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Mai Yoshikawa
Ryoma Shimoseki (90) was playing at Kosei Gakuen High School in Tokyo when he was discovered by NFL Academy coaches.
MORE SPORTS / Football
Apr 17, 2024
Japanese NFL hopeful gets dream chance on football field in U.K.
Ryoma Shimoseki was recently announced as the newest addition to the NFL Academy as he bids to become the first Japanese to make an NFL roster.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani needs to find a way to keep his eye on the ball as he plays his first 162-game season without his former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara.
BASEBALL / MLB
Apr 9, 2024
Can Shohei Ohtani achieve Michael Jordan-level mental resilience?
One expert says ensuring that he can pivot smoothly into a new support system is crucial for the player.
Daiya Seto in action during the men's 400m medley final at the World Aquatics Championships in Doha on Feb. 18.
OLYMPICS / Swimming
Apr 2, 2024
Japanese swimming veteran ready to make waves at Paris Olympics
Daiya Seto wants to be a voice for meaningful change in the domestic sport.
BASKETBALL
Mar 25, 2024
Basketball star thrives on court again after putting herself first
Evelyn Mawuli is helping to normalize career breaks for reasons other than physical health.
Pickleball courts in New York's famed Central Park
MORE SPORTS
Mar 15, 2024
Amid boom overseas, when will pickleball land in Japan?
Over the past few years, pickleball has emerged as the fastest-growing sport in the U.S., but it has yet to take off in Japan.
A childhood snapshot of Shohei Ohtani and his mother, Kayoko, posted on MLB’s account on social media website X.
BASEBALL
Mar 7, 2024
'Sporting geniuses are made, not born': How to be an all-star sports parent
If you want your child to be a top 1% athlete like Shohei Ohtani, a good place to start is to take a look at what his parents did.
When Fighters interpreter Shinju Sakuma set her mind on becoming a language liaison in sports, she picked a sport she enjoyed watching and an employer who thinks outside the box.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Feb 26, 2024
Rookie female interpreter provides voice for foreign baseball stars in Japan
Shinju Sakuma, who will graduate from Rikkyo University in Tokyo this spring, is believed to be the first female interpreter in NPB history.
Shiki Nakayama at a snow-covered baseball field in Asahikawa, Hokkaido, last month. Nakayama grew up watching her older brother’s exploits on the diamond and first picked up a bat and ball in elementary school.
BASEBALL
Feb 9, 2024
Meet the Gen Zer in Japan who is forging a path for girls in baseball
For 16-year-old Shiki Nakayama, it's no big deal that she's the only girl on her high school baseball team.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Feb 25, 2003
Mountain queen not done yet
Imagine all the possibilities. Open up a world map. Decide where, when, how and with whom. Then pack your knapsack and go. It's that simple for Junko Tabei when it comes to climbing mountains, no matter how high.
JAPAN
Apr 30, 2002
Japanese cheerleader back for second season with NFL team
When Ai Yasuda was named to the San Francisco 49ers' Gold Rush cheerleading squad for the second straight year, she realized that although the door may not be wide, it is always open.
MORE SPORTS
Feb 8, 2002
Arimori strides for success in life after marathon
Winning an Olympic medal, you would think, would be the greatest honor an athlete can achieve.
MORE SPORTS
Aug 16, 2001
Japanese cheerleaders dance to beat of San Francisco 49ers gridiron drum
If you thought names such as Ichiro Suzuki and Hideo Nomo were the only Japanese on the American sports scene, think again.

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji