University’s founding spirit｜NIPPON TAIIKU DAIGAKU

University’s founding spirit 　

Taiiku Fukyo no Motoi

體育富強之基

“To achieve a truly fulfilling and sustainable society, it is essential to develop citizens that possess sound health, both mentally and physically, and are capable of actively disseminating and advancing the disciplines of physical education and sport.”

Taiikukai founder Tokichiro Hidaka’s statue

The history of Nippon Sport Science University (abbreviated NSSU or Nittaidai) began when its first predecessor organization Taiikukai (the Association of Physical Education; renamed Nippon Taiikukai (the Japan Association of Physical Education) the following year) was founded in 1891 (Meiji 24).

The founder Tokichiro Hidaka stipulated “Taiiku Fukyo no Motoi” as the University’s founding spirit (fundamental principle; its literal translation: “Physical education is fundamental to the enrichment of the Country and the strengthening of its Armed Forces”) which is still used today.
However, its construction changed with time and became “physical education is fundamental to the strengthening and enrichment of the human body” in 1949 (Showa 24) when the University’s Faculty of Sport Science was established.
Today, the original founding spirit is understood to represent the aforementioned notion, as the University has been consistently promoting mental and physical health through sport to the benefit of all people since its foundation, while endeavoring to develop great world-class athletes and instructors. The University’s academic activities are all based on this fundamental principle as well.

Mission

Social undertaking: institutional roles, ultimate purpose of existence

The University strives to accomplish the following mission in order to manifest its founding spirit, that is to help build a society and develop citizens that are of sound health and content through physical education, physical activity, and sport.

1

Explore the truth of what constitutes a vital human body through pioneering and practical research in physical education and sports, education, and health and medicine.

2

Develop competent talents that will play the role of leaders in the global and local communities and help build a fulfilling and content society as is the hope of all humanity.

3

Strive to develop and advance the culture of sports, promote the practice and dissemination of the spirit that is at the core of the Olympic and Paralympic movement, and leverage the power of sports that manifests in various ways to help achieve world peace.

4

Develop superb athletes that possess advanced ability to compete on a global stage while serving as role models to others, explore the potential of the human mind and body (life vibrancy and lively physical movement), and contribute to creating a society that is overflowing with vigor.

Vision

Goals: ideal self-image, future vision of self

In addition to its social undertaking, the University has set the following goals in education, research, and social outreach as it strives to be a leading comprehensive university in all cultural and scientific disciplines associated with the human body.

Education

Develop global leaders that know full well what constitutes a vital human body while accepting the diversity of the forms in which it may be manifested, and can thrive and make positive contributions in their respective fields as upstanding global citizens. To this end, promote the learning and cultivation in liberal arts as well as specialized knowledge and skills by students, and facilitate their acquisition of communication skills (both linguistic and expressive), problem identification and solving capability, and creative thinking capacity, so that they will become adept at collaborating and coexisting with others from diverse perspectives.

Research

Conduct genuine basic research as well as practical scientific studies that are geared toward solving specific problems at advanced levels, in an interdisciplinary manner through cooperation across different academic fields, and disseminate the knowledge obtained from such activities throughout society. In particular, promote research activities to address various issues that arise in the practice of physical education, physical activity, and sport, by comprehensive analysis and examination involving the diverse perspectives of humanities, social science, and natural science in such interactive manner that newly discovered knowledge, insight, and solutions are looped back to the practitioners in the field.

Social outreach

Develop collaborative and cooperative relationships with various domestic and foreign organizations while continuously improving relationships with all stakeholders, so as to give back to society by disseminating the results of its education and research activities and sharing its human resources, intellectual property, etc. Through the aforementioned activities, provide lifelong learning opportunities to promote the advancement of communal education and welfare, while establishing its position as a university adept at helping local communities realize their full potential by way of positive cycle creation involving knowledge and techniques between the University and society.