Introductory Statement
Human Rights Watch is a non-governmental organization that monitors and reports on human rights in over 100 countries around the world, including Japan. In 2020, we published the research report "'I Was Hit So Many Times I Can't Count': Abuse of Child Athletes in Japan," (https://www.hrw.org/report/2020/07/20/i-was-hit-so-many-times-i-cant-count/abuse-of-child-athletes-in-japan) documenting physical, sexual, and verbal abuse child athletes in Japan suffer when training for sport.
Human Rights Watch submits these comments in response to the call for public consultation on Priority Issue 1, "Promoting Sports Participation and Building a 'Health Infrastructure' to Improve Well-being and Contribute to Economic Growth and a Prosperous Society," in the "Fourth Sport Basic Plan (Interim Report)" (Japan Sports Agency, July 2026).
The Interim Report states, as one of several objectives under Priority Issue 1, that it aims to "eradicate compliance violations, corporal punishment, and abuse by sports stakeholders." It further identifies, among several basic measures, "ensuring thorough dissemination through guidelines and other means" and "disseminating the governance code." These measures, however, are wholly inadequate to prevent abuse. They largely carry forward the approach of the third Sport Basic Plan. The third Plan included the "ensuring safety and security for those participating in sport" as an independent and specific policy measure addressing the eradication of abuse, with policy objectives and concrete measures. By contrast, in the fourth Plan, this is not even positioned as an independent and specific priority measure. Sports and human rights experts, as well as others working in Japan to protect athletes' rights, have expressed concern (https://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/507531) that the Interim Report cannot be said to fulfill the national government's obligation under Article 29(1) of the 2025 amended Basic Act on Sport, enacted during the implementation of the third Plan, to take measures to prevent abuse in sport. Human Rights Watch therefore strongly urges the government to significantly strengthen measures aimed at "eradicating compliance violations, corporal punishment, and abuse by sports stakeholders," in particular by establishing a Japan Safe Sport Center and enacting a Safe Sport Act as its legal basis.
Chapter 2. Priority Issues in the Fourth Sport Basic Plan
I. Background and Objectives of the Priority Issues
Priority Issue 1: Promoting Sports Participation and Building a "Health Infrastructure" to Improve Well-being and Contribute to Economic Growth and a Prosperous Society
Human Rights Watch supports the recognition that eradicating all forms of abuse is necessary to improve the sports environment and supports the aim of reducing sports-related accidents, abuse, and harassment by using coach education and governance codes.
However, existing systems alone are insufficient. Japan needs a Safe Sport Center as an independent institution to which athletes, parents, and children can report and seek advice without fear of retaliation.
Reporting and consultation channels already exist, but procedures and standards differ from one organization to another, and there are significant variations in how they can be used, their operating hours, and the information required. Consulting one's own organization can create fear of retaliation or concern that the person will be treated differently. A centralized mechanism operated by an independent institution is therefore necessary.
Article 29 of the amended Basic Act on Sport expressly provides that the national government must take measures to prevent abuse against persons who participate in sport. The fourth Sport Basic Plan should not leave the eradication of all forms of abuse to coaches or sports organizations, but should address it, in accordance with the law, as a responsibility of the national government.
In this regard, statements made at the fifth meeting of the Sport Basic Plan committee also suggested that efforts on sport integrity cannot be adequately addressed by individual sports organizations alone.
Chapter 3. Comprehensive Plan
Priority Issue 1: Promoting Sports Participation and Building a "Health Infrastructure" to Improve Well-being and Contribute to Economic Growth and a Prosperous Society
(5) Promoting the Improvement of Environments that Encourage Sports Participation
(ii) Ensuring Safety and Security in Sport
Human Rights Watch supports the Interim Report's recognition of inadequate safety measures, climate change, and harassment such as verbal abuse as issues requiring attention.
At the same time, the objectives and measures remain limited to awareness-raising and dissemination of guidelines and governance codes. Abuse in sport is not simply a matter of compliance or misconduct; it is a human rights issue. To require concrete responses, the Plan should expressly include the enactment of a Safe Sport Act based on Articles 8 and 29(1) of the Basic Act on Sport.
Public Comment on "Priority Issue 2: Pursuit of High Performance and Returning Achievements and Knowledge to Society by Improving the Environment Surrounding Athletes and Others" in the Japan Sports Agency's Fourth Sport Basic Plan (Interim Report) (July 2026)
Introductory Statement
Human Rights Watch is a non-governmental organization that monitors and reports on human rights over 100 countries around the world, including Japan. In 2020, we published the research report "'I Was Hit So Many Times I Can't Count': Abuse of Child Athletes in Japan," (https://www.hrw.org/report/2020/07/20/i-was-hit-so-many-times-i-cant-count/abuse-of-child-athletes-in-japan) documenting physical, sexual, and verbal abuse child athletes in Japan suffer when training for sport.
Human Rights Watch submits these comments in response to the call for public consultation on Priority Issue 2, "Pursuit of High Performance and Returning Achievements and Knowledge to Society by Improving the Environment Surrounding Athletes and Others," in the "Fourth Sport Basic Plan (Interim Report)" (Japan Sports Agency, July 2026).
The Interim Report identifies "strengthening sport integrity" as one of several priority measures under Priority Issue 2, and lists "support for high-quality coach education" and "measures against online abuse directed at athletes and sports stakeholders/prevention of sexual harassment through photographs and videos" as basic measures. These measures, however, are wholly inadequate to prevent abuse, harassment, and online abuse. They largely carry forward the approach of the third Sport Basic Plan. Sports and human rights experts, as well as others working in Japan to protect athletes' rights, have expressed concern (https://www.tokyo-np.co.jp/article/507531) that the Interim Report cannot be said to fulfill the national government's obligation under Article 29(1) of the 2025 amended Basic Act on Sport, enacted during the implementation of the third Plan, to take measures to prevent abuse in sport. Human Rights Watch therefore strongly urges the government to significantly strengthen measures to "strengthen sport integrity," in particular by establishing a Japan Safe Sport Center and enacting a Safe Sport Act as its legal basis.
Chapter 2. Priority Issues in the Fourth Sport Basic Plan
I. Background and Objectives of the Priority Issues
Priority Issue 2: Pursuit of High Performance and Returning Achievements and Knowledge to Society by Improving the Environment Surrounding Athletes and Others
■ Contribution to Building a Healthy and Fair Social Foundation and Realizing an Inclusive Society
Human Rights Watch supports the inclusion of issues such as online abuse in relation to integrity. However, protection from abuse should be clearly positioned not only as a matter of integrity, but as a safe sport issue. Safe sport refers to the state in which everyone involved in sport is protected from all forms of abuse and discrimination, and in which athletes with disabilities and lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) athletes can participate without discrimination.
International efforts toward safe sport have also become increasingly active. Most recently, UNESCO published a report in June 2026 setting out recommendations for realizing safe sport.
At the fifth, ninth, and tenth meetings of the Sport Basic Plan committee, members also pointed to the need to develop integrity more comprehensively and coherently, including safe sport, online abuse, athletes' rights, and human rights.
Chapter 3. Comprehensive Plan
Priority Issue 2: Pursuit of High Performance and Returning Achievements and Knowledge to Society by Improving the Environment Surrounding Athletes and Others
(2) Strengthening Sport Integrity
① Strengthening Governance Systems in Sports Organizations
Human Rights Watch supports the measure to provide education on abuse and harassment through coach education support. However, this should not be limited to compliance education linked to the Japan Sport Association (JSPO)'s coaching license system. It should be positioned as safe sport and human rights education, and should be mandatory for all coaches who instruct children.
To achieve this, however, the existing JSPO system alone is insufficient. Japan needs an independent, specialized administrative body, a Japan Safe Sport Center, to eradicate abuse in sport and conduct public education, including for coaches who are not licensed.
The Plan should also expressly include the enactment of a Safe Sport Act based on Articles 8 and 29(1) of the Basic Act on Sport in order to make training mandatory for all coaches of children.
② Creating an Environment in which Athletes Can Focus on Sport without Being Affected by External Factors
Human Rights Watch supports the Interim Report's recognition of the harms caused by online abuse and by photographs and videos taken or disseminated with sexual intent. Legal assistance, psychological support, and public awareness should be handled not only by the Japanese Olympic Committee, the Japanese Paralympic Committee, and the Japan High Performance Sport Center, but by a Japan Safe Sport Center. Under the concept of safe sport, these issues constitute forms of abuse, and they affect not only elite athletes, but everyone involved in sport, including children participating in community and school sports.
At the ninth meeting of the Sport Basic Plan committee, it was also pointed out that online abuse and well-being are not issues limited to elite athletes.
