About
What is 1252 Project?
1252 Project is an educational program that addresses various menstrual issues faced by female athletes. Partnering with top athletes, medical facilities, and educational fields, we aim to help students to gain the right information, advisory, and guidance about menstrual problems.
An athlete’s body needs appropriate conditioning to perform at its best during seasonal games and competitions. However, approximately 12 weeks out of 52 weeks (one year) of a female athlete’s body suffer from various menstrual symptoms that affect their performance.
Because the menstrual cycle and how it effects the body differ from person to person, this issue has been a “problem to be solved secretly and individually” for a long time. With the help of top athletes and experts in the medical and education fields, we will create an educational platform to gain the right information, advisory, and guidance about menstrual problems tailored for athletes.
We plan to provide online and on-site classes and seminars.
Our goal is to ensure that all female student athletes have accurate knowledge, access to support, and are able to lead a competitive life that allows them to reach their full potential.
Topics
Instagram（@1252project）
＼Introducing the 1252-Certified Female Athlete Conditioning Expert Certification Exam🌟／
In Japan’s sports world, there are still few opportunities to learn systematically about key topics like menstrual health, nutrition, mental well-being, and sports medicine.
That means many coaches still have to rely only on their own experiences.
That’s why 1252 Project launched the Female Athlete Conditioning Expert Certification — a program designed to empower everyone who supports female athletes.
Through this program, you’ll learn about:
• Menstrual health and women-specific physical challenges
• Sports medicine and nutrition
• Mental health and emotional care
• Creating environments where female athletes can feel safe, supported, and enjoy playing sports... and more!
From elite training settings to school and community teams —
this knowledge helps every athlete keep shining and Never Stop Playing Sports. ✨
#1252project
#period
#athletes
／
Hanae Ito, representative of 1252 Project (@hanaesty), appeared at the Women’s Pavilion at Expo 2025 Osaka, Kansai!🌏✨
＼
The theme: “Athletes Driving Social Change.”
Together with former Japan National Team soccer player Hidetoshi Nakata (@hidetoshi_nakata_) and Junpei Sasakawa from The Nippon Foundation,
she shared powerful insights on how sports can create change. 💬
🎥 Watch the full talk here 👇
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lflNvkub5B4&list=PL0RE1Gs5RLRqH7EqF4CTNtBZuSk6jMQeJ&index=3&t=500s
#1252project
#period
#athletes
We’ve got a question for you!
￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣
In your country or community,
what kind of support do girl athletes need?
1252 Project is here to make sure every young female athlete has access to the right knowledge and support—
so she can thrive and reach her full potential in sport. ✨
We want to hear from YOU.
Drop us a DM or comment with your thoughts!
#1252project
📽️1252 Project Intro Video — Now Live!
￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣￣
Periods, mental health, nutrition...
How can we support female athletes through all of these essentials — so they keep competing?
This video breaks down what 1252 Project is all about:
our mission, our message, and how we’re creating real change.
Don’t miss it. Watch now ⬇️
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=omCPD4Oj_5Q&t=1s
#1252project
Talk session held at
"Women`s Pavilion
in collaboration with Cartier"
Leaders from a wide range of fields — from art and sport to business — came together to discuss a future built on equality and sustainability, centering on themes of gender and diversity.
For Never Stop Playing Sports, it was also a powerful moment to explore how athletes can lead social change — together with the speakers and everyone in the room. 💪❤️
Full talk now streaming on YouTube⬇️
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lflNvkub5B4&list=PL0RE1Gs5RLRqH7EqF4CTNtBZuSk6jMQeJ&index=2&t=500
#1252project
#CartierWADialogues
#WomensPavilion
#Expo2025
@cartier
@expo2025japan
＼What is 1252 Project? 💭／
1252 Project is all about facing the real issues of
periods and sports for female athletes. 😌
We’re here to educate, empower, and open up the conversation. 💬
Built on the voices of top athletes and backed by medical + educational experts, we’re sharing real knowledge about periods and performance.🧠💡
We`re creating a space where every female athlete
can compete with confidence—every day, every cycle. 💪🏻🌟
#1252project
#period
#athletes
＼Knowing your condition = knowing your power ❤️🩹／
For athletes, managing your condition across the whole year is essential. 📝
But here’s something real:
Out of 52 weeks a year,
female athletes spend about 12 with their period. 🌀
And in Japan, this change in condition has been often treated like a “personal issue.” 🤐
But the truth is—
every cycle is different.
Every body reacts differently. 💭
That’s why we need more than just willpower.
We need accurate knowledge, kind support, and real understanding. 🤝
1252 Project is here to change that—
Bringing together voices of top athletes, medical experts, and educators to talk openly about periods and sports. 📢
#1252project
#period
#athletes
＼What’s 1252 Project all about？💬／
If you`re a student athlete,
you’re spending around 12 weeks a year with your period 🏃♀️
But in Japan, talking about it still feels awkward or off-limits...
…and a lot of us grow up not really knowing what’s going on.
1252 Project started with one belief:
👉 “The more you understand your period, the more fun sport becomes.”
Knowing your body =
unlocking your strength 💪🏻
and loving your game even more!
#1252project
#period
#athletes
1252 Expert
1252 Expert is a certification exam to enhance the knowledge necessary to coach female athletes. It was developed to support female athletes from the environment by educating those involved in women’s sports, including coaches and school teachers. The exam consists of knowledge about female athletes, including menstrual issues unique to women. *This program is developed in Japanese only.
Talk up 1252
Talk up 1252 is a YouTube program where top athletes share their own period-related experiences. The importance to enhance the knowledge about periods is discussed through various sports and perspectives.
Talk about Periods that Male Coaches Should Know
Talk about Water Sports and Periods
Talk about Periods that Male Coaches Should Know
Talk about Water Sports and Periods
Members
1252 Project Leader
Hanae Ito
When I was a teenager competing on Japan’s national swimming team, my period was just “something that naturally came every month”.
I hadn’t thought about how it could affect my performance or mental health, I had no idea about PMS or PMDD, nor was I aware of the existence of the pill, its side effects, its safety, or how overseas athletes were using it with such control. I never thought that I would have regrets when I reached the Olympic stage.
When I think about it now, I feel that it was because at the time, there was no place that I could go to learn about menstruation nor anyone I could ask for advice.
For that reason, I want all female student athletes to know more about the topic.
Moreover, I would like mentors and male athletes to have the right knowledge too.
