenda and Clusters

（1） Effective use of partnerships

As sport is generally more attractive than other development issues, it can
attract and involve a wider range of actors and more easily enlist the participation
of persons from all positions and walks of life. Therefore, sport can make significant
contributions in terms of the need to accelerate partnerships with various actors to
achieve the SDGs.
As a track record of partnerships through sport, JICA has concluded cooperation
agreements with the Japanese Olympic Committee (JOC), the Japan Rugby
Football Union (JRFU), the Japan Football Association (JFA), the Japan
Professional Football League (J.League), the Japan Woman’s Empowerment
Professional Football League (WE League), and various universities in Japan.
JICA has also been working with the Japanese Paralympic Committee (JPC), the
Japan Sport Council (JSC), the Japanese Sport Association (JSPO), the Japan
Para-sports Association (JPSA), the Japan Anti-Doping Agency (JADA), Nippon
Professional Baseball (NPB), host town municipalities, etc. to promote "Sport and
Development" in Japan.
Outside Japan, JICA is working closely with the French Development Agency (AFD)
and the World Bank (WB), both of which are currently preparing for the Paris 2024
Olympic and Paralympic Games. On the other hand, JICA's cooperation with the
private sector has not been sufficient. The sports business requires a more strategic
approach, given its potential to contribute not only to the improvement of the sport
environment in developing countries, but also to economic development as an
industry. JICA aims to build a platform where various motivated individuals and
organizations can be involved and work independently toward the same goal.

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（2） Promotion of Innovation
Universal sports such as boccia, a sport that can be enjoyed by everyone
regardless of disability, gender, age, etc., have been drawing attention in recent
years. While the spread of COVID-19 has made it temporarily difficult to conduct
sports freely, many ways to enjoy sports even now have been created using online
platforms and other technologies. In the preparations leading up to the Tokyo 2020
Olympics, Japan worked to create an environment where everyone could to enjoy
sports like fencing through the use of technology through the use of technology. In
light of the situation, JICA will promote the creation of innovative mechanisms that
allow diverse actors to easily participate in "sport and development" initiatives to
promote the spread of universal sports, online remote coaching, and the
introduction of new ways to enjoy sports using technology. In addition, given that
many sport activities in developing regions are already supported by individual
volunteers, a system will be developed to actively promote "sport and development"
initiatives by appointing these volunteers and providing them with funds and know-
how for their activities.

（3） Promotion of citizen participation and cooperation

through domestic awareness-raising and public
relations
Sport has a strong appeal and the power to involve people in various positions
and organizations, and the public interest in sport is relatively high compared to that
in international cooperation overall. JICA will strategically and proactively develop
awareness-raising and public relations activities to promote citizen participation,
using sport as an entry point to get people interested in international cooperation.
Specifically, 1) JICA will use its website, social networking services (SNS), and
other media to disseminate overviews of JICA's "Sport and Development"
initiatives, information on each project, and good practices. 2) JICA will plan and
implement various events and seminars for the general public in cooperation with
sports organizations, professional sports clubs, private companies, local
governments (including host towns), and universities. In particular, the planning of
related events and booths in conjunction with home game events with professional
sports clubs will enable effective and efficient awareness-raising and public
relations. 3) JICA will promote the initiatives to give back to society by dispatching
JICA volunteers. The volunteers will not only introduce their experiences and
appear at various events and seminars, but will also promote international
understanding in Japan by sharing and communicating their experiences at their

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 workplaces after returning home.

6. Other Considerations

(1) The attractiveness of sport largely resides in the fun factor, and the ways to make
full use of this fun factor should be explored when considering future projects. As sport
takes no fixed form, the best ways to incorporate sport according to the background of
a target area and purpose of a project should also be considered.
(2) Since sport is an integral part of culture, there is a risk that social barriers and
people's attitudes may be projected onto sport. There is also a risk that sport may be
used with political or religious intentions, leading to the incitement of antagonistic
feelings. A project therefore needs to fully understand these risks during
implementation, and to create an environment where everyone can participate in
sports in a fair, just, and enjoyable manner.
(3) Contact between people is inevitable in sports, and masks may be difficult to wear
at all times during a sporting event. The risk of heat stroke, moreover, is higher in
sports than in other situations. For these reasons, a project needs to take
countermeasures against infectious diseases and heat stroke based on the
guidelines established by Japan Sports association (JSPO) and other organizations,
as appropriate for the local conditions.

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 Appendix 1

Initiatives of other institutions

（1）United Nations
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) conducts poverty
eradication campaigns with Olympians, Paralympians, and other famous athletes,
as well as interethnic exchange sports projects. The UN High Commissioner for
Refugees (UNHCR) provides sports equipment, organizes friendly matches, and
conducts sports-based education programs for refugee camps with the aim of
improving livelihoods, restructuring communities, and fostering a spirit of respect and
justice. The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) develops
rural sports activities as a means of raising the sense of community needed to
improve agricultural productivity.

（2）UK
UK Sport, an agency of the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, provides
sport-focused support, while the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office
(FCDO) provides development-focused support. UK Sport has trained athletic
coaches and provided Paralympic sporting goods to more than 40 countries since
2015. The program activities include the provision of equipment and the dispatch of
British coaches overseas. Following the decision to bid for the London 2012 Olympic
and Paralympic Games, the Organizing Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic
Games, the Department for Culture, Information and Sport, the British Council,
UNICEF, and other organizations joined UK Sport and the former Department for
Development (DFID) in working together with local communities and teachers in
other countries. Activities are being developed with the aim of enabling children in
communities to realize the power of sport through sport events. As of January 2021,
projects are being implemented in nine countries in Asia and Africa to address issues
related to child health, education, gender, etc. Furthermore, The Commonwealth
promotes the development of policies and strategies to ensure that sport makes its
maximum contribution to national development goals and the SDGs. Specifically,
activities focus on (i) the impact of sport on the SDGs, (ii) the development of relevant
national policies and strategies, and (iii) capacity building of relevant leaders and
other government officials.

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（3）France
Following the decision to bid for the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games,
sport-related initiatives have been stepped up in France. Specifically, the French
Agency for Development (AFD) has taken the lead in launching the Coalition for
Sustainable Development through Sport, an organization that aims at networking
development finance institutions, in order to further promote “sport and development”
initiatives. A web-based platform, “Sport en Commun,” has also been set up for
networking between organizations that conduct sport activities in Africa. There are
also plans to provide funding to the Senegal Olympic Committee to support the
organization of the Dakar 2026 Youth Olympic Games, Africa's first international all-
round sports event, and to provide training to young Senegalese athletes.

（4）US
The United States Agency for Development (USAID) sees sport as a medium for
development and peace, and in particular, recognizes that sport can contribute to
education, peacebuilding, rehabilitation, reintegration of the disabled, and economic
development. Specific initiatives include the “Sports Visitor Program” (a two-week
exchange program for young athletes and coaches) and a funding program for non-
profit organization projects.

（5）Australia
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and the Australian Sports
Commission, the executive agency for sport, work together to use sport to enhance
the image of their country, improve livelihoods in support of developing countries,
engage minorities in society, and build peace. In Asia and the Pacific specifically,
their activities include improving lifestyles, improving the quality of life of people with
disabilities, developing local organizations, strengthening grassroots sport, and
funding small-scale projects to encourage participation in sport.

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 Appendix 2

Related Policies in Japan

（1）Development Cooperation Charter（2015）

One of the priority areas is “quality growth” and poverty eradication through quality
growth. Japan will provide the assistance necessary to promote people-centered
development that supports basic human life in this area, taking full account of the
importance of human and social development. The assistance will encompass
healthcare, safe water and sanitation, food and nutrition, quality education for all,
disparity reduction, empowerment of women, and culture and sport that bring about
spiritual affluence.

（2）The Basic Act on Sport（2011）

According to the Basic Act on Sport, sport is a universally shared human culture
and that all citizens have the right to live happily and fruitfully through sport. The Act
also states that, in addition to supporting the retention and improvement of mental
and physical health, sport has a significant impact on character building through
cultivating the spirit of respecting and cooperating with others, and the attitude of
respecting fairness and discipline or self-control, and fostering practical capability to
think or make judgments. Furthermore, the Act states that sport promotes interaction
among people and local areas, develop a sense of unity or vitality of an area, and
that international exchange and contribution made by sport promote global mutual
understanding and contributes greatly to international peace Through these effects,
the law affirms, sport plays an extremely important role in improving the international
status of Japan.

（3） The Second Sport Basic Plan by the Japan Sports Agency
（April 2017～March 2022）

The basic policy is to (i) change “life” through sport, (ii) change “society” through
sport, (iii) connect with the “world” through sport, and (iv) create the 'future' through
sport, and to work towards increasing the population participating in sport and
realizing a “100 million sporting society.” The four objectives are: 1) to increase the
number of people participating in sport, that is, people who "play," "watch," and
"support" sport, by developing human resources and enhancing opportunities; 2) to

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realize a vibrant society with strong bonds through sport; (3) to build a strong and
sustainable human resources development system and improve the environment to
enhance international athletic performance; and (4) to improve the value of sport by
promoting clean and fair sport. In particular, as a policy objective in realizing a vibrant
and bonded society through sport, the Japan Sports Agency states that it will actively
work to realize a symbiotic society, revitalize the economy and local communities,
and make international contributions through sport, based on the effectiveness of
sport as an approach to solving social problems.

（4） Global Sport Strategy by the Japan Sports Agency (2018)

Japan will actively participate in international policy and rulemaking and
strategically develop international exchanges and cooperation programs through
sport in order to realize a “world that respects diversity,” “a world that is sustainable
and resilient to adversity,” and “a clean and fair world” through the power of sport in
the international community, and to make maximum contributions to solving the
social challenges set out in the SDGs.

（5） SPORT FOR TOMORROW: SFT（January 2014～March

2022）

SFT was an international-contribution-through-sport initiative jointly

implemented by Japanese public and private sectors. SFT aimed to share the values
of sport and promote the Olympic and Paralympic Movement to people of all
generations around the world, including those in developing countries, for a better
future for the world, from 2014 toward the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic
Games. The goal of SFT was to reach more than 10 million people in more than 100
countries and territories. It had three pillars: (1) International Cooperation and
Exchange through Sport, (2) Academy for Tomorrow’s Leaders in Sport, and (3)
“PLAY TRUE 2020” – Develop sport integrity by strengthening global anti-doping
activities, with industry, government, and academia working together to promote
activities under each pillar. .

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 Appendix 3
Contribution to Objective
Approach Schemes Projects implemented or in progress cases
Scenario
①Soft Infrastructure
・Policy making
・Capacity Building of
Organization technical cooperation projects Nepal「Football Advisor」Individual Expert（2017-2018）
・System of Human
Development
・Opportunities making
Grant Aid 「The Project for the Improvement of Judo Equipment of Zambia」（2008）
Grant Aid 「The Project for Construction of Lao-Japan Budo Center 」（2008）
Grant Aid 「The Project for the Improvement of Judo Equipment of Judo South Africa」（2010）
②Hard Infrastructure 「The Project for the Improvement of Judo Equipment of the State Agency of Physical
Grant Aid
Training and Sports under the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic」（2011）
(1) Improve ・Facility
Development 「Equipment maintenance project for the Sports Complex of the National Sports
access to ・Equipment and tool Grant Aid
of sport Secretariat」（2016-2018）
Sport
Grant Aid 「The Project for Construction of Judo and Sports Center」(2016-2020)
Another (providing supplies ,
「Smile for All in the World」
donations)
③Promotion and JICA sports Volunteers, 3169 dispatched in 29 categories (1965 - Mar 2020)
Strengthening 643 baseball, 522 judo, 310 volleyball, 234 swimming, 167 football, 167 gymnastics, 164
・Technical guidance table tennis, 148 athletics
・Training for JICA Volunteer 129 softball, 121 kendo, 114 karate, 95 basketball, 70 aikido, 65 rugby, 55 badminton, 49
Instructors and tennis, 35 handball, 23 wrestling, 13 rhythmic gymnastics, 12 physical activity, 12
Referees weightlifting (formerly),
7 artistic swimming, 4 water polo, 3 skiing, 3 cycling, 2 sumo, 1 archery and 1 fencing
・Support for organizing
games another（JICA Donation Fund 「Human resource development project for canoeists and coaches in the Canoe
・Athlete Development Program ） Federation, taking advantage of Cambodia's abundant water resources」（2019-2020）
「Project Model for the program on countermeasures for lifestyle-related diseases in Hai
The JICA Partnership Program
Phong City」（2015-2018）
①Health Promotion 「 Introduction of weight control prgram for obesity prevention in Pohnpei」（2017-
The JICA Partnership Program
・Countermeasure 2020）
(2) Develop
Development against lifestyle-related Group and Region-Focused
human 「Lifestyle-Related Diseases(LSRD)Prevention」（2009-2014）
through sport disease Training
resources
・Countermeasure Group and Region-Focused
「Project for Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases」（2010-2018）
against aging Training
Training Programme for Young 「Lifestyle-Related Diseases Prevention Course①Thailand②Malaysia③Sri Lanka④
Leaders Pacific Island Countries」（2017）

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 12 physical activity volunteers（1965 - Mar 2020）
JICA Volunteer
Volunteers in the field of elderly care who promote sport
「JICA & Sony Public Viewing in Ghana and Cameroon: Football against HIV & AIDS」
other（events）
（2010）
other（events） 「Promotion of 'mega' radio exercises in Nicaragua」（2017）
「The Project for Curriculum Reform at Primary Level of Basic Education 」（2014-
technical cooperation projects
2021）
「Improvement of P.E. Curriculum and Making P.E. Textbooks for Primary School」
The JICA Partnership Program （2006-2009）

The JICA Partnership Program 「Promotion Project of Physical Education for Primary Schools」（2009-2012）
「Project for Human Resource Development and Establishment of Sustainable Diffusion
②Education The JICA Partnership Program
System of Primary School Physical Education in Cambodia」（2013-2016）
・Promote physical
The JICA Partnership Program 「Making Teacher's Manual and Diffusion of Physical Education in LSS」（2017-2020）
education
・Promote club 「The Project on "Physical Education for All" in Cambodia (Learning Quality Physical
The JICA Partnership Program
activities Education from Primary school to Upper Secondary school)」（2020-2024）
Group and Region-Focused
「Quality Physical Education in School Education 」（2015-2021）
Training
Training Programme for Young 「Knowledge Co-Creation Program (Young Leaders) for Bhutan/Physical Education
Leaders Course」（2015-2016）
Training Programme for Young 「Knowledge Co-Creation Program (Young Leaders) for Viet Nam/Physical Education
Leaders Course」（2018）
JICA Volunteer 1480 physical education volunteers dispatched (1965 - Mar 2020)

The JICA Partnership Program 「Sports Promotion for Persons with Disabilities」（2009-2012）

「Employment Support Program for the Social Independence of Persons with Disabilities
The JICA Partnership Program
in Northern Rural Areas of Lao P.D.R.」（2012-2015）
「Sports Promotion for Persons with Disabilities and Capacity Building of Sports Trainers
(3) Promote ①Promotion of social The JICA Partnership Program
and Sports Experts in Laos PDR」（2016-2021）
development Social Participation
Group and Region-Focused
through sport inclusion and ・Sport for people for 「Sports Instructor for Persons with Disabilities 」（1990-1999）
Training
Peace disabilities Group and Region-Focused
「Sports Instructor for Persons with Disabilities」（2000-2004）
Training
Group and Region-Focused
「Promotion of Social Integration through Sports of Persons with Disabilities」（2005）
Training
Group and Region-Focused 「Promotion of Social Participation of Persons with Disabilities through Sports」（2006-
Training 2009）

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 Group and Region-Focused 「Leadership Training Program for Future Leaders in Sports for Persons with Disability」
Training （2010-2012）
Group and Region-Focused 「Promotion of Social Participation of Persons with Disabilities through Sports」（2016-
Training 2021）
Training Programme for Young 「Knowledge Co-Creation Program (Young Leaders) for Indonesia/Sports for Persons with
Leaders Disabilities Course」（2016）

Volunteers for Physical Education and Sports

Occupational therapists and physiotherapists: volunteers who support children with
JICA Volunteer
disabilities and persons who work with welfare equipment and promote sports in their
activities

other（ dispatching and

Dispatch of Kodokan Judo Instructors to Indonesia（2017）
invitation of experts）
other（ dispatching and
Senegal diversity education through blind football（2018）
invitation of experts）
Participation in the Tokyo International Judo Championships for the Visually Impaired 2019
other（ dispatching and
and in a joint training camp for visually impaired judo officials in Indonesia and Peru
invitation of experts）
（2018）
・Sport for women other（events） 「‘Ladies First: A Women's Track Meet in Tanzania」（2017-2019）
「The Project for Professionalization of the Police for the Population and Peace」（2015-
technical cooperation projects
2018）
②Peace Building technical cooperation projects 「The project for confidence building through physical education」（2016-2020）
・Promotion of people
technical cooperation projects 「Data Collection Survey on Peace Building through Sports」(2015-2016)
exchange
technical cooperation projects 「Peace Promotion through Sports」(2017-2018)
・Community Building
technical cooperation projects 「Project for Peace Promotion through Sports」(2019-2023)
other（research） 「Study on Peace and Development through Sports」
①Smart City
(4) Work to promote education focused on international understanding and citizen participation
another
Regional ②Revitalization through the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics host-town（2021）
Development Training Programme for Young 「Knowledge Co-Creation Program (Young Leaders) for Pacific Island Countries/Regional
Leaders Development through Sports Promotion Course」（2017）
(5) ①Sport tourism
Private
Sector ②Sport business
Development

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 What is the JICA Global Agenda?

JICA's cooperation strategies for global issues. JICA, with its partners, aims to show global
impacts realizing the goals set under JICA Global Agenda. JICA Global Agenda and its goals
will be shared among partner countries and various actors, enhancing dialogue and
collaboration, therefore, maximizing the development impacts. Through these efforts, JICA
will comprehensively contribute to the achievement of the SDGs by 2030 as well as realize
Japan's Development Cooperation Charter which focus on "human security," "quality growth,"
and "addressing global challenges”.

Nibancho Center Building, 5-25 Nibancho,

Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 102-8012, Japan
（要英訳） Email: [email protected]
.
Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is an international cooperation organization that is centrally
responsible for the implementation of bilateral assistance among Japan's Official Development Assistance.
JICA cooperates with about 150 countries and regions around the world.

https://www.jica.go.jp/english/our_work/thematic_issues/index.html

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