Courtesy of Japan Sport AssociationLocal residents engage in a tug of war at an exchange event. With more foreigners of various nationalities residing in Japan, the Japan Sport Association has been working to get Japanese and foreign residents to play sports together, hoping to foster mutual understanding and create a more inclusive society. The association is concerned that foreign residents often lack an adequate understanding of Japanese culture and customs. In those events, participants play sports that are often seen at sports days in Japan, such as tamaire bean-bag toss, ball-rolling races and tug of war. “I hope this program will develop into regular exchanges between foreign and Japanese residents.”