Sport in Japan sports in the country at grassroots level. Currently the Japan Cricket Association is popularising the game with the help of the popularity of baseball, which has significant similarities to cricket. It is an associate member of the International Cricket Council. Ice hockey is a minor sport but growing in popularity. Currently, 4 Japanese teams compete in the Asia League Ice Hockey. Rugby union is a moderately popular sport in Japan. The Japanese national rugby union team, controlled by the Japan Rugby Football Union, has been to every Rugby World Cup since 1987. The country will host the Rugby World Cup
Sport in France Road World Championships, and the gold in the road race at the 1996 Olympics. Though it is little known, Gaelic football is developing in France. There are currently 20 clubs across the country with 80% of the players French. Professional sailing in France is centered on singlehanded/shorthanded ocean racing with the pinnacle of this branch of the sport being the Vendée Globe singlehanded around the world race which starts every 4 years from the French Atlantic. Pétanque is mostly played in the South of France. Pétanque is not considered as a sport by many northern Frenchmen though the international federation