Esports drawing corporate attention in Japan as benefit program amid pandemic
July 3, 2021 (Mainichi Japan)
This June 3, 2021 photo shows people from 17 companies gathering at eXeField Akiba to observe an esports event organized by a group of employees at Net One Systems Co., in Tokyo's Akihabara district. (Kyodo)
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- As the rise in telework amid the COVID-19 pandemic curtails interactions among employees, a growing number of Japanese companies are considering an inexpensive solution to the loss of workforce camaraderie -- esports tournaments.
On a weekday night in June, 40 people from 17 companies had gathered to observe an esports event organized by a group of employees at Net One Systems Co., a Tokyo-based IT service provider, at eXeField Akiba, a venue for esports activities in Akihabara, Tokyo's electronics hub.