Miyagi Gov. Yoshihiro Murai, president of the National Governors’ Association, on Monday suggested the idea of scrapping the annual national sports event previously known as “Kokutai.”
“It’s my personal opinion, but I guess one way to think about it is to abolish it,” Murai told a regular news conference, referring to the Japan Games, renamed from the National Sports Festival, or Kokutai, this year.
The annual event is hosted in rotation by the country’s 47 prefectures. It is co-sponsored by the Japan Sport Association (JSPO), the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, and the host prefecture.
The event, which started in 1946, will enter its third round in 2035.
Murai said that financial burdens on host prefectures are heavy and that few leading athletes, who are aiming for international competitions such as the Olympics, participate in the event.
“We need to stop and think whether we will continue it the same way as now in the third round,” he said.
The National Governors’ Association is conducting a survey to ask its member prefectures how the event should be held. The association plans to compile a report on the results and share it with the JSPO.