STUTTGART, Germany – Japan missed out on a place in the women’s team final Sunday but did just enough to secure a berth at next year’s Beijing Olympics after finishing 12th in the qualification standings at the World Gymnastic Championships. The world championships double as qualifiers for Beijing and Japan’s score of 228.175 points meant it narrowly earned a ticket to China. The top 12 finishers qualify for the Olympics. Japan will be appearing in the women’s team event at an Olympics for the first time since the 1996 Atlanta Games.
Politics & Diplomacy
Hashimoto to retract sex suggestion for U.S. military
Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto aims to retract his remark that U.S. servicemen in Okinawa should use its adult entertainment industry to avoid committing sex offenses.