Govt to Help Sports Teams Attract Overseas Fans, Organize Business Matchmaking Events

The Yomiuri Shimbun

1:00 JST, September 12, 2025

The government will support Japanese sports teams, including from soccer and volleyball leagues, to attract overseas fans as part of a broader push to grow domestic sports business.

The Economy, Trade and Industry Ministry will host a business matchmaking event in Thailand on Sept. 12 to encourage collaboration between Japanese sports teams and Thai companies. The event will promote sponsorship deals, matching with hosts for games, broadcasting rights transactions and other activities.

About 20 Japanese organizations are expected to attend the event, including clubs in the J.League — Japan’s professional soccer league — such as Gamba Osaka, Yokohama FC and Urawa Reds. The Osaka Bluteon, Toray Arrows Shizuoka, and other teams in the SV.League, Japan’s volleyball league, will also participate. About 40 companies and organizations from countries including Thailand will also attend. Those firms range from accommodation businesses, travel agents, sports school organizers and those interested in broadcasting.