<p>The purpose of this paper is to investigate recent changes in the systems for producing and distributing sports equipment and their influence on material suppliers and production areas through a case study on kendo protectors in Japan. I used two methods to collect data: document survey and interviews. The interviews were conducted with 8 material suppliers and 3 local governments from August 2016 to November 2016.</p><p>Suppliers of kendo protectors are located in areas where there are raw materials, processing technologies, proximity to markets, and industrial promotion policies. They started producing materials for kendo protectors in response to increasing demand in the 1950s. To respond to this increase, most retailers and manufacturers of protectors had to adopt low cost operations due to customers preferring cheaper products. Manufacturers built mass production systems across Asia. In addition, they used artificial materials that are cheaper than natural ones. This change has caused a problem for suppliers who specialize in natural materials in Japan. Since the 2000s, they have had serious problems in terms of sales, raw material procurement, financing and securing of company successors. Most suppliers plan to discontinue their current products and produce new products including martial arts supplies, traditional crafts, and processed parts for growth fields.</p><p>Business organizations and local governments in these areas have supported the production and sales activities of material suppliers since the 1950s. At first, they supported production activities such as by giving subsidies to unions, constructing factory complexes, and treating wastewater. Such support encouraged suppliers to modernize their production systems but also placed a new economic burden on them. Next, organizations and governments began to support suppliers in developing technology and products. Recently, they have been supporting sales activities aimed at consumers directly, such as through exhibitions at trade fairs and certification of regional-brand products. However, such support has not always been successful due to differences in how suppliers think about manufacturing and sales and due to non-cooperation between suppliers. Therefore, organizations and governments have changed their support policy from equal support to selective and focused support for highly motivated suppliers with business strength. As a result, suppliers planning to discontinue producing materials for kendo protectors and instead produce new products tend to be supported by business organizations and local governments.</p>