Japan accepted as member of IeSF

Photo from left: Akihito Furusawa (Auditor, JPeF), Nobuyuki Umezaki (JPeF, Director), Alex Lim (Secretary General, IeSF), Yoshio Urushibara (Acting President, Federation of Diet Members from Online Game), Byung Hun Jun (President, IeSF), Jin Matsubara (Executive Director, Federation of Diet Members from Online Game), Fumio Suzuku (JPeF, Director), Yoshihito Mizunaga (Advisor, JPeF), Hiromi Mizunaga (Manager, JPeF)

On 1 November 2016, Japan Pro e-Sports Federation (JPeF) took its first step to vitalizing its domestic e-Sports market by getting approval to be affiliated into International e-Sports Federation (IeSF) as the representing National Federation for e-Sports in Japan. JPeF was established on 18 March 2016 and aims to invigorate e-Sports culture in Japan by, as the main focus, enhance the welfare of currently active e-Sports athletes.

JPeF’s membership approval process was accompanied by President. Jun’s visit to Japan during September this year. Hosted by JPeF, the meeting involved Mr Yoshio Urushibara (President) and Jin Matsubara (Executive Director) of the Federation of Diet Members for Online Game (an organization composed of 56 congressmen) and officials of both IeSF and JPeF. The meeting’s agenda included discussions on the direction needed to reinforce the momentum of Japanese e-Sports.

All parties agreed that Japan has an enormous and advanced gaming market in which e-Sports can flourish. The three parties involved in the meeting agreed to join its forces to reinforce the e-Sports foundation in Japan and to broaden the spectrum to develop the structure of e-Sports in the future. Moreover, the organizations agreed to work as a triad, to voice for e-Sports to be recognized as an official sports in Japan, and also look for potential opportunities for e-Sports to be engaged with the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.

JPeF has already a history of expanding and forming the e-Sports foundation in Japan by supporting e-sports players in obtaining a “Sport Athlete VISA” within the territory of Japan. To obtain a Sport Athlete VISA is a colossal step, for it shows the willingness for the Japanese community to perceive e-Sports as a true sport, and also secures the welfare of international players in the Japan. IeSF will be supporting JPeF with necessary resources to be connected in the global e-Sports industry, and looks forward to open a new chapter in the e-Sports history of Japan.