[Industry-Academia Collaboration] Creating Leaders for the Rapidly Increasing "Regional Transfer of Club Activities". Leifras and SANKO Gakuen Conclude Comprehensive Partnership Agreement on "Nurturing Next-Generation Sports Business Professionals" on April 1st.
Leifras Co., Ltd., a sports school operator, and SANKO Gakuen, an educational corporation, have formed a comprehensive partnership to nurture next-generation sports business professionals. This collaboration aims to address the shortage of sports instructors and facilitate the regional transfer of club activities by providing students with practical learning experiences and career paths in the sports industry. The initiative will include internships, joint sports school operations, and career support for aspiring club activity instructors.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 2, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 2, 2026 at 14:30
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 17, 2026 at 07:12 (352h 42m after Collected)
Leifras Co., Ltd. (Nasdaq: LFS, Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Kiyotaka Ito), which operates sports schools for children and supports the regional expansion of club activities, will conclude a comprehensive partnership agreement with SANKO Gakuen (Headquarters: Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo, Chairman: Satoshi Torii), an educational corporation that operates vocational schools nationwide, on April 1, 2026, regarding the nurturing of next-generation sports business professionals. This agreement aims to combine the resources of both parties to provide practical learning and career opportunities to young people (students) who will be responsible for solving social issues such as the growing shortage of sports instructors and the regional transfer of club activities.
**1. Background of the Agreement: The Urgent Need to Develop "Next-Generation Sports Professionals"**
Currently, Japan's sports education scene is facing a major turning point. In particular, with the "regional transfer of club activities" promoted by the government, while the burden on teachers is being reduced, the shortage of "high-quality sports instructors and management personnel" to serve as local recipients has become a serious social issue. Therefore, our company, with an overwhelming track record in operating sports schools nationwide, and SANKO Gakuen, which possesses diverse human resource development know-how, have teamed up to launch a practical industry-academia collaboration project aimed at the development of the sports industry and contribution to local communities.
**2. Outline of Collaboration and Cooperation (Provision of Practical Learning for Students)**
Under this agreement, students belonging to SANKO Gakuen will be provided with practical experience in "real sports business and coaching settings" that goes beyond classroom lectures. The main collaboration contents are as follows:
* Direct-to-site internships and participation in community co-creation projects: Students will directly participate in internship training at facilities operated by our company and in the planning and operation of community co-creation projects, learning on-site know-how.
* Joint operation of sports schools utilizing on-campus facilities: Our company's sports schools will be held within SANKO Gakuen's facilities, providing students with opportunities for practical coaching experience.
* Provision of club activity instructor career paths for "Bukatsu Semi" completers: For students who have completed "Bukatsu Semi," an e-learning course for training club activity instructors, our company will collaborate and guide them in club activity support projects nationwide, providing direct opportunities for their post-graduation success.
* Mutual cooperation in public relations and recruitment activities: Cooperation will also be sought in recruitment activities for students aspiring to join the next-generation sports world, such as mutual use of logos and dispatching guests from our company to open campuses.
**3. Future Outlook: Realizing a Sustainable Local Community Through Sports**
Through this collaboration, we will build a scheme to continuously produce "next-generation sports business professionals" who can contribute to local communities through the power of sports. Moving forward, our company will continue to deepen its collaboration with educational institutions and promote social businesses that transform Japan's sports education environment into a sustainable one.
**[Outline of the Agreement]**
Agreement Name: Comprehensive Partnership Agreement on Nurturing Next-Generation Sports Business Professionals
Date of Conclusion: April 1, 2026
Parties to the Agreement: Kiyotaka Ito, Representative Director, Leifras Co., Ltd., Satoshi Torii, Chairman, SANKO Gakuen
**[About SANKO Gakuen]**
SANKO Gakuen is a comprehensive educational corporation group that operates vocational schools, universities, junior colleges, high schools, and childcare facilities nationwide, with "harmony of skills and mind" as its educational philosophy. It develops ready-to-work professional human resources through practical education in a wide range of fields including sports, medical care, welfare, beauty, bridal, childcare, and IT.
**[About Leifras Co., Ltd.]**
Leifras Co., Ltd. is a company that practices social business, taking on the mission of solving social issues through sports, based on its corporate philosophy of "Changing and Designing Sports." With approximately 70,000 members in its children's sports school business, the company will continue to strive to contribute to society through sports business via club activity support, healthcare, and community co-creation projects.
**1. Background of the Agreement: The Urgent Need to Develop "Next-Generation Sports Professionals"**
Currently, Japan's sports education scene is facing a major turning point. In particular, with the "regional transfer of club activities" promoted by the government, while the burden on teachers is being reduced, the shortage of "high-quality sports instructors and management personnel" to serve as local recipients has become a serious social issue. Therefore, our company, with an overwhelming track record in operating sports schools nationwide, and SANKO Gakuen, which possesses diverse human resource development know-how, have teamed up to launch a practical industry-academia collaboration project aimed at the development of the sports industry and contribution to local communities.
**2. Outline of Collaboration and Cooperation (Provision of Practical Learning for Students)**
Under this agreement, students belonging to SANKO Gakuen will be provided with practical experience in "real sports business and coaching settings" that goes beyond classroom lectures. The main collaboration contents are as follows:
* Direct-to-site internships and participation in community co-creation projects: Students will directly participate in internship training at facilities operated by our company and in the planning and operation of community co-creation projects, learning on-site know-how.
* Joint operation of sports schools utilizing on-campus facilities: Our company's sports schools will be held within SANKO Gakuen's facilities, providing students with opportunities for practical coaching experience.
* Provision of club activity instructor career paths for "Bukatsu Semi" completers: For students who have completed "Bukatsu Semi," an e-learning course for training club activity instructors, our company will collaborate and guide them in club activity support projects nationwide, providing direct opportunities for their post-graduation success.
* Mutual cooperation in public relations and recruitment activities: Cooperation will also be sought in recruitment activities for students aspiring to join the next-generation sports world, such as mutual use of logos and dispatching guests from our company to open campuses.
**3. Future Outlook: Realizing a Sustainable Local Community Through Sports**
Through this collaboration, we will build a scheme to continuously produce "next-generation sports business professionals" who can contribute to local communities through the power of sports. Moving forward, our company will continue to deepen its collaboration with educational institutions and promote social businesses that transform Japan's sports education environment into a sustainable one.
**[Outline of the Agreement]**
Agreement Name: Comprehensive Partnership Agreement on Nurturing Next-Generation Sports Business Professionals
Date of Conclusion: April 1, 2026
Parties to the Agreement: Kiyotaka Ito, Representative Director, Leifras Co., Ltd., Satoshi Torii, Chairman, SANKO Gakuen
**[About SANKO Gakuen]**
SANKO Gakuen is a comprehensive educational corporation group that operates vocational schools, universities, junior colleges, high schools, and childcare facilities nationwide, with "harmony of skills and mind" as its educational philosophy. It develops ready-to-work professional human resources through practical education in a wide range of fields including sports, medical care, welfare, beauty, bridal, childcare, and IT.
**[About Leifras Co., Ltd.]**
Leifras Co., Ltd. is a company that practices social business, taking on the mission of solving social issues through sports, based on its corporate philosophy of "Changing and Designing Sports." With approximately 70,000 members in its children's sports school business, the company will continue to strive to contribute to society through sports business via club activity support, healthcare, and community co-creation projects.