On December 2nd in Aomori/Hirosaki, the “What are the sports environment for children?-Youth sports environment forum” was held. Sponsored by "Sponnet Hirosaki".

The forum discusses the current situation in which the environment for children to play sports is disappearing due to the declining population, declining birthrate, double-working parents, and busy teachers. "Aomori is more serious than other prefectures. I want to think together with all the local residents," says Aoi Shikauchi of Sponnet Hirosaki.

In the keynote speech, Riichi Koide, an instructor at the "Shinmachi Sports Club," launched the first comprehensive community sports club in Gunma Prefecture in 2000 to create an environment where sports can be performed regardless of the area. What is your future image of?”

Mr. Koide introduced the motor skills of the current fifth graders at the same level as the past seniors, and introduced the sports environment in Germany as an example compared with overseas. "The polarization of sports is progressing, creating a gap between those who do not and those who do not. We need to convey the original joy of sports and work on expanding the bottom."

At the symposium after the keynote speech, in addition to Mr. Koide and Mr. Shikauchi, Hiromi Awashima of Hirosaki City Cultural Sports Promotion Division and Mr. Tsuyoshi Koyamauchi, Chairman of the Hirosaki City Sports Boy Scouts, took the stage and exchanged opinions from their respective positions. ..

Mr. Awashima announced the questionnaire results collected from 3392 people including parents who the city conducted in 2016. It was revealed that the Sports Boy Scouts had problems such as "biased towards victory", "burden on parents" and "lack of leaders". Pointed out to do.

Mr. Koyamauchi introduced that the number of members of the Sports Boy Scouts has decreased by more than 40% in 10 years, and the number of teams continues to decrease. "There are fewer events and there are children in the suburbs who can't even participate in group sports. Opportunities to play sports are disappearing," he said.

In response to the announcement by the two people, Koide said, "There are leaders and trends that make winning a status, children may not enjoy sports, and the burden on parents may increase. 80% of them have not only been playing the sport since they were children, but also having the experience of having fun. It is only in Japan, which is a developed nation, that they enthusiastically hold national sports competitions to win or lose."

Mr. Shikauchi introduced the activities of SPONET. In suburbs such as Takasugi, Funazawa, and the three provinces, the environment for playing sports was disappearing due to the decrease in the number of children. Sponnet implemented an initiative to attract children from multiple schools to play sports, and reported that while there were issues such as transportation, the number of sports events increased and various experiences were made possible with ease.

At the end of the forum, Mr. Shikauchi said, "What is needed for children through sports is being questioned. The National Olympic Games will be held in 2025 at the Tokyo Olympics and Aomori, and the gorgeous front is on the spot. However, the current situation is serious and the environment in which children can play sports continues to decline. We have to think of a new system that allows more sports, such as a wide area sports boy group."