Author(s): LI, Y., NAMIKI, N., HORINO, H., Institution: WASEDA UNIVERSITY, Country: JAPAN, Abstract-ID: 405

As the globalisation of sports progresses, it is not limited to professional sport. More and more international student-athletes（ISA）are playing sports in other countries. ISA in Japan are mainly concentrated in high schools and universities. While studying at Japanese schools, they compete for their school teams at various levels of competitions to win honours for their school. This paper uses interviews to explore the challenges encountered by Chinese student-athletes（CSA） who have studied in Japan during their high school years. It clarifies their problems in (1) economy, (2) academic, (3) social, (4) competitive, (5) personal emotional and (6)institutional attachment. We also discussed the direction of support for the challenges they encountered. The results of the survey show that CSA in Japan do not receive much pressure in terms of economic and academic pressure in Japan. However, there are greater troubles in socialising, and in managing personal emotions. In addition, CSA indicated that playing sports in Japanese schools is indeed competitive and challenging. However, there are many deficiencies in the rehabilitation and dietary support provided by the school for their injuries and illnesses.Also, because they do not know much about how to enter universities through sport selection in Japan, they do not enter their desired universities after graduation. Therefore, it is important to provide necessary psychological counselling and more timely guidance and assistance to them, and more information on how to enter universities after graduation.