J-League first-division soccer club Nagoya Grampus has begun cooperating with the private sector in Aichi Prefecture to nurture disabled esports competitors.

"For para esports athletes this is a new way they can even take on the world," Grampus President Koki Konishi said recently. "I feel very happy to begin this new project."

A Grampus spokesperson said, "Currently, our club consists only of soccer players, but going forward we want to expand to athletes who compete in different areas."

Esports competitions in computer games are attracting a lot of attention, and with competitions offering prize money in excess of 100 million yen ($891,000), the esports market is expanding, and this summer's Asian Games featured esports.

Although there are currently no tournaments for para esports, the world of para sports is growing.

Game developer Wonder Planet hires people with disabilities and takes part in local competitions in Nagoya. Local sports and esports business Nagoya Oja is providing practice space, and the three companies are cooperating to create job opportunities for former athletes, while encouraging a good balance between work and competitive activities.