Japan's War Game

In Japan's elite military college, young cadets prepare for battle in a fierce sport steeped in history and tradition.

Every year cadets at Japan's National Defense Academy prepare to battle each other in a fierce sport called Botaoshi.

Up to 300 players square off in an attempt to pull down a three-metre pole held upright by the opposing team.

These young men are training to become future leaders in Japan's Self-Defense Forces, and see the game as a test of their physical strength and strategic abilities.

With Japan recently passing new laws that allow its troops to fight overseas for the first time since World War II, the cadets are more determined than ever to excel.