Sociological Consideration on Sport Involvement of Japanese Female Adults

Abstract

The purpose of this paper is to clarify the longitudinal trend on sport involvement of Japanese female adults after World War II and to consider the factors that have influenced it from a sociological perspective, based on an analysis of the relevant literatures. The rate of females' primary sport involvement is lower than that of males at any period. This trend is related to traditional Japanese gender role and females' life cycle. In the period from the end of the war to the 1950s, the greater part of female adults had no opportunities to engage in sports. The number of female sport participants increased remarkably in the 1960s. This trend continued in the 1970s, however, the rate of increase was quite low, and that has not changed in the 1980s. Some factors that influenced sport involvement of female adults were indicated: a rise in the standard of living by economic growth, an increase in leisure time, the completion of the conditions needed for sports, a change in gender role and a change in women's life cycle.