From July 8–11, 2025, Deputy Director Noguchi, Postdoctoral Researcher Miyazawa, and Postdoctoral Researcher Furuta participated in the 2025 World Congress of Sociology of Sport hosted by the International Sociology of Sport Association (ISSA) at Seoul National University (South Korea). Titled 2025 World Congress of Sociology of Sport “60 Years of the Sociology of Sport: Past, Present, and Future Trajectories,” they presented findings from the field research conducted as part of the FY2024 Post–Sport for Tomorrow Promotion Project, “Gender Equality in Sport.”

■ Overview of the Congress
The congress was held under the theme “60 Years of the Sociology of Sport: Past, Present, and Future Trajectories” and brought together researchers from around the world interested in the relationship between sport and society. The venue, Seoul National University, welcomed hundreds of participants from the UK, Canada, the United States, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, and many other countries—highlighting strong representation from Asia due to the regional location. Diverse presentations were delivered from multiple regional and cultural perspectives, sparking lively discussion throughout.

Panel discussions at the Congress covered a wide range of social issues, including sport and social challenges in the Global South, the relationship between sport and climate change, gender perspectives, and scholarly contributions from Asia. In total, there were 36 different themed sessions, 254 oral presentations, and 43 poster presentations, with gender and sport being the most prominent area of focus. Many sessions emphasized bridging practice and research, highlighting efforts to connect theory with real-world settings.

Postdoctoral Researcher Furuta delivered a talk titled: An Ecological Perspective on Women’s Participation in Sports: Case Studies from Brunei, Cambodia, and Malaysia - where she reported on the outcomes of the FY2024 field research conducted under the Post–Sport for Tomorrow Promotion Project “Gender Equality in Sport.” Drawing on surveys from Brunei, Cambodia, and Malaysia, Furuta highlighted various barriers that hinder women’s participation in sport.

Furuta noted that while modern sport spread globally under strong Western influence and much research on women’s participation has been centered in Europe and North America, studies rooted in the social and cultural contexts of Asia remain limited. She pointed out that local gender norms shape women’s opportunities and choices, with access to sport heavily influenced by social, economic, religious, and cultural factors.

She emphasized that promoting women’s participation requires a contextualized understanding of local realities and careful identification of specific barriers. Achieving truly inclusive sporting environments, she argued, calls for cultural and structural transformation and locally grounded approaches. Looking forward, she expressed the ambition to deepen understanding of ASEAN countries, support policy development adapted to local contexts, and contribute to international dialogue through identifying shared challenges.

During the Q&A followed by the presentation, an active debate took place on the academic and social significance of the study and its future direction. Particular attention was given to how Southeast Asia’s unique cultural and social contexts should be positioned in comparison with traditional gender research centered in Europe.

It was also reaffirmed that this research is not merely descriptive, but is consciously aligned with the project’s aim of promoting policy recommendations and gender mainstreaming. Participants further discussed the need for approaches that reflect collectivist values and historical-cultural backgrounds common in many Asian nations. The importance of pursuing sport policy and gender equality initiatives tailored to each country—while respecting differences in national frameworks and norms—was strongly emphasized.

Through this Congress, they were able to connect with active international researchers in the fields of Sport for Development and Peace (SDP) and sport and gender, and to discuss the accumulation of academic knowledge and discuss future collaboration possibilities in the Asian region. Moving forward, the International Research Center for Sport and Gender Equality of Seijo University (SGE) aims to serve as a hub in Asia, contributing to the advancement of international dialogue in these fields.