A New Initiative with Yokosuka City and Three Other Municipalities

Yokosuka City has partnered with Izumisano City in Osaka Prefecture, Asahikawa City in Hokkaido, and Hakui City in Ishikawa Prefecture to host an e-sports event called “Star Park 2026” on Sunday, February 22, 2026. This event will feature a municipal competition using the popular fighting game “Street Fighter 6,” linking four venues nationwide online. Excitement is building for the fierce battles on the grand stage.

Highlights of the Yokosuka Venue

At the Yokosuka venue, ZETA DIVISION’s Hikaru and popular streamer Atata will join as guests to enliven the event. There will also be a “Local Exchange Roundtable” and a “Farewell & Autograph Session” with guest participation, providing opportunities to deepen inter-regional exchanges. It is sure to be a venue that leverages the full charm of e-sports for interaction.

Call for Participants and Its Significance

This event, aiming for genuine regional collaboration, has started recruiting representatives from Yokosuka City. It’s a rare opportunity to compete alongside professional players. Applications can be submitted through this application form, so those confident in their skills are encouraged to take on the challenge.

E-Sports Promotion Activities Across Japan

Each co-hosting municipality is developing its unique e-sports activities. Yokosuka City aims to become a “sacred place for e-sports,” supporting mainly youth by lending gaming PCs to local high schools for free. Osaka Prefecture’s Izumisano City‘s “e-Stadium Izumisano” and Hokkaido’s Asahikawa City‘s “ICT Park” are also being utilized for regional revitalization. Meanwhile, in Ishikawa Prefecture’s Hakui City, they are promoting multi-generational interaction through coaching and competitions for younger people.

Impressions and Prospects

“Star Park 2026” offers a new model of regional collaboration centered on e-sports, showing the potential for building relationships that transcend regional distances. The stance of each municipality, leveraging their strengths and working on human resource development and regional revitalization through e-sports, is expected to spread to other cities in the future. Such initiatives will likely serve as catalysts for the nationwide spread of e-sports and deepen mutual understanding among regions.

Source: PR TIMES