Using the J. League to Promote Migration: Fans and Supporters as a Management Resource

Abstract

In recent years, regional migration has become an important policy theme in Japan from the perspectives of correcting the concentration of population in Tokyo and regional revitalization. Based on the previous studies, not only public policies and institutions but also the "social cap-ital" of the destination region and migrants are considered important to promote migration and support migrants. On the other hand, fans and supporters of community-based professional sports clubs have high social capital, suggesting that they may play a new public role as social public goods. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the use of J. League clubs to promote immigration and support immigrants. Based on interviews with people who have immigrated to rural areas and people involved with J. League clubs, etc., it was considered that the following elements are important to promote and support migration: "community" and "human resources" to connect migrants to local informal networks, and "place" and "con-tent" to expand such opportunities. In particular, the problem is how to procure communities and human resources with "bridging social capital". On the other hand, it was suggested that supporters of J. League clubs and their communities have bridging social capital, which could be a potential management resource for the development of migration support mechanisms. Based on the above findings and analysis, the authors proposed a "J. League Clubs' Authorized Welcome Café", operated in collaboration with J. League Clubs, supporters, and local governments to promote regional migration and support migrants at the "Sports Policy for Japan 2020", a conference on sports policy conducted by university students held in November 2020. The café will be a "place where anyone can stop by casually", including not only soccer fans but also local residents and prospective immigrants. If the social capital of J Club supporters can function as a "bridge", such cafes have the potential to reach a wide range of people. One of the important findings of this study is the potential of J-club fans/supporters to become a