Materiality
Promotion of Sports and Education

Mizuno has developed “Hexathlon,” a program that combines exercise-based play menus with physical fitness assessments, designed to help even children who are less confident in sports enjoy learning fundamental movements. The program is offered in partnership with local governments across Japan and delivered to various facilities, including elementary schools.
“Hexathlon” utilizes Mizunoʼs original equipment, developed with a focus on safety and functionality, and is structured to help children acquire basic physical movements—running, jumping, and throwing—at their own pace and ability level. By providing an integrated package of space, program, and service, Hexathlon enables children to enjoy movement while steadily improving their physical strength and motor skills.

Mizuno has developed its own multi-sport program, “MISPO!”, with the aim of promoting children's healthy physical development, critical thinking, and ability to cooperate with others. The program officially launched in April 2024 at four designated public sports facilities (three in Tokyo and one in Osaka).

Targeting first to third grade elementary school students, the program allows children to experience ten different sports—including baseball, tennis, table tennis, and judo—on a rotating weekly basis. Mizuno provides all the necessary equipment, and certified instructors known as “Mizuno Play Leaders” support the children in developing autonomy and teamwork.

At the end of each session, children reflect on what theyʼve learned and record their own insights and progress. Mizuno also holds feedback meetings with parents to share and discuss each childʼs development in detail.

To help children improve their physical strength and motor skills, it is important to encourage physical activity from an early age and to help them overcome any aversion to sports.

Mizuno runs programs such as the “Mizuno Sports School” and the “Sports Day Success School”, led by experienced Mizuno staff with extensive knowledge of sports. These programs are held in various locations and aim to help children develop basic motor skills through short-term, intensive instruction, allowing them to experience the joy of movement and fostering a love for physical activity.

For children who struggle with physical activities, Mizuno launched the “Overcoming Weakness Series” in FY2022. In addition to vaulting boxes, mats, and horizontal bars, the series now includes the “Jump Rope Confidence-Building Class.”
Rather than focusing on mastering skills, the program emphasizes fun and encourages children to enjoy jumping rope through playful movement.

Mizuno also offers a parent-child program called “PLAY! CIRCUS,” aimed at children aged 3 to 5. This movement-based play program incorporates the essential motor skills for that age group. Set in a whimsical circus theme, children take on the role of circus performers and enjoy a 60-minute session alongside a ringmaster and clowns, engaging in fun and developmentally appropriate physical activities.

Mizuno has been working to promote its Mizuno Hexathlon Exercise Program in Vietnam since 2015. In Vietnam, physical education during the compulsory school years receives significantly less time compared to developed countries. Moreover, the countryʼs exercise programs lack variety and need to better incorporate basic movements such as running, jumping, and throwing.

In September 2018, Mizuno concluded an agreement with the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training to incorporate the Mizuno Hexathlon into the new curriculum guidelines. Mizuno provided sports equipment to 1,000 Vietnamese elementary schools.

Additionally, in October of the same year, Mizuno and the Ministry of Education and Training officially signed a memorandum of cooperation to introduce and establish the Mizuno Hexathlon in the new curriculum guidelines. This cooperation allowed for the creation of model cases across Vietnam, demonstrating how the Hexathlon could be implemented and integrated into the educational system. From December onwards, Mizuno began promoting the program's introduction across all 63 provinces in Vietnam.

By the end of 2019, about 1,700 elementary school teachers had participated in workshops aimed at training instructors, enabling them to teach the Mizuno Hexathlon in their respective schools, thereby reaching numerous students.

Although large-scale workshops were suspended from March 2020 onwards due to COVID-19, reports indicate that local teachers who had previously participated in the workshops continued to incorporate the Mizuno Hexathlon into their physical education classes.

In June 2022, Mizuno received a special commendation from the Vietnamese Presidential Office for this initiative.

As of January 2023, the Mizuno Hexathlon was introduced as an extracurricular activity in 200 schools across Vietnam's 63 provinces (126 public schools and 74 private schools). Given that there are approximately 15,000 public elementary schools in Vietnam, Mizuno has been engaged in discussions with the Vietnamese Ministry of Education and Training since early 2023 on how to integrate the Mizuno Hexathlon into the compulsory education curriculum. This led to the signing of a new memorandum of cooperation in October 2023, witnessed by ministers from both countries. Mizuno will continue to accelerate its efforts in this initiative.

For details on the memorandum of cooperation signed in October 2023, please refer to this link.

We will continue to spread the joy of engaging in sports and the pleasure of physical activity among Vietnamese children. By leveraging the power of sports, we aim to address social challenges and work towards the achievement of 'Sports SDGs.' We remain committed to advancing this initiative.

In Vietnam, Mizuno is engaged in initiatives to support socially vulnerable children by donating sports equipment free of charge to local orphanages. This initiative was made possible through collaboration with a youth support project planned locally, and Mizuno chose to participate in alignment with its commitment to social contribution through sports.
Currently, preparations are underway to organize a sports tournament that will bring together multiple orphanages. In cooperation with local partners, Mizuno aims to provide opportunities for children to grow in a healthy environment and build meaningful connections through sports.