What is the "Active Healthy" society athletes are creating? New project "Athlete Brains" launched with participation from Dai Tamesue, Akie Murashu, and others.

Athletes who push their sports to the limit through their own bodies, achieving unprecedented results. Couldn't the know-how gained through their activities and the practical wisdom only they possess lead to a slightly healthier life for both mind and body, and contribute to building a better society? Starting from this idea, the new project " Athlete Brains" was launched through a collaboration between "Samurai," led by former Olympic track and field athlete Dai Tamesue, and Dentsu Inc. The goal is an "Active Healthy" society where everyone wakes up excited in the morning and falls asleep content at night.

We interviewed project members about the future activities of Athlete Brains and the concept of "active health" championed by the project. Questions were answered by Mr. Tamesue, the project representative, and Mr. Akimichi Hibi of Dentsu Inc., one of the members.

*Athlete Brains Project Site: athletebrains.jp/

Athletes giving back to society the "practical knowledge" they've accumulated

――First, could you tell us the background behind launching "Athlete Brains"?

Tamesue: It's been four years since I retired from competition. During that time, through conversations with various athletes beyond track and field, as well as people from non-sports fields like corporations, I developed two major concerns.

One was whether we could offer the experiences of top athletes as a valuable resource. Elite athletes, with their high competitive ability and deep understanding of the human body, accumulate vast amounts of know-how. We call this "practical knowledge," and I believed it could be applied in many more fields.

The second realization came from stepping back from competitive life and observing society. I noticed many things that had become normalized, yet I felt they could be healthier. Take the morning commute rush, for example. While it's difficult for everyone to live near nature and avoid rush hour entirely, I wondered if small changes could lift people's spirits.

Just as I was wondering how to connect these two insights, I met the team at Dentsu Inc. involved in this project. While we athletes understand our practical knowledge, we aren't skilled at figuring out how to give back to society. Partnering with Dentsu Inc., we thought we could create activities that make society feel a little better. That's how Athlete Brains began.

――With the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics approaching, societal interest in sports and health is rising. I imagine companies also sense this momentum. Had Dentsu Inc. been exploring solutions through the lens of sports and health for some time?

Hibi: Yes, we have. However, our approach wasn't solely focused on sports; we were considering things from a slightly broader perspective. That was another point we shared with Mr. Tamesue.

For example, there's the term "healthy life expectancy." It refers to the period one can live without health issues, essentially a "negative-free" state. While this is important, we wanted to take it a step further and consider how we could contribute to a "positive" state – helping each person live vibrantly and "actively." Sports is one approach, and as Mr. Tamesue mentioned earlier, "feeling uplifted" – mental health is another.

On the corporate side, there's certainly a growing desire to respond to today's health needs. Addressing these needs means society gradually becomes healthier. For us, it's about finding the intersection between athletes' practical knowledge and what society demands, then shaping it step by step.

We want to increase the number of "active healthy" scenes where everyone lives vibrantly.

――What was particularly challenging in the period leading up to the project launch?

Tamatsuka: We first discussed collaborating around June of last year. While our overall vision aligned, it took longer than expected to clearly define the specific value we could deliver.

The real challenge was that we first needed to clearly define within ourselves what athletes' practical knowledge fundamentally is and how it could change society.

We were trying to provide a new value that didn't yet exist in the world, so there wasn't necessarily a single right answer. One major hurdle before launch was when we arrived at the term "Active Healthy." We brought in a copywriter, and it had been a candidate quite early on, but it took a lot of discussion before we converged on it as the core axis of the value we provide.

――I see. Could you explain the meaning behind this phrase?

Tamura: This overlaps with what Hibi-san mentioned. While it's important to recover from poor health or prevent illness, it's equally vital for each person to live a positive, active daily life. For example, waking up excited every morning and falling asleep at night feeling content. We named this state of being physically and mentally vibrant "Active Healthy." Athletes constantly pay close attention to maintaining their condition at a level above normal, so we thought we could leverage a great deal of practical knowledge in that area.

We want to gradually increase the number of such active and healthy scenes in the world. We all agreed that this would be the unique value of Athlete Brains.

Hibi: Hearing various stories from Mr. Tamura and other athlete members this time, the conditioning discussion you just mentioned was particularly fascinating. Because they know their own minds and bodies inside out, they can gauge their condition the moment they wake up each morning. When they're not feeling well, they know exactly which exercises to do and what to eat to fine-tune themselves.

For us ordinary folks, we might notice when we're off, but we're less likely to recognize when we're in peak condition. That's why I believe the practical knowledge athletes gain from knowing their bodies and minds is precisely what will help build an active, healthy society. It certainly took us a while to arrive at that conclusion. We even tried meeting at outdoor cafes early in the morning to see what it felt like to be truly vibrant and alive (laughs).

Tamura: That's right (laughs).

Selecting members who can recognize and articulate what they can do

――So the goal is to make athletes' practical knowledge about their own bodies accessible to the general public. But since this knowledge is primarily gained through physical experience, isn't it harder to convey than straightforward teaching?

Tamesue: Exactly. That's why the selection of athlete members—who, like me, are involved in this project as athletes—was crucial.

We established two main criteria. First, they must "understand" what they can do. It's not enough to just run fast; they need to analyze why they can run fast, mentally recognize the reasons and conditions behind it, or they won't be able to explain it to others. The second is this ability to "articulate" it. Since athletes come in various types, we specifically asked those who are good at verbalizing things and also possess business acumen to understand the company's perspective.

Hibi: From our side, we requested a balance in terms of gender and whether they were individual or team athletes, and we also hoped to include participants with children. Currently, we have seven members: Mr. Tamesue, Mr. Nobuharu Asahara (track and field 100m), Mr. Kentaro Asahi (beach volleyball), Mr. Koji Matsushita (table tennis), Ms. Miho Takeda (synchronized swimming), Ms. Fumie Suguri (figure skating), and Ms. Yoshie Takeshita (women's volleyball).

We want to broaden the landscape of sports through the "Active Healthy Bank"

――Specifically, what kind of activities will you be undertaking?

Tamesue: One is joint development with companies, leveraging our practical knowledge. We can envision various forms like products, services, and content. Additionally, we'll start certifying existing products and services we recommend for an active healthy life with the Athlete Brains Seal of Approval.

Just the other day, we discussed with athlete members what kinds of products and services would qualify. We got unique perspectives from our female members, and I discovered new things too. With the diversity of all seven of us, we're really fired up right now (laughs).

Hibi: Even in the preparatory phase, many companies have already shown interest. We've received inquiries not just from the obvious categories like food, beverages, and health equipment, but also from diverse sectors like telecommunications and leisure. For example, in housing, if we think about "homes that make you a little healthier just by living in them," it really opens up the possibilities.

Tamesue: Alongside this, we really want people to know about the "Active Healthy Bank" initiative. We'll use a portion of the profits generated through our activities to support organizations contributing to building an active and healthy society. This includes things like running parent-child exercise classes or promoting sports for people with disabilities.

For instance, a single competitive prosthetic leg costs around 500,000 yen, making it inaccessible for every child who wants to start a sport. Plus, this kind of social investment doesn't easily fit into a business model. But we thought, how can we ensure active health for these children? That was the impetus for establishing the bank.

We also hope to support athlete members' self-initiated projects from this fund, depending on the content.

――Finally, could you share your outlook and expectations for the future?

Hibi: Several projects with companies are already underway, and we expect to announce the first initiative as early as May. Above all, I'm thrilled that our athlete members are so enthusiastic. While the specifics of our collaborations with companies will vary case by case, we aim to serve as a bridge connecting athletes and society, steadfastly pursuing our vision of increasing active, healthy lifestyles.

Tamura: Humans aren't standalone entities, right? Whether we're active and healthy depends on our relationship with our surroundings—buildings, food, and various other elements. As the things surrounding us gradually change, our physical and mental condition will steadily improve.

Technology is advancing rapidly, and I personally follow topics like artificial intelligence. But precisely because of that, the value of sensations only humans can experience should increase. Things like appreciating the feel of this fabric, or how drinking this beverage makes you feel. When the value of the body as a sensor rises, I believe athletes' practical knowledge can contribute even more. I'm personally excited about this project's potential and will put my full effort into advancing it.

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Athlete Brains Project Members
Hiroshi Tamemasu (Representative, Samurai; Former 400m Hurdles Athlete)
Yoshie Takeshita (Former Women's Volleyball Player)
Miho Takeda (Former Synchronized Swimmer)
Nobuharu Asahara (Former 100m Sprinter)
Kentaro Asahi (Former Beach Volleyball Player)
Shizuka Murashu (Former Figure Skater)
Koji Matsushita (Former Table Tennis Player)
Chizuko Ouchi (Dentsu Inc.)
Noritaka Obuse (Dentsu Inc.)
Hiroshi Fujioka (Dentsu Inc.)
Keisuke Goto (Dentsu Inc.)
Akimichi Hibi (Dentsu Inc.)