Naomi Osaka, Nike launch coaching guide promoting sports access for girls in Japan
By Bryan Ke
Naomi Osaka’s Play Academy has joined forces with Nike to promote sports access for girls in Japan. The partnership, which includes the London-based Laureus Sport for Good, released a guide for coaches designed to remove barriers for girls in the country, as Play Academy — which Osaka created to help young girls succeed in organized sports — celebrates its fifth anniversary.
- About the partnership: The research-backed guide aims to foster an inclusive and supportive environment for Japanese girls in sports through the knowledge and skills it provides to coaches. Additionally, Nike hosted a “Coach the Dream” summit in Tokyo from Oct. 16-20, which was touted as the largest of its kind ever held in Japan. Experts and athletes trained 50 Japanese sports leaders in coaching strategies at the summit, including trauma-informed practices, to create healing-centered experiences for young female athletes. Osaka said in a statement, “It’s been a joy to work alongside Nike to inspire the next generation to reach their potential through the power of movement.”
- Why it matters: Promoting sports access for young girls marks a step toward gender parity in Japan, though significant challenges remain. At present, Japan ranks 118th of 146 countries in gender parity and is the only Group of 7 (G7) country outside the top 100 in the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap Report 2024. In 2021, former national swimmer Naoko Imoto shed light on the local media’s gender bias during the Tokyo Olympics, telling The Asahi Shimbun, “Media tend to discuss [the female athletes’] looks and private lives, rather than portraying them as full-fledged athletes.” In a video shared by Nike, the sports brand noted that girls participate in sports 20% less than boys and that by the age 15, girls drop out of sports at twice the rate of boys.
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