Yabuki Town, Fukushima Prefecture: 'Sports x Digital Promotion Project' Fiscal Year 2025 Demonstration Project Results Report

Yabuki Town, Fukushima Prefecture (Mayor: Yasuaki Hiruta) announces the results of its Fiscal Year 2025 Demonstration Project (January-March 2026). The "Yabuki Town Sports x Digital Promotion Project," which won the Japan Sports Agency's "Spo-Machi! Commissioner's Award 2023" (a first for Fukushima Prefecture), has been led on-site this fiscal year by Mr. Takashi Mori of the Community-Reactivating Cooperator Squad (who has a combined career as a teacher, IT engineer, and trainer). Through three initiatives—group lessons, corporate healthcare, and junior athlete support—a total of approximately 120 people participated, achieving a participant satisfaction rate of over 90% and a 100% rate of change in exercise awareness. From Fiscal Year 2026, the town will transition to a self-sustaining system, continuing and expanding each program with Mr. Mori at the center.

1. This Fiscal Year's Results Summary (Common Indicators for all 3 Initiatives)

2. Initiative ① Group Lessons (Functional Improvement Program for Adults and Seniors)

Functional improvement group lessons for adults and seniors were held multiple times from February to March 2026. The program's key feature was the combination of the AI posture analysis system "Shisei Karte (Cartie Cloud)" and an InBody body composition analyzer, allowing each participant to check their physical condition with numerical data. Additionally, the program was designed to enable a variety of movements by specially utilizing the children's indoor playground "Mirai Kuru Yabuki," ensuring a safe and secure exercise environment and incorporating some of the children's play equipment.

Many participants who saw their measurement results commented, "I want to get measured again," and "I want to see the changes for myself by next time," leading to the formation of a habit of continuously engaging with their bodies, rather than just participating once. Some continuing participants have reported feeling a steady improvement in their body's mobility, confirming that the "visualization" of data encourages behavioral change.

■ Key Measurement Results

■ Future Plans

This fiscal year was positioned as a "demonstration" phase to verify the program content, participation fees, and customer acquisition methods. Starting from Fiscal Year 2026, the town will take the lead in continuing and managing the program in collaboration with local comprehensive sports clubs. The accumulated measurement data is also planned to be used in the formulation of regional health policies.

3. Initiative ② Corporate Healthcare Program

As part of health support for the working generation, a new "on-site corporate visit" healthcare program was launched on a trial basis this fiscal year. Trainers visit companies to conduct InBody body composition measurements and AI posture analysis.

This model, which approaches working-age individuals—who find it difficult to get a detailed understanding of their physical condition outside of regular health check-ups—in the familiar setting of their workplace, has been confirmed to function as a form of health management support for local companies. It has also become clear that posture issues and body composition challenges differ by age group, indicating the need for program design tailored to different generations.

■ Key Measurement Results

■ Future Plans

In Fiscal Year 2026, we will expand the number of participating companies and individuals and proceed with accumulating data on changes through continuous measurement. The initiative will continue as a project centered around Mr. Takashi Mori to support health management.

4. Initiative ③ Junior Athlete Support (Yabuki Junior High School & Fukushima Prefectural Konan High School)

Trainers with experience coaching professional and top athletes provided exercise guidance to students at Yabuki Junior High School (for 1st and 2nd-year students in the soccer and track & field clubs) and a joint session for the girls' handball and volleyball clubs at Fukushima Prefectural Konan High School. A total of four sessions were held at Yabuki Junior High School and one session at Konan High School.

The main feature of this third year was the new introduction of AI posture analysis (Shisei Karte). This brought together three types of digital data for the first time—physical fitness tests, InBody body composition measurements, and posture analysis—creating an environment where each student's physical condition could be understood from multiple perspectives. As measurements were repeated, situations arose where students began to speak spontaneously about their own bodies, confirming that the data serves as a catalyst for dialogue between coaches and students.

■ Key Measurement Results

■ Future Plans

We plan to continue the program in Fiscal Year 2026 after consulting with the schools. By accumulating data on physical fitness, body composition, and posture across fiscal years, we aim to track the long-term growth changes of each student and utilize the information for both improving athletic performance and preventing sports injuries.

5. Plans for Fiscal Year 2026

In Fiscal Year 2026, Yabuki Town will move its Sports x Digital Promotion Project into a new phase.

Centered around Mr. Mori, in addition to continuing the group lessons, junior athlete support, and corporate healthcare, new programs are scheduled to start. These include a pre- and post-natal pelvic correction program (in conjunction with local childcare support facilities) and a health program for town hall employees.

In a rural area facing population decline and aging, the health of residents is the very source of community vitality. Yabuki Town aims to instill a "culture of engaging with one's body" throughout the town and will continue and expand its Sports x Digital initiatives from Fiscal Year 2026 onward.

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■ Yabuki Town Sports x Digital Promotion Project

・Promotion Video

https://youtu.be/4HLhWZoJ250?si=vCxvdu1wNb8jZnFf

・Website

https://yabuki-sc.jp/

■ List of Press Releases from Yabuki Town, Fukushima Prefecture

https://prtimes.jp/main/html/searchrlp/company_id/142719