In an attempt to help the Japanese esports market overcome its regulatory ceiling, the country’s three esports associations have merged to form a new governing body—the Japan Esports Union (JESU).

The organization combines the Japan e-Sports Association, the eSports Promotion Organization, and the Japan eSports Federation. Until recently, all three had all been operating independently, but with the assistance of the Computer Entertainment Supplier’s Association (CESA), they were able to consolidate and align their goals. CESA exists to promote the Japanese gaming industry, and is also the organizer of the annual Tokyo Game Show convention.

[perfectpullquote align=”right” cite=”” link=”” color=”” class=”” size=””]Despite being one of the most historically influential video game markets, Japan has fallen behind its regional contemporaries.[/perfectpullquote]

CESA chairman Hideki Okamura, who is also the executive vice president of Sega Sammy Holdings, announced the merger at a press conference on Feb. 1. He will also now serve as the representative director of JESU, and help the association in its primary goal in promoting esports in Japan.

Despite being one of the most historically influential video game markets, Japan has fallen behind its regional contemporaries when it comes to esports. The main barrier comes in the form of the “Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations”, which caps prizes at 100,000 yen ($895) for any competition that exists to promote or sell a specific product—a category which competitive gaming evidently falls into.

While other esports associations are seeking athlete status for esports players for the sake of visas or government subsidies, in Japan it would be a way to circumvent the law, introduce larger cash prizes, and help develop the local market. That’s not say Japanese esports isn’t growing at all—Nielsen’s recently published report revealed that Japan is the fastest growing country out of the East Asian region, with over 80 percent of those surveyed saying they have only been following the sport for two years or less.