Badminton Registered Players in FY2025 Reached 299,493, the Highest Since the Pandemic

The Badminton Association of Japan (BAJ) reports on the number of registered badminton players for the 2025 fiscal year (as of March 31, 2026). The number of registered players in FY2025 reached 299,493, an increase of 7,048 from the previous year (292,445), approximately 102% of the previous year, marking the highest number since the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite shifts in demographic structure, the number of student-age registrants (university, high school, junior high school, elementary school) was 230,618, an increase of 5,497 from the previous year. Students accounted for approximately 78% of the total increase of 7,048, indicating that many young people are participating in the sport. By category, high school registrants reached 115,462, an increase of 4,081 from the previous year, making them the primary drivers of growth. Regionally, Tokyo (+993), Saitama (+792), and Chiba (+689) saw the highest increases, with growth centering on the Tokyo metropolitan area. Significant increases were also seen in other regions, such as Tottori Prefecture, which saw an increase of 534 (approximately 127% of the previous year). BAJ will continue to promote the development of badminton and the expansion of the player base through the creation of competition opportunities and outreach activities. [FY2025 Badminton Registered Players Overview] ■ Player count trend 299,493 (Year-over-year: +7,048, 102% of previous year) ■ By Category (FY2025) - General total: 68,875 (Year-over-year: +1,551, 102% of previous year) *General total = general, corporate, ladies, teaching staff, society - Student generation total: 230,618 (Year-over-year: +5,497, 102% of previous year) University students: 6,941 (+295, 104%) High school students: 115,462 (+4,081, 104%) Junior high students: 87,099 (+1,142, 101%) Elementary students: 21,116 (-21, 99.9%) ■ Top prefectures by increase 1. Tokyo: 28,306 (+993, 104%) 2. Saitama: 13,973 (+792, 106%) 3. Chiba: 14,613 (+689, 105%) 4. Tottori: 2,509 (+534, 127%) 5. Fukuoka: 8,782 (+530, 106%)