April 1, 2013

About 50 sports lovers, including former PE teachers, executives of sports groups, and lawyers, on March 30 discussed ways to eradicate violence in sports coaching and achieve a sporting world that respects basic human rights.

Japanese society is still tolerant of physical punishment in sports and schools. In Aichi Prefecture, for example, nearly 40,000 parents signed a petition calling for the return of a sports instructor who was suspended for using corporal punishment. Another example in a survey of teacher-trainee students shows that those who rejected the use of all corporal punishment barely reached 50%.

In dealing with such an atmosphere of acceptance, all participants in the meeting felt the importance of sticking to a zero-tolerance posture in regard to violence both in sports and in education.

Nagai Hiroshi, president of the New Japan Sports Federation, emphasized the need for　sporting circles to have a common understanding that violent acts are crimes against humanity and basic human rights.

Pointing to the negative effects of the government Sport Basic Plan encouraging Japanese sports associations to win as many medals as possible in global competitions, Nagai said, “This policy pushes coaching staff and athletes too far and in effect encourages violence.”

Lawyer Mochizuki Koichiro of the Japan Sports Law Association said, “Violence cannot cultivate good players. The important thing is to cultivate players who can think for themselves.”

Japanese Communist Party member of the Lower House Miyamoto Takeshi reported on his Diet debate with the sports minister who agreed to work to bring an end to the climate allowing corporal punishment.

Past related articles:
> Judo coach’s physical assault of female athletes is a warning to entire Japanese sporting world [January 31, 2013]
> Physical punishment at school is ‘permissible’: Osaka mayor [January 11, 2013]