The 25th Conference of the Japanese Society of Lifelong Sports convened under the theme “Going back to the roots: Toward the systematic development of lifelong sports studies.” The keynote lecture and symposium primarily addressed the definitions and conceptualizations of lifelong sports. Recognizing the similarities between the academic realms of leisure and lifelong sports, this paper aimed to review the conceptualizations and research methodologies in leisure studies, and subsequently explore research trends and issues in lifelong sports studies through the application of a typology derived from leisure studies. Within the field of leisure studies, researchers have traditionally investigated leisure phenomena from both objective (time, forms of activity, environment) and subjective (psychological experiences) perspectives. The definition of what constitutes leisure is also determined either by researchers (external) or research participants (internal) in leisure studies. Building upon these two dimensions, a typology of research approaches is proposed, which comprises: 1) objective-external, 2) objective-internal, 3) subjective-external, and 4) subjective-internal approaches. A content analysis of published papers in the Japanese Journal of Lifelong Sports revealed a prevalence of objective-external and subjective-external approaches in lifelong sports studies. These findings suggest the necessity for further discussion on the conceptual definitions of lifelong sports within the academic domain, where research with an external vantage point is predominant. Additionally, accumulating research insights through the internal vantage point may enhance the visibility and understanding of lifelong sports in Japan. Such steps seem essential for advancing “the systematic development of lifelong sports studies”.

  Sports support activities, such as instruction, management, and auxiliary activities in sports are generally referred to "supporting sports," and are indispensable for maintaining an effective sports environment. Club activity guidance by university students has been proposed as a possible solution for the shortage of instructors, but the small number of young people involved in such activities is considered to be a problem. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between continuity factors and continuous participation behavior among young people who continue to support sports as a daily activity and clarify the differences in the relationship by life stage and activity type. As a theoretical framework, we used the sport commitment model, which is useful in examining continuous sport behavior and usable even for those who are not organizationally active.

  We conducted a large-scale survey and selected young people in their teens and twenties who had engaged in daily sports support activities at least once every two months for at least six months. The model was validated by assuming the subjects to be a single population, but the results demonstrated that the goodness of fit was low. The model was refined using item parceling, and the goodness-of-fit was improved, confirming that enjoyment was conducive to higher levels of enthusiastic commitment and can predict frequency of activities. A simultaneous analysis of multiple populations by life stage and activity type revealed that the enjoyment of activities indirectly affects the frequency in the groups of university graduates and employees. These results suggest that enjoyment and pleasure affect the continuation of supporting sports and that strategies to promote continuous participation behavior among young people need to be considered for each life stage and activity type.

  The purpose of the present study was to clarify whether physical fitness and the executive functions of inhibition and working memory affect soccer game performance in 34 sixth grade students whose physical fitness, inhibition, and working memory were measured. The students’ performance during a soccer match was also evaluated. After controlling for age and gender, significant correlations were found between soccer game performance and the measurements of physical fitness and working memory task results. In addition, a significant trend was observed in the correlation between performance in the soccer game and the inhibition task. To examine the respective effects of physical fitness and executive functions on soccer game performance, a multiple regression analysis was conducted using age, gender, physical strength, inhibition, and working memory tasks as independent variables, and soccer game performance as the dependent variable. As a result, the three standardized partial regression coefficients from physical fitness, from inhibition, and from working memory to soccer game performance were all significant. The present study revealed that not only physical fitness but also inhibition and working memory affect soccer game performance in elementary school children.

  The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships of social impact, spectator satisfaction, and behavioral intention among Japan Rugby League One (JRLO) spectators. A questionnaire survey, conducted on December 17, 2022, gathered 153 valid responses from Mie Honda Heat fans residing in the host region for analysis. To analyze the data, hierarchical multiple regression analyses were performed. For the first analysis, spectator satisfaction was considered the dependent variable, while demographic variables (gender, age) were treated as independent variables for Step 1. Subsequently, the three social impact factors (community excitement, rugby excitement, and community pride) were added as independent variables for Step 2. In the second analysis, behavioral intention was the dependent variable, and the same demographic variables were used as independent variables for Step 1. For Step 2, the three social impact factors (community excitement, rugby excitement, and community pride) were added as independent variables. Lastly, in Step 3, spectator satisfaction was included as an additional independent variable. The results of the hierarchical multiple regression analyses revealed that (a) social impact of rugby excitement and community pride were positively related to spectator satisfaction, (b) the two demographic variables and rugby excitement were negatively and positively related to behavioral intention, respectively, (c) spectator satisfaction was positively related to behavioral intention, and (d) the inclusion of social impact and spectator satisfaction as independent variables significantly increased the coefficient of determination for behavioral intention. In conclusion, this study sheds light on the interplay between social impact, spectator satisfaction, and behavioral intention among JRLO spectators, providing valuable insights for sports organizations and marketing strategies.

  The links between heritage and sport in tourism have been recognized; however, the role of sport-related heritage in tourism development initiatives has not been well explored. In particular, little knowledge has been accumulated in Japan regarding the promotion of heritage sport tourism leveraging events. This study aimed to present the promotion of heritage sport tourism leveraging the Tour of Flanders as a case study in Belgium’s Flanders region. Specifically, it focused on the promotion of cycle tourism in Flanders and heritage sport tourism through the Tour of Flanders, which is an event that has achieved heritage sport tourism results through various initiatives. The host city has been changed, base facilities have been developed; participatory heritage events have been organized, and the entire route has been considered a heritage site; and strategies have been developed to give place meaning. Through these mechanisms, heritage assets such as (1) tangible immovable, (2) tangible movable, (3) intangible, and (4) goods and services, which are important elements of sport-related heritage, are formed to promote cycle tourism throughout the year. In Japan, sporting events including cycling events have a strong tendency toward innovation, which favors new approaches. However, through the Belgian case study, creating mechanisms to preserve the event’s heritage while cherishing the good old things is a necessary strategy for event management in Japan in the future.