Japan Sports Council launches HPSC ESPORTS LAB to boost eSports performance

The Japan Sports Council (JSC) has opened the HPSC ESPORTS LAB at the Ajinomoto National Training Center in Tokyo's Kita ward. The new facility is designed to enhance the international competitiveness of Japanese eSports athletes through sports‑medicine, scientific research and data‑driven support. It comprises three zones: an eSports zone for traditional competitive gaming studies, a virtual‑sports zone that integrates physical movement with digital environments, and a well‑being zone focusing on athletes’ holistic health. State‑of‑the‑art equipment—including eye‑tracking, heart‑rate, EEG and thermography devices—will collect biometric data to inform conditioning programs.

The lab, occupying about 180 m² and funded with roughly ¥41 million for renovation and ¥36 million for hardware, already supports training camps for athletes preparing for the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi‑Nagoya, where eSports will be a medal sport. Japan Esports Association deputy chairman Masato Ochi highlighted that the medical and scientific expertise built for Olympic and Paralympic athletes will now be applied to eSports competitors. The centre aims to produce research, guidance manuals and broader applications for both virtual and real‑world sport performance.