The purpose of this study was to clarify the needs of those want to learn gymnastics and/or sports, and to clarify the transition of those who provide them with opportunities to do so. Thus, I studied the transition of faculties, departments, and courses of Japanese universities whose titles include either "gymnastics, " "martial arts, " or "sports". Then I analyzed the numbers of such faculties, departments, and courses of Japanese universities, and also investigated the limited enrollments and applicants of such departments and courses. The number of such departments, the number of limited enrollments, and the number of applicants for these departments have reached 2.75 times, 1.99 times, and 1.72 times those of 1987, respectively, in 20 years. This data indicates increase both the needs of people who want to learn gymnastics and!or sports and the opportunities for them to do so. Furthermore, it became clear that the main reason for such an increase was the increase of sports-related departments. It also became clear that, in the five years from 2003 until 2007, although the number of applicants for "gymnastics-related departments, " "martial arts-related departments "fractionally decreased, and that of applicants for "sports-related departments"was unchanged, that of "sports management-related departments" increased steadily. The increase in the number of "sports business management-related departments" was also evident. The increase in such faculties, departments, and courses proves that groups of people who learn sports-related studies at universities have appeared and that their number has increased. This study has also helped clarified part of the history of the cultivation of human resources and its connection to physical and sports education as well as the sports industries in Japan.