Politics in Japan

Since the regular Japanese semester has started in mid April the number of Japanese students on campus has increased greatly. A number of ryugakusei find this somewhat problematic especially when it comes to lunch time. All of a sudden finding a place to sit or choosing which cafeteria to go to is harder now. The infinite lines of students waiting outside each cafeteria seem discouraging to other students like me who only wants to find a spot where I can sit and eat my lunch peacefully. The politics of choosing where to eat and what to eat with your friends at lunch time can be quite a task. Not only do you have to arrange with your friends how to meet amidst a sea of students on campus, but the process also involves some negotiating as to which cafeteria to go to in order to get your food the fastest. Finally, the process involves the last stage of figuring out where to sit. By 12 o’clock the amphitheater and most cafeterias are occupied by early “lunchers” who have come several minutes before rush hours. It is almost hopeless for students, Japanese or ryugakusei, to come after 12 o’clock and expect to be able to find the ideal spot.

Sports in Japan

Great effort has been put into promoting sports among youth in Japan by the Japanese Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) in the past few decades. The ministry’s main purpose is to promote “(1) Enhancement of physical education in schools, (2) Realization of a lifelong sports society, and (3) Improvement of Japan’s international competitiveness in sports.”


As I've become aware that a decent number of students at Kansai Gaidai University are actively involved in some kinds of sports or physical activity, I've decided to do a short, informal survey to find out about the general history of these students' involvement in sports. A small group of physically active students were asked three questions regarding their involvement with sports. The students belong to the tracks and field circle at the university. An American friend of mine, who have come to be good friends with these students and actually belong to the circle, helped conduct the survey. The results are below.


(1)When did you begin playing sports?
Before 5 years of age: I
Between 5 and 6: II
Between 7 and 9: II
Between 10 and 13: IIIII II

(2) How many types of sports do you do?
[1]: IIIII I
[2]: III
[3]: I
[More than 4] II

(3) How many hours per week do you spend playing sports?
[1-3]: IIII
[4-6]: I
[7-9]: I
[More than 10 hours]: IIIII I

While many college students may have been more active and involved in sports during their high school years, they have traded that in for more time in the library. Many of these students, however, still participate in physical activities to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Regarding students who did not do team sports do dedicate their time after school to play sports with their friends.
Although the students in this survey may not be part of the government’s policies promoting national competitiveness in international sports, they are certainly becoming part of the lifelong sports society of Japan.