Japan Athletic Trainers’ Organization (JATO)
At a Glance
Main Objectives:
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Promote the status and recognition of athletic trainers in Japan and in Asia
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Spread awareness and understanding of athletic training as a profession
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Emphasize the significance and professionalism of BOC-ATC certified trainers in Japan, where this credential is not yet fully recognized as a healthcare qualification
Key Activities:
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Advocate for safe and secure sports environments
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Contribute to public health through the application of sports medicine and scientific knowledge
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Support the development of healthy lifestyles for the population
History of the Organization
Established in 1996, Founding Members: Athletic trainers certified as BOC-ATC (Board of Certification for the Athletic Trainer, USA)
JATO was incorporated as a general incorporated association in 2018 and has since been working toward further development by promoting athletic training and contributing to the advancement of sports medicine and science.
Now, history of JATO post 2020 is now being written
History of JATO – English Translation and Bullet Point Summary
1996
• JATO founded on June 13 during NATA Annual Meeting in Orlando, Florida.
• 48 Japanese members and observers attended the founding meeting.
• Idea originated in 1986 during NATA Las Vegas meeting.
• Reception attended by key supporters including Keiko Tanaka, Makoto Tsuchiya,
Jean Baylis, and NATA leadership.
1997
• 2nd Annual Meeting and Seminar held in Tokyo.
• Topics covered: Knee ligament injury (Dr. Toru Fukubayashi), Foot orthotics (Mr. Hironobu Sato).
• JATO Info Session & Reception in Salt Lake City during NATA meeting.
• Audience: Japanese AT students in the U.S.
• Sponsors: Johnson & Johnson.
• Guest speaker: Hiromi Taniguchi (Olympic marathoner).
1998
• 1st JATO Athletic Training Symposium held in Kawasaki.
• Approximately 200 attendees, indicating high interest in AT in Japan.
• Guest speakers: Dr. Gary Delforge and Ms. Sue Hillman.
• Topics: Role/licensing of ATs in the U.S., On-field emergency response.
• Sponsors included Sony Enterprises Inc., Meiji Seika, and others.
1999
• 2nd JATO Athletic Training Symposium held in Kawasaki.
• Approximately 130 participants attended.
• Guest speakers: Dr. Mike Ferrara (University of Georgia), Ms. Maggie LaCambra (University of Arizona).
• Topics: Prevention and rehabilitation in baseball.
• Held open room and international breakfast during NATA Annual Meeting in Kansas City; ~70 attended.
2000
• 3rd JATO Athletic Training Symposium held in Kawasaki.
• Guest speakers: Dr. Craig Denegar (Penn State University), Dr. Richard Ray (Hope College).
• Topics: Sports-related pain and foot injuries.
• Special 5th Anniversary Lecture by Dr. Hiroyuki Nakajima on sports medicine in Japan.
• Baseball AT Seminar held at Waseda University with speakers from Chicago White Sox and Arizona State University.
2001
• 4th JATO Symposium held at CSK Education Center.
• Topic: Athlete low back pain.
• Guest speakers: Ms. Marjorie King (University of Pittsburgh), Dr. Hideyuki Miki (Yokohama Sports Medical Center), Dr. Koji Nakai (Chiropractic approach).
• 2nd Baseball AT Seminar held at National Olympic Memorial Youth Center.
• NATA Annual Meeting Reception hosted in Los Angeles.
2002
• Board re-election held for the 2002–2004 term.
• JATO Athletic Training Seminar held at Chuo Engineering School (STEP) on shoulder injuries
and rehabilitation.
• JATO Breakfast and Reception hosted during NATA Annual Meeting in Dallas.
• Thera-Band seminar also held at Chuo Engineering School.
2003
• 5th JATO Symposium and Annual Meeting held in Osaka – first in Western Japan.
• Topic: Shoulder injuries in sports.
• Guest speakers: Dr. Minoru Yoneda (Osaka Welfare Pension Hospital), Mr. Todd Ellenbecker (PT, ATC), Mr. Kenichi Watanabe (AT).
• Panel discussion held on trainer employment and roles with experts from Kitabyo Hospital, Professional Trainers Team, and Waseda University.
• JATO Reception held during NATA Annual Meeting in St. Louis.
2004
• JATO Spring Seminar and Annual Meeting held at Waseda University.
• Guest speakers: Dr. Michael Ferrara (University of Georgia) on concussion and return to play; Dr. Yuki Izumi (Texas University) on foot biomechanics.
• JATO Reception hosted during NATA Annual Meeting in Baltimore.
2005
• 6th JATO Athletic Training Symposium held at Waseda University.
• Theme: 'Mind of Athletes' – focused on mental health, psychological response to injury, and behavior change.
• Guest speakers included Dr. Francis Flint (York University), Prof. Koji Takenaka (Waseda University), Prof. Tadashi Uchida (Waseda University), and Prof. Yoichi Kitazume (Tokai University).
• Board re-election for the 2005–2007 term was conducted.
2006
• 7th JATO Symposium held under the theme 'Growth of Athletic Training and
New Challenges of ATCs in Japan'.
• Commemorated JATO’s 10th Anniversary.
• Guest speaker: Don Lowe (USA); 10 domestic speakers participated.
• Topics: Building sports medicine teams, AT activities in high schools, education
reforms, and new employment environments.
• Panel discussion featured future outlooks for ATs over the next 10 years.
2007
• 8th JATO Athletic Training Symposium held at Tokyo Big Sight.
• Theme: 'Manual Therapy and Bodywork in Athletic Training'.
• Guest speakers: Mr. Benny Vaughn (ATC and massage therapist), Mr. Koichi Sato (EXOS).
2008
• 9th JATO Athletic Training Symposium held at Tokyo Big Sight.
• Theme: 'Restoration of Movement and Function' – focused on theory and practical applications.
• Guest speakers: Mr. Kelly Mullenix (Duke University), Mr. Koichi Sato (returning speaker).
• Special lecture by Ms. Chika Hirai (Japan Anti-Doping Agency) on global anti-doping movements and impact on Japan.
2009
• 10th JATO Symposium held at Tokyo Big Sight.
• Guest speakers: Dr. Ian McLeod (DO) and Dr. Tamara McLeod (AT Still University).
• Topics: Trigger point pathology, concussion management in sports.
• Other presentations included smoking cessation programs in sports and Japan softball team warm-up/cool-down practices.
• JATO reception at NATA Annual Meeting cancelled due to H1N1 flu outbreak.
2010
• 11th JATO Symposium held at Tokyo Big Sight.
• Guest speakers: Mr. John Norwig (NFL Steelers Head AT), Ms. Yuri Iso (Assistant AT).
• Topics: Concussion management, MRSA infection control, health management in NFL.
• Additional lectures by Mr. Kenichi Watanabe, Mr. Kazuhiko Tomooka, and Mr. Yoshizumi Iwasaki on functional assessment, movement patterns, and communication skills.
• Group sessions led by Dr. Shinsuke Higashi and Mr. Iwasaki focused on contact vs. non-contact sports.
2011
• 12th JATO Symposium held at Ritsumeikan University Biwako-Kusatsu Campus.
• Included the 6th Ritsumeikan Athletic Research Meeting.
• Topics: Sports nutrition, muscle-tendon morphology using MRI, sensor development, and training-nutrition synergy.
• Workshops on Pilates and spinal-pelvic manipulation were conducted by experts.
2012
• 13th JATO Symposium held at Fukuoka University.
• Topics: Paradigm shift in Spanish soccer, M-Test body conditioning, ankle sprain mechanisms, disaster recovery and regional sports.
• Day 2 focused on shoulder and hip rehabilitation, sports safety programs, and ACL injury prevention.
• JATO Reception held during the 63rd NATA Annual Meeting in St. Louis; over 100 participants attended.
• 1st JATO Seminar held in September featuring functional training and movement preparation (practical sessions included).
2013
• 14th JATO Symposium held at Tokyo Big Sight.
• Topics included: Physical conditioning for world competition, exertional rhabdomyolysis, neurodevelopmental rehab principles, and movement pattern assessment.
• Practical sessions on running motion analysis and rehabilitation were featured.
• JATO Student Seminar & Reception held during NATA Meeting in Las Vegas; International Service Award presented to Eve Becker-Doyle.
2014
• 15th JATO Symposium held at Tokyo Big Sight.
• Topics: Human movement restoration, sports safety, fascia systems, golf biomechanics.
• Guest speakers: Mr. Brandon Hetzler, Dr. Michael Ferrara, Mr. Takafumi Moribe.
• JATO Student Seminar & Reception held during NATA Annual Meeting in Indianapolis; ~90 participants.
2015
• 16th JATO Symposium held at Ryukoku University.
• Guest speakers: Dr. Ken Nakata (Osaka Univ.), Sue Falsone (former MLB AT), Anna Hartman (Movement REV).
• Topics included thoracic spine function, breathing techniques, concussion research, and knee injury prevention.
• Practical sessions on core conditioning and rehabilitation were also conducted.
2016
• 17th JATO Symposium held at Waseda University.
• JATO Student Seminar & Reception held during NATA Meeting in Baltimore; attended by ~70 participants.
• Topics included entrepreneurship and working as a foreign ATC in the US.
• 2nd EBP Seminar held in July with Ms. Yuri Hosokawa (Korey Stringer Institute) on evidence-based care for exertional heat stroke.
• 3rd EBP Seminar in October focused on chronic ankle instability and evidence-based AT practices.
2017
• JATO EBP Seminar No.1 held at Nihon University on neuromuscular rehabilitation.
• JATO 20th Anniversary Event & Reception held with keynote talks by athletes Kosuke Kitajima and Kaori Icho.
• 18th JATO Symposium held at Nihon University with expert presentations on latest research and practices.
• JATO Student Seminar & Reception held during NATA Meeting in Houston; ~70 participants attended.
• New JATO President Daisuke Uematsu shared vision and updates.
• JATO Training Seminar held at Waseda University with topics on head and neck injury prevention and performance enhancement.
• 2nd JATO x JATI Collaboration Seminar held in Osaka focusing on ACL injury prevention and scientific coaching.
2018
• 19th JATO Symposium held at Ritsumeikan University Osaka-Ibaraki Campus.
• JATO Sports Safety Seminar also held at the same venue, discussing realistic safety practices.
• JATO Student Seminar & Reception during NATA Meeting in New Orleans; ~100 attendees.
• Guest speakers addressed ATC employment in the U.S. and activities in Japan.
• JATO officially incorporated as a general incorporated association on August 3.
• WFATT World Congress 2019 announced to be hosted by JATO in Makuhari Messe, Japan.
• JATO Training Seminar held in Tokyo on sensory-motor integration and running assessment.
• 3rd JATO x JATI Collaboration Seminar held at Teikyo University on injury prevention and Olympic-level support.
2019
• JATO hosted the WFATT World Congress on May 11–12 at Makuhari Messe, Japan.
• This marked the first WFATT Congress held in Japan.
• WFATT is an international organization initiated by the NATA to promote athletic training worldwide.
• JATO is a founding member of WFATT, which includes 37 global organizations.
• The congress brought together ATs and stakeholders from around the world to discuss the future of the profession.
Membership
JATO welcomes individuals who are interested in the promotion and education of athletic training.
For more information, please contact ： info@jato.or.jp
Membership Fee
Initial Membership Fee
One-time fee: ¥5,000 (applies to all members except supporting members)
Annual Membership Fee
Regular Member (Domestic): ¥10,000 (¥5,000 if joining mid-year)
Must be a current NATA Member (Certified Member or International Certified Member) residing in Japan and holding BOC-ATC credentials.
Eligible to vote in general assemblies and board elections.
Regular Member (Overseas): Free (plan to change 2026 March)
NATA Member residing outside Japan.
If you move to Japan, please switch to a Domestic Regular Member promptly.
Eligible to vote in general assemblies and board elections.
Associate Member: ¥8,000 (¥4,000 if joining mid-year)
NATA Associate Members residing either in or outside Japan.
Not eligible to vote.
Student Member: Free (plan to change 2026 March)
NATA Student Members or students attending a university in Japan who hold BOC-ATC (domestic or international).
Must upgrade to Regular Member upon graduation.
Not eligible to vote.
Supporting Member (Corporate only): Fee varies by category
For companies and organizations involved in athletic training.
Details are available on a separate page.
Steps to Join
Step 1: Fill Out the Membership Application Form
Submit the online application form with the required information.
Step 2: Submit Required Documents
Send a copy/scan of your current NATA membership card (or student ID/certificate of enrollment if applying as a student member).
Step 3: Payment
Pay the one-time membership fee and annual membership fee.
Step 4: Membership Confirmation
After all documents and payment are received, your registration will be processed and confirmed.
Note: If you are not yet a NATA member, please register with NATA before applying to JATO.
For NATA Members
Submit the JATO Membership Application Form along with a copy of your NATA membership card (students must also include proof of enrolment).
Send via email (info@jato.or.jp)
After your documents are reviewed, the JATO office will send payment instructions.
For Non-NATA Members
Please register with NATA first. Contact the JATO office for guidance and NATA application materials.
Once you receive your NATA membership card, send a copy along with your JATO application form and complete the payment of fees.
For inquiries or further assistance, please contact the JATO office at:
Email: info@jato.or.jp
News & Achievements
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JATO holds annual symposiums, welcoming distinguished speakers from the United States.
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As a recognized BOC-approved provider, we offer continuing education opportunities to our members and are also working to expand our services to BOC-ATCs residing outside the United States.
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We invite speakers are well-known presenters and highly respected practitioners in the field.
Member Spotlights
Yuri Hosokawa is an Associate Professor at the Faculty of Sport Sciences, Waseda University, Japan. Her research interests include prevention and education of sudden death in sport, establishing best practices in road race medicine, developing regional-specific heat guidelines for exertional heat illness prevention, and developing heat acclimatization guidelines for tactical athletes.
Dr. Hosokawa received her bachelor’s degree in Sport Sciences from Waseda University in 2011, her master’s degree in Athletic Training from the University of Arkansas in 2013, and her doctoral degree from the University of Connecticut in 2016. She then completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the Korey Stringer Institute (2016–2017) and worked at the Ritsumeikan University as an Assistant Professor in the College of Health and Sport Science (2018–2019).
Dr. Hosokawa is a tenured Associate Professor and leads a research lab called the Safety and Performance Optimization Laboratory, which includes bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral students. She teaches courses in the field of athletic training and also offers English-taught courses designed for the English Minor in Sport Sciences. In addition, Dr. Hosokawa is a member of the Waseda Athlete Support Center and mentors students in athletic training.
Koichi Sato
Director of Sports Performance/ Athletic Trainer, Japan Basketball Association
Koichi Sato is in his 9th year with the Japan Basketball Association (JBA) as a director of sports performance/athletic trainer. Sato is responsible for overseeing athletic training service and sports performance training to the national teams and providing educational programs to the basketball coach license programs of the JBA.
Sato comes to the JBA after spending eight years in the NBA where he worked as director of sports performance for the Minnesota Timberwolves from 2013 to 2016 and rehabilitation coordinator/assistant athletic trainer for the Washington Wizards from 2008 to 2013. Sato worked as athletic trainer/performance specialist for Levi Jones of Cincinnati Bengals in 2007-08 and at Athletes’ Performance in Los Angeles from 2006-07. From 1997 to 2006, Sato provided medical care to athletes at Arizona State University (ASU) as a graduate assistant then assistant athletic trainer covering various sports, spending the last four seasons with the Sun Devils' men’s basketball program. Sato also was a faculty associate at Kinesiology Department at ASU and taught advanced athletic training courses.
Born in Koriyama, Japan, Sato graduated from Tokyo International University in 1993 with a B.A. in International Study/Soviet & Eastern European Studies. He then graduated from Eastern Illinois University in 1997 with a B.S. in Physical Education/Athletic Training and graduated from Arizona State University with a M.S. in Exercise Science/Biomechanics.
Sato is active speaking in sports medicine conferences and workshops, as well as providing sport performance clinics for youth athletes.
He is a member of the National Athletic Trainers’ Association and a board member of the Japan Athletic Trainers’ Organization (JATO). Sato received the President’s Challenge Award from JATO in 2007.
After graduating from Ritsumeikan University, she worked as a sales representative for a pharmaceutical company before moving to the United States. In 2011, she graduated from San Diego State University and earned the certification. Upon returning to Japan, she served as the head athletic trainer for the Japan women's sevens rugby national team from 2013 to 2016, accompanying the team to the Rio de Janeiro Olympics. Since then, she has been involved in injury prevention projects within the national team and has contributed to creating a supportive environment for female athletes as a member of the Safety Measures Committee of the Japan Rugby Football Union. While raising two children, she completed her master's degree at the Graduate School of Human Sciences, University of Tsukuba, in 2021 and is currently conducting doctoral research on the return to competition for athletes after childbirth. She also serves as the CEO of WIS Inc., a company that supports female athletes, athletic trainers, and coaches. Her passion is to create an environment where women can continue participating in and contributing to sports throughout all stages of life
As the CEO of WIS Inc., Haruko Hirai leads initiatives to enhance the performance of female athletes across various sports, including rugby, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline, and climbing, supporting athletes who compete at the international level. She provides comprehensive, multidisciplinary support for female athletes aiming to return to competition postpartum, collaborating with obstetricians, orthopedic surgeons, athletic trainers, physical therapists, sports dietitians, and midwives. This initiative is the first of its kind led by a private organization in Japan, aiming to bridge the gap between practice and research in this field. She is also dedicated to educating professionals who support female athletes and delivers lectures on women's health literacy and athletic conditioning. Additionally, she organizes childcare services at sports events and conferences to create a more inclusive environment for athletic trainers and other sports professionals who are actively raising children. These services incorporate exercise programs supervised by athletic trainers and physical therapists, providing play activities that enhance the motor skills of the children in their care.