J.LEAGUE’s Sustainability Department, established to address social issues through climate action and regional revitalisation, enters its second year. This year marks the launch of the “J.LEAGUE × Shinji ONO Smile Football Tour for a Sustainable Future supported by Meiji Yasuda,” combining football clinics led by Shinji ONO with “Sustainability Talks” featuring Takayuki TSUJII and others discussing climate change. In its inaugural year, the tour reached approximately 1,900 primary school students across 15 out of 60 clubs, from Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo in the north to FC Ryukyu in the south.
SCHOOL
Football Clinic
Shinji ONO leads the football clinics alongside current and former J.LEAGUE players. Groups of 64 students from years 1–3 and 4–6 participate in warm-up exercises, demonstrations of basic dribbling and ball control techniques, and mini-games.
Students enjoy practical football experience, including matches between the instructor and primary school teams. The 70-minute sessions allow children to experience the joy of football and the fun of playing with teammates.
Sustainability Talk
Alongside the football clinics, these talks help students understand the connection between football and climate change—which causes extreme weather events like heatwaves, heavy rain, and typhoons—and learn what we can do to ensure football can be enjoyed in the future.
When shown a map of Japan with weather forecasts for 2100, children react with astonishment. When Ono asks, “Could you play football in temperatures even hotter than today?” the children respond with a resounding “No!”
At the end of the session, children write messages to “forests”—which absorb CO2 and significantly contribute to preventing global warming—on flags, which they take home along with tree seedlings.
SPECIAL TALK
J.LEAGUE: Shinji ONO × Takayuki TSUJII
We spoke with J.LEAGUE’s Shinji ONO and Takayuki TSUJII about their thoughts on this project, which has reached approximately 1,900 primary school students across 15 out of 60 clubs, from Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo in the north to FC Ryukyu in the south, since April 2024.
ーLooking back on the first year of the “J.LEAGUE × Shinji ONO Smile Football Tour for a Sustainable Future supported by Meiji Yasuda”
Shinji ONO, Co-opted Member, Executive Committee: We’ve had tremendous support from the very first session, and we’ve constantly updated our approach to ensure children enjoy themselves. Thanks to great teamwork, we’ve created an engaging programme that brings smiles to children’s faces.
Takayuki TSUJII, Corporate Executive Officer: Mr. Ono is the cornerstone of this project. After his retirement, he expressed his desire to give future generations the pure experience of enjoying football. That’s how this initiative began, using the J.LEAGUE as a platform. As the name “Smile Football” suggests, the primary goal is to create joyful moments where children interact with the ball and their teammates alongside Ono. This positive energy has spread to staff and partner companies, improving with each session.
Ono: We openly discuss both reflections and challenges. For instance, the program is divided between students in years 1–3 and 4–6, and we initially started with younger students but switched the order to have older students first. The older children are bigger, and it was physically demanding for the coaching staff in the second session (laughs). When I suggested the change to ensure we could give our all to both groups, everyone agreed. Now, we can spend more time interacting with the children with genuine smiles.
Tsujii: With Mr. Ono as the focal point, staff members continually bring new ideas. For the Sustainability Talk, we initially used photographs directly from the Environment Ministry’s website to show weather forecasts for 2100. However, someone suggested using animation instead. We added illustrations of a sweating sun, dizzy clouds, and squids spraying ink. This dramatically improved the children’s engagement.
ー About the Sustainability Talk. What led you to combine football clinics with climate change issues, which might seem unrelated at first glance?
Tsujii: Actually, it wasn’t my idea to add sustainability to Ono’s football clinics; it came from another board member, which I was delighted about. When children are enjoying football, and we tell them, “The climate is really important for continuing to enjoy this fun sport,” they listen attentively. Moreover, many of their parents are from the generation that watched Ono’s career in real-time. When he says, “This is important. Let’s protect your children’s future together,” well, that’s powerful (laughs). Protecting children’s future and protecting football feels coherent as a mission. Of course, we can't convey everything in the 10–15 minutes before and after the football clinic. The J.LEAGUE had just finished editing a Climate Action Video in which Ono, Kengo NAKAMURA, and Atsuto UCHIDA learned about climate change from scientist Seita EMORI. So, after the Sustainability Talk raises awareness about the importance of the climate, we give out stickers with Ono’s signature and a QR code for the video, allowing them to continue learning at home.
Ono: I’m really glad we did this. Listening to Dr Emori’s explanation was eye-opening. I thought, “Is this really what’s going to happen?” Beyond just playing sports, the environment essential for living is being lost. Today’s children already learn about climate change at school and have some understanding. By having parents listen, too, we’ve created an opportunity for family discussion and learning together.
I wasn’t planning to focus solely on football anyway, so this seemed interesting. It’s good to have various learning opportunities during the 90 minutes, not just football. English could be another possibility, for instance. While school studies often focus on exam preparation, connecting learning to daily life and football can build children’s future and confidence. I think about how happy I would have been to experience something like this when I was young.
Tsujii:Learning about the environment in English also sounds interesting. Also, when we ask children how old they’ll be in 2100 when the climate might be drastically different, a 6-year-old will only be 80 then. This is genuinely an issue they’ll face in their lifetime.
After its mid-April release, our Climate Action video views initially reached about 50,000 before plateauing. However, they’ve increased with each Smile Football Tour event, exceeding 68,000 by late November. Reaching 100,000 views would represent 1% of our annual match attendance of about 10 million. The circle of support is growing, and J.LEAGUE clubs are beginning to take a proactive stance.
Ono: Nothing would make me happier than if children remember even a bit of what we’ve said when they grow up. Some might even pass it on themselves. My own activities are rooted in Sergio ECHIGO’s “Sawayaka Soccer Clinic”. Whether it’s football or climate change, I hope more people become ambassadors for these causes in the future. I wish for this circle to grow and connect with the next generation.
ー Your activities sound fulfilling. Are there any particularly memorable moments?
Tsujii: In our post-event surveys, one father shared his 8-year-old son’s thoughts: “If I change, my big brother will change, and so will dad, mum, my classmates, and teachers. So, I need to be the one to change first.” The father was moved and wrote, “I’ve decided to do what I can, too.”
Ono: That’s really heartening. In football, if you want to become a good player, how much you practice is up to you. Creating a better environment is also down to individual actions. In that sense, football and sustainability have a natural affinity.
I was also struck by how many girls participated in the football clinics. I can see that watching Nadeshiko Japan (Japan Women’s National Team) and the WE League has inspired more girls to try football. There was one incident—I can’t remember exactly where—when a girl who had been participating left the pitch, probably thinking she couldn’t do it. But when we called out, “Come on, let’s play together. Give it a try!” she came back, and with everyone’s encouragement, she really enjoyed herself by the end.
Tsujii: Mr. Ono handles it so well. At every session, he asks, “Who’s playing football for the first time?” and initially gives those children his full attention. Then you start seeing the more skilled children teaching others. It spreads naturally.
Ono: It’s fascinating to watch this process. Ultimately, people don’t learn just by being taught; they learn by watching. I’ve always believed this is crucial, and I can really sense the children observing our every gesture and movement. That’s precisely why we must be excellent role models.
ー Through the tour, you must have gained insights into what J.LEAGUE and its clubs can do, and their potential.
Ono: I’ve had more realisations than during my playing career. Take the climate change initiatives. Since Mr Tsujii started communicating about this, various clubs have gradually shown interest and started learning. From the clubs, the message spreads to their academies, parents, supporters, and many others. This creates unique characteristics, a local flavour, and voices for change at each club. While it’s not simple, consistently doing small things surely leads to greater impact. That’s why we must continue these activities.
Tsujii:With growing support for climate action, we’re at the stage of collective awareness-building. We must be transparent about greenhouse gas emissions from league and club operations and work towards zero emissions, starting with changing mindsets and behaviours. However, when people think about what they can do individually, they often imagine self-denial and austere living, such as using less air conditioning. Instead, what’s crucial is creating systems with lower environmental impact. We’re in a preparatory phase towards that goal.
For example, consider switching match-day stadium shuttle buses to zero-emission vehicles. If local governments try this alone, they face questions about using tax money just for football. Companies alone face cost barriers and regulatory challenges. However, if J.LEAGUE clubs connect various stakeholders and arrange for community use on non-match days, and if climate action supporters endorse this use of tax money, local governments can act, and companies’ burden will decrease. New systems can emerge through such connections. Clubs have the potential to play vital roles as regional hubs.
ー There are still many J.LEAGUE clubs nationwide to visit. What are your thoughts for 2025 and beyond?
Ono: First, we need to continue these efforts. Beyond sharing the joy of football, I want to convey messages like, “Don’t wait for the future; aim for the national team starting now.” When awareness changes, daily actions follow. Interacting with children through these activities has really reinforced this for me.
Tsujii: Besides visiting venues, my role includes expanding our network of sponsoring companies. If we can better demonstrate the Smile Football Tour’s value and increase corporate sponsorship, it will enhance the sustainability of both these initiatives and J.LEAGUE itself. That makes the content crucial. We want to continue our activities on both fronts: improving quality while expanding our network of partners.
Text by Takeru FUJIKI (Asahi Shimbun)
PROFILE
Shinji ONO
Born 27 September 1979 in Shizuoka Prefecture. Joined Urawa Reds in 1998. Played for seven clubs across Japan, the Netherlands, Germany, and Australia. Won the UEFA Cup (now UEFA Europa League) with Feyenoord. Represented Japan in three consecutive FIFA World Cups (1998, 2002, 2006). Retired after the 2023 season and became an ambassador for Hokkaido Consadole Sapporo on 14 January 2024. Serves as a Co-opted Member of the J.LEAGUE Executive Committee from 2024.
Takayuki TSUJII
Born in 1968. After working at a sea kayak shop, joined the Patagonia Tokyo-Shibuya store in 1999. Became a full-time employee in 2000 and served as President of Patagonia Japan from 2009 to 2019. After leaving Patagonia, worked as a social activist and social business consultant, involved in vision and strategy development for companies and NPOs. Appointed as an Outside Director of the J.LEAGUE in 2022 and assumed position as Corporate Executive Officer in 2023, overseeing sustainability initiatives.
