New base for Japan's esports national team set up in Tokyo

The Japan Sport Council set up the 'esports lab' at the High Performance Sport Center in the Ajinomoto National Training Center in Tokyo's Kita Ward. The HPSC helps athletes improve their skills.

A warehouse was renovated into the esports base with the use of about 80 million yen in state subsidies.

The 180-square-meter esports lab is equipped with 16 computers for use by players and other devices.

Like Olympic and Paralympic athletes, esports players can also receive support from the standpoint of sports science and medicine, including on nutrition, mental health and sleep.

It is the world's first such facility for esports, according to the HPSC.

"We think we can deploy medical and science data and knowledge obtained through esports to Olympic and Paralympic sports," HPSC chief Takeshi Kukidome said. "The role of the esports lab is huge."

The esports lab has introduced equipment to track the gaze of esports athletes while they are playing games as well as a heart rate monitor, electroencephalograph and thermograph.

If research progresses, the data could be used for training to improve players' visual functions and concentration, according to the HPSC.

Esports events will be held in the Asian Games set to take place mainly in Aichi Prefecture, central Japan, between September and October.

"Until now, just playing games has been our training method," Masumi Fukuda, head coach of the national team, said, adding, "Thinking and practicing from an athlete's point of view will help esports players improve their performances."

The new facility is also giving a shot in the arm to esports players.

Ekuya Kida, a national team member for eFootball, said, "It was the first time for me to play while my gaze was tracked."

"I thought I knew the game, but now I think I can learn more about it," Kida said.