KITAKYUSHU, Japan - As Japan pushes to strengthen safeguards in youth sports, a sexual assault case involving a former karate school head in a southwestern city has proved to be a stark example of the dangers that still persist.
In February, a local branch of the Fukuoka District Court in Kitakyushu sentenced Tetsuya Nagasue to 24 years in prison for sexually assaulting eight female students between 2018 and 2024.
According to the ruling, Nagasue engaged in sexual acts with the girls and inappropriate touching and photographed or filmed the abuse. He knew all of them were under the age of 13.
The case has renewed attention on the power coaches have over children in Japanese sports, where athletes often depend heavily on instructors for training opportunities and advancement.
While awareness of "safeguarding" -- policies aimed at protecting athletes from potential harm such as abuse, sexual violence and corporal punishment -- is gradually spreading, implementation remains uneven, particularly among smaller clubs.
"It's crucial to identify potential issues early and address them before they become more serious," Yuiko Inoue told about 40 local sports club officials during a workshop in Matsumoto, Nagano Prefecture, in February.
A former footballer who played in the women's Nadeshiko League, 34-year-old Inoue now works to promote safeguarding measures aimed at protecting children from violence and abuse in sports settings.
The concept of safeguarding gained traction internationally about a decade ago as sports organizations overseas faced growing scrutiny over abuse scandals involving coaches and athletes.
In Japan, the Japan Football Association introduced a safeguarding policy in 2021 and incorporated it into coaching license requirements.
But adoption in many other sports has been slow.
During the Matsumoto workshop, Inoue divided participants into groups representing adults and children and asked them to discuss why abuse often goes unreported.
When one participant in the children's group suggested that some may fear suffering disadvantages if they speak out, Inoue noted that there is also the concern about not being believed. "That places them in a difficult position," she said.
The ruling in the Nagasue case said the trainer used his strong influence over students and exploited their desire to continue practicing.
Inoue said sports environments can make it easier for coaches to dominate athletes and for abusive behavior to be normalized or justified in the name of discipline and performance.
She urged sports organizations to establish clearer behavioral guidelines based on the assumption that risks exist. Measures should include rules prohibiting inappropriate physical contact, as well as designated personnel and consultation services to handle complaints, she said.
One participant at the workshop said it provided "a perspective on how to approach this as an organization."
Mao Okuda, operations manager of the local sports club that organized the event, said he first learned about safeguarding through a JFA coaching course.
"Many coaches are overlooking children's rights," Okuda said, adding that he hopes safeguarding practices will spread to smaller organizations through reviews of their codes of conduct.
For Inoue, the issue is also personal.
During her playing career, Inoue experienced violence firsthand, and after retiring learned of sexual assault within her former team. In 2020, she established S.C.P. Japan in Kashiwa, Chiba Prefecture, with the goal of creating "a safe and secure environment for everyone to enjoy themselves."
Since then, she has focused on promoting safeguarding awareness and training programs across Japan.
While Inoue said awareness is gradually increasing, she believes cases such as Nagasue's show the risks remain high where organizations fail to introduce preventive measures.
She called for stronger involvement by authorities, including measures that would pressure organizations to adopt safeguarding systems.
"It's necessary to create an external environment where subsidies are withheld unless the system is implemented," she said.
