Participation rate in sports in Japan 1996-2021

According to a survey conducted in October 2021, the share of people over ten years old participating in sports in Japan amounted to 66.5 percent. Despite the advent of the COVID-19 pandemic, the share was only slightly lower than the result from the previous survey.

What are the most popular sports to participate in?

Children and adolescents engage in a variety of sports via physical education classes and sports clubs at their educational institutions. A broad range of sports is actively practiced by adolescents, with running and soccer currently being the most popular choices in Japan. Among adults, walking done for exercise is the most common physical exercise for both genders. Otherwise, gender discrepancies arise, with men engaging more in jogging and working out, while women are more active in gymnastics.

Attitude towards sports

Health was the leading reason for people in Japan to engage in sports. Many were also keen on improving or maintaining their physical strength. A considerable share of people felt they lacked physical exercise. This was especially the case for cohorts between the ages of 30 to 59, showing that people in these age groups wanted to do more sports but could not due to other priorities. At the same time, a substantial share of people wants to exercise more often in Japan.