Shonan Bellmare and Four Other Clubs Announce Launch of "Sustre Japan Project" Press Conference

Shonan Bellmare Co., Ltd. announced its participation from fiscal year 2026 in the "Sustre Japan Project," Japan's first nationwide educational project centered around football clubs. The foundation of this project is the "Sustaina Training Center Project (Sustre)," a next-generation development program planned and developed by shikakeru Inc., which has been jointly promoted with the club since February 2024.

"Sustre" is an ESD (Education for Sustainable Development) program where football clubs across Japan serve as hubs, connecting 5th-grade elementary school students with companies and local governments. Under the question, "What kind of town would everyone want to continue living in?", children of the "future generation" and adults challenge themselves to create unprecedented sustainable town development, mainly through inquiry-based learning classes. This initiative, which began in Chigasaki City in fiscal year 2024, aims to expand nationwide and create 10,000 "Sustaina Players" (creators of a sustainable local community) by 2030.

We are pleased to announce that a press conference for the "Sustre Japan Project" will be held ahead of other areas nationwide. On the day, the Superintendent of Education of the Chigasaki City Board of Education and participating companies in Sustaina Training Center (currently being adjusted), who have supported the children's inquiry, will share the results of their two-year implementation in the Shonan area and their sincere thoughts as "stakeholders" who genuinely consider the region and its future. We invite you to cover this new challenge by Shonan Bellmare, which goes beyond the framework of a mere sports club to update the region through the power of "sports" and "education" in collaboration with administration and businesses.

◆ Press Conference Outline
Date: Saturday, May 16, 2026, 13:00-13:30
Venue: Lemon Gas Stadium Hiratsuka Press Conference Room
Timetable:
12:45 Registration opens (Entrance to Lemon Gas Stadium Hiratsuka Press Conference Room)
13:00 Opening Ceremony and Host Greetings
Shonan Bellmare Co., Ltd. will announce the background and aspirations behind its participation in the project.
13:05 Project Overview and Detailed Explanation
shikakeru Inc., the planner and operator of this project, will share the overall vision of the "Sustre Japan Project" and its roadmap for national expansion.
13:15 Activity Report in Shonan Area (Chigasaki City)
Results of the initiatives over the past two years will be shared. Stakeholders who have actually experienced and promoted the program will present, conveying the real changes on the ground.
13:25 Q&A Session
13:30 Photo Session
Scheduled Speakers:
・Mr. Kazutomi Aoyagi, Superintendent of Education, Chigasaki City Board of Education
・Participating companies in Sustaina Training Center (currently being adjusted)
・Mr. Yuta Kami, Representative Director, shikakeru Inc.
・Mr. Tetsuya Kumode, Representative Director, Shonan Bellmare Co., Ltd.

◆ Overview of "Sustaina Training Center Project" (Sustre)
With the motto "The world can be changed with fun," this is a new educational program that nurtures the next generation of sustainability human resources in the region. Shonan Bellmare, whose mission is "Dream Creation, People Development," collaborates with companies and local governments promoting local SDGs/sustainability to foster "Sustaina Players," who will lead the future of the region, through inquiry-based learning in elementary school classes.

In fiscal year 2024, it was implemented at Hamamura Elementary School and Higashikaigan Elementary School in Chigasaki City, which has a partnership agreement with Shonan Bellmare regarding "sustainable community development." In fiscal year 2025, it was implemented at Hamamura Elementary School and Matsunami Elementary School.

"Sustaina Training Center" Concept Movie: https://youtu.be/NRaTiYaT7W4?si=17optsZJ0fzGsIL3
"Sustaina Training Center 2024" Implementation Report: https://www.bellmare.co.jp/361819

◆ Overview of "Sustre Japan Project"
This refers to a project that expands "Sustre" nationwide, which cultivates the next generation of "Sustaina Players" (creators of a sustainable local community) by fostering collaboration among "companies, communities, and education" with football clubs as hubs. The project aims to achieve a society where children and adults alike seriously consider the region and its future, becoming "stakeholders," with a goal of "creating 10,000 Sustaina Players annually" by 2030.

Sustre Japan Project Introduction Movie: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfdj9Nr7qdE

◆ The project is structured around the following three pillars:
1. Sustre Coach Training (May-August)
This is a practical training program where partner companies, local governments, and sports clubs from each club gather. Specialists in sustainability management, leaders of local governments advocating for the realization of sustainable cities, and journalists active in Sweden, a leading country in sustainability, from various fields will participate.