The Possible Future of Sports and Technology

 ■The Possible Future of Sports and Technology

Sports-Tech Future Conference was held at Waseda University.

How will technology and digital elements contribute to growth?

This event involves thinking together with the competent authorities and venture capital firms.

I addressed the conference.

This is multiplication between sports, technology, and the future. Following TV, the internet, and smart devices, the next wave of technology is approaching.

The Japanese government has a policy in place to grow the sport industry to 15 trillion yen, which is triple the current value, by 2025, but I can sense an unlimited future that cannot be measured by expansion of the industry.

Technology is wide-ranging. It enhances physical functions like the Major League training brace from the Star of the Giants did.

It forms the body itself like the prosthetic legs and wheelchairs do for Paralympians.

Strategies are analyzed using AI. People enjoy matches using VR and IoT.

For esports, which I am involved in, technology is the key player that forms the sport itself.

The Tokyo Olympics present a great opportunity. All super-smart technologies will be utilized at once.

The Olympics and Paralympics will be based on AI, IoT, robots, drones, VR, AR, 4K, 8K, 5G, big data, and blockchain.

Sports seeks technology, and at the same time, technology seeks the opportunities provided by sports.

Super-smart technologies, such as AI and IoT, are called the fourth industrial revolution or Society 5.0.

The former is a German concept that is based on the Industrial Revolution since the 18th century, while the latter is a Japanese concept of a society that follows in the footsteps of hunting, agriculture, industry, and information. It is more of a shift in civilization rather than an industrial revolution.

I relate more to this. We are presently at the point of this shift, and I would like to merge this with sports.

Due to the evolution of AI and robotics, a super-bored society will come. The importance of sports will increase.

There is talk of esports becoming an official Olympic sport.

Now that various issues have been resolved, esports are becoming very popular in Japan this year.

This is a result that is easy to understand regarding how business is a product of the multiplication of sports and business.

This form of multiplication between sports, technology, and industry is taking place everywhere.

This is a twofold opportunity, as it combines the opportunity of a major wave of technology approaching and the opportunity of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics happening. Our will to utilize this opportunity is being sought.

Let’s gather wisdom and take action.