(7) Culture and Sports
Cultural heritage that is symbolic of a country can be effectively utilized to improve the livelihoods of the residents in the surrounding areas, including employment creation in the region, if it is developed as a tourism resource. Cultural heritage that attracts tourists from abroad could also be an important source of foreign currency for a country’s economy. On the other hand, a large number of cultural heritage sites are in danger due to the lack of funds, equipment, and technology among others, and hence assistance to protect such cultural heritage sites is required. The World Heritage Convention,Note 88 an international framework for protecting buildings and other structures of universal value in the world as the “common heritage of mankind,” states that the protection of such heritage and international cooperation for that is the duty of the international community as a whole. The preservation and promotion of culture, including the invaluable cultural heritage in developing countries, should be addressed not only by the countries with cultural heritage in danger, but also by the entire international community.
Sports can not only help maintain and improve health but are also viewed as a means of education, which is important for “investment in people” to promote “human security.” Sports also contribute to cultivating a sense of respect for others, a spirit of mutual understanding, and normative consciousness, and the influence and positive power of sports play a role as a “catalyst” for the development and growth of developing countries.
● Japan’s Efforts
A Japanese teacher giving a class that introduces Japanese culture at Xokkham Elementary School in Laos, as part of the Study Tour Program for Teachers, in which teachers working on development education are dispatched to development cooperation sites with the aim of utilizing what they have learned in the program in their classes after returning home (Photo: JICA)
Japan has provided assistance for the promotion of culture, including sports, higher education, and preservation of cultural heritage in developing countries through the Cultural Grant AssistanceGlossary since 1975. Facilities constructed with such assistance also serve as hubs for spreading information about Japan and for cultural exchanges with Japan, contributing to a deeper understanding of Japan and fostering a sense of affinity toward Japan. In 2023, Japan implemented 20 projects that support education, including Japanese language education, cultural heritage preservation, and sports under the Cultural Grant Assistance.
Moreover, Japan provides support for the restoration and preservation of cultural heritage, including equipment provision and preliminary studies and surveys, through the “Japanese Funds-in-Trust” established in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Japan contributed approximately 600 million yen in FY2023 and has implemented multiple projects in the field of cultural heritage through the fund. In Japan’s assistance, a particular emphasis is put on human resources development in developing countries so that they themselves can preserve their own cultural heritage in the future. To this end, Japan endeavors to dispatch international experts, mainly Japanese experts, as well as hold workshops in order to transfer the techniques and expertise to developing countries. In addition to the support for tangible cultural heritage, Japan also supports the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage such as traditional dances, music, handcraft techniques, and oral lore (oral traditions) through successor training, records conservation, and creation of safeguard mechanisms under the Japanese Funds-in-Trust.
Japan also conducts training programs with the aim of improving the capacities to protect cultural heritage by inviting young experts engaged in cultural heritage protection from the Asia-Pacific region to Japan as part of the “Project for the Promotion of Cooperation for the Protection of World Heritage and Other Cultural Properties in the Asia-Pacific Region.” In addition, Japan conducts biennial training on maintenance and repair methods for wooden buildings and on survey records of archeological remains. In 2023, Japan conducted online training on recording, preserving, and exhibiting archaeological remains using digital technology for experts in the Central Asian region (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan).
In the field of sports, Japan has been continuously promoting “Sport for Tomorrow,”Note 89 an international contribution program that was launched in 2014 to raise momentum for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games, even after the Games ended. This program aims to extensively implement initiatives that demonstrate Japan’s presence by engaging in international exchange and cooperation through sports, and contribute to the SDGs through international cooperation projects in the field of sports that leverage Japan’s strengths. In 2023, Japan dispatched a total of 105 Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCVs) in the field of sports to developing countries. Moreover, Japan provides sports-related facilities and equipment, dispatches and invites coaches and athletes, and conducts projects in the field of sports that involve the provision of technical cooperation, introductions to Japanese culture, and human resources development.Note 90
Glossary
- Cultural Grant Assistance
- Cultural Grant Assistance is a grant aid to procure equipment and supplies and to construct and rehabilitate facilities for the promotion of culture (including sports) and higher education as well as for the preservation of cultural heritage in developing countries. It aims to promote friendly relationships and mutual understanding by encouraging cultural and educational advancements in developing countries as well as cultural exchanges between Japan and the recipient countries through such assistance. There are two modalities; “Cultural Grant Assistance,” which provides assistance to governmental organizations of developing countries, and “Grant Assistance for Cultural Grassroots Projects,” which provides assistance to NGOs and local public entities for small-scale projects.
- Note 88: The official name of the convention is the “Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage.” The objective of the Convention is to establish a system of international cooperation and assistance in order to preserve and protect cultural and natural heritage from threat of damage or destruction as World Heritage of humankind as a whole. It was adopted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) General Conference in 1972 and became effective in 1975. Japan became a State Party to the Convention in 1992.
- Note 89: Sport for Tomorrow website: https://www.sport4tomorrow.jpnsport.go.jp/
- Note 90: MOFA’s sports diplomacy initiatives: https://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/culture/people/sports/index.html