Even if you think you should exercise, there is housework to do when you get home from work, and errands to run on your days off. As Sports Day arrives, some of you may feel that you haven’t had much time to move your body lately.

On October 11, 2026, the Japan Sports Agency released the 2025 fiscal year “Survey on Physical Fitness and Athletic Ability.” An analysis by age group showed a long-term downward trend in the total physical fitness scores of women in their 30s and 40s, and a downward trend has also been observed in men in their 40s in recent years. What we want to consider from these figures is the gap between the desire to exercise and the lifestyle that actually allows it to be sustained.

What was investigated and when?

Although this report was published in 2026, the survey was conducted from May to October 2025. The target age range was 6 to 79 years old, and 60,213 questionnaires were collected. Physical fitness tests appropriate for each age group, such as grip strength and sit-ups, were conducted.

For the analysis by age group, data for 25 years from fiscal 2001 to fiscal 2025 was used. If the total physical fitness score for each age group in fiscal 2001 is set to 100, the score for women in their 40s in fiscal 2025 was 93.6, and for men in their 40s, it was 98.8. Looking at the ratio of the total scores, this means they are 6.4% and 1.2% lower, respectively.

However, this is not the result of tracking the same individuals to measure “how much their fitness dropped as they aged.” It is a comparison of groups of the same age in each fiscal year. Furthermore, the rate of change in the total score is not a figure that directly indicates the risk of illness or how easily one gets tired in daily life.

It cannot be explained solely by “age”

On the other hand, for those in their 60s and 70s, the total physical fitness score has been rising in the long term for both men and women. A characteristic of this survey is that the direction of change differs depending on the age group.

This result does not mean that “the elderly are physically fitter than those in their 40s.” It shows how each age group has changed compared to the same age group in the past, and the tests and scoring criteria differ depending on the age category.

We can also focus on the relationship with exercise. In the age groups analyzed in the survey, those who exercised or played sports at least once a week had a higher percentage of overall physical fitness evaluations of C or higher than those who did so less than once a week. However, it cannot be concluded from this comparison that exercise alone is the cause of the difference. We must also consider the possibility that people who are already physically fit find it easier to continue exercising.

Thinking about opportunities for exercise in daily life

In another survey, the “Public Opinion Survey on Sports Implementation, etc.” published in March 2026, the child-rearing and working generations also tended to have lower rates and shorter durations of sports participation. Although the subjects and methods differ from this physical fitness test, it provides background for thinking about opportunities for exercise.

Just saying “let’s make time” will not change a life filled with scheduled tasks. If it is difficult to find a block of time, it might be good to start by considering options that fit your physical condition, such as walking in the neighborhood, rethinking how you travel for shopping, or looking for local activities that you can participate in for a short time. This is not to say that this survey has proven the effectiveness of a specific method, but rather a proposal for placing opportunities within your daily life.

In a family, is there a situation where one person is left to handle all the housework or childcare? In the workplace, before recommending exercise, are breaks and time after work being secured? For local facilities, are usage fees or operating hours becoming a barrier to participation? Beyond the individual’s motivation, there are conditions that can be reviewed.

Do not use the numbers as a reason to blame yourself

The survey average is not a judgment of each individual’s physical fitness or circumstances. There are people who move their bodies at work, and others who refrain from exercise due to physical condition or injury. There is no need to take it as “my age group has declined, so I am also in danger.”

What I would like you to check with this news as a trigger is not just what to add for exercise, but what is making participation difficult. Time, cost, travel, and roles within the family. First, try thinking about one condition that would make it easier to continue. I would like to connect Sports Day to such a review of our lives.

Reference Materials

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