As the Japan Football Association (JFA) celebrates its 100th anniversary this year, it has chosen “Aspas!” as the name for its commitment to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and social contribution activities through football for the next 100 years, in which JFA will strategically promote initiatives in five key areas, “environment, human rights, health, education, and community.”

“Aspas!” is a word coined from “our (us /ʌs/) desire to pass the ball for a better tomorrow (pronounced /asɯ/ in Japanese) for the planet Earth (/aːsɯ/ in Japanese)” and expresses the determination of the football family to “pass the ball” across generations and time. The logo depicts the earth as a football, evoking the image of the football family working together as a team with people, animals, and the environment to create a better tomorrow for our planet.

JFA has been involved in a wide range of social contribution activities, including grassroots activities to create environments where anyone, regardless of age, gender, disability, or race, can enjoy playing sports anytime, anywhere, activities to eradicate violence and verbal abuse, raise awareness of respect and fair play, and the JFA Green Project, which encourages children to play outside and promotes the development of local communities. It also focuses on fostering human resources for the next generation through the “JFA Kokoro Project” and the “Women's Leadership Programme,” which are contributing to the mental education of children.

While continuing to carry out these activities, JFA will focus on the five areas of “environment, human rights, health, education, and community,” which are closely related to football and can be further contributed through sport, under the name “Aspas!” Together with the football family, JFA aims to contribute to the creation of a sustainable society by actively engaging in new activities, such as promoting recycling and energy conservation to reduce the environmental impact of its competitions, creating opportunities for spectators to experience the game without leaving anyone behind, and collaborating with various partners and organisations working to solve social issues.

The five key areas raised by JFA through “Aspas!”

Environment　A healthy “external environment,” such as climate and nature, is a prerequisite for the enjoyment of football.
Human rights　A well-regulated “internal environment,” both in terms of structure and operation, in which everyone can enjoy football, regardless of their race or gender.
Health　The ability to adapt to the individual needs of the football family and provide an environment where everyone can enjoy football.
Education　To contribute to the healthy development of individuals through football and to raise awareness of social issues such as the environment and human rights.
Community　To develop and promote activities of “Aspas!” across the country in a sustainable manner, involving many stakeholders.