‘Health and Sports Day’, reminder of the need to promote sports
October 8, 2012
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2012 October 3 - 9 [ARTS AND SPORTS]
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This year’s “Health and Sports Day” on October 8 marked the 2nd anniversary since the establishment of the Basic Act on Sport.
The Act calls on the national and local governments to take measures to provide support for citizens to hold sports events on the national holiday.
In March, the Sports Ministry released the Sport Basic Plan which states that sports should be played by two-thirds of adult citizens (65%) once a week and by one-third of them (30%) more than three times a week.
The national government’s current measures, however, are far from realizing that goal. Although the number of sports facilities throughout the country has decreased by 9,000 from their peak, the Sports Ministry’s budget request for the coming fiscal year does not include expenditures for the construction of new facilities.
Due to the massive earthquake last year, the ceilings in about 2,000 gymnasiums collapsed, but reconstruction of school gymnasiums and public sports buildings in the disaster-hit areas has been delayed.
Suffering under the radiation contamination caused by the Fukushima nuclear accident, many residents living in such areas have not been able to play outside or enjoy outdoor sports. Their prolonged stay in temporary housing has led to causing lifestyle-related diseases or mental disorders.
The national government must urgently make genuine efforts to reconstruct sports facilities in the disaster-affected areas.
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