The Japan Sports Council (JSC) and the Japan Sport Association (JSPO) joined with Tsukuba University to participate in a weeklong citizens sports promotion sponsored by the Singapore government called GetActive!Singapore 2018. At the event, they introduced JSPO’s Active Child Program and the Square Step exercise devised by Tsukuba University and others.

“GetActive!Singapore” is a citizen-focused sports promotion week held in honor of the Independence Day of Singapore. All sorts of sporting events are held in various areas. The JSC, JSPO and Tsukuba University worked together to hold the Active Child Program (ACP) for Singaporean children as well as the Square Step (SSE) program for senior citizens.
The program was held for two days on August 4-5 at three facilities in Singapore. A lot of people participated. At the ACP, the game was based on a traditional game of tag known in Japan as Onigokko, and it got the children smiling and laughing. With SSE, people memorize a step pattern while exercising, making it a “brain-training exercise.” Participants would understand the exercise but often their bodies wouldn’t execute the moves correctly. While they grew impatient, they enjoyed the challenge and worked hard at it.