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May 04, 2024
 

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John Gunning
For John Gunning's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Dec 21, 2022
Sumo's topsy-turvy 2022 showed hopeful signs for sport's recovery
For the first time in over 30 years, all six grand tournaments in a calendar year were won by different wrestlers, with rank-and-filers sweeping the final three tournaments.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Dec 14, 2022
High school hopefuls make leap into professional sumo
While university graduates have dominated headlines at recent tournaments, just one of eight new wrestlers entering the sport ahead of the New Year Basho boasts a college background.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Dec 8, 2022
Wrestlers with amateur backgrounds becoming new normal in sumo
These days elite top-tier wrestlers without an amateur background are an increasingly scarce sight.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Nov 30, 2022
Focused Abi completes redemption arc in Fukuoka
Two years after his infamous suspension for violating COVID-19 protocols, the Saitama native won his first Emperor's Cup after triumphing in a rare multi-way playoff at the Kyushu Basho.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Nov 23, 2022
In the land of baseball, sumo and soccer share a close relationship
Japan's national sport and the 'beautiful game' have formed many ties over the years, with even top-ranked wrestlers attending matches and taking part in promotional events.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Nov 16, 2022
Younger wrestlers stepping up early at wild Kyushu Basho
With the top of the banzuke ratings struggling in Fukuoka, several rikishi are looking to capitalize on strong starts as they chase the last Emperor's Cup of 2022.
Japan Times
SUMO
Nov 11, 2022
Only certainty about upcoming Kyushu Basho is uncertainty
Predicting who will emerge victorious in the 2022 Kyushu Basho is almost impossible, but another first time champion or unexpected career breakout performance is a safe bet.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Nov 9, 2022
Should the Japan Sumo Association reconsider the Kyushu Basho?
While better ticket sales and increased income could potentially be found elsewhere, the value of holding a tournament in Fukuoka isn't just monetary.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Nov 2, 2022
Centuries-old records test sumo’s modern superstars
Autumn Basho champion Tamawashi is 11 tournaments away from becoming sumo's all-time ironman, but there are other marks in the sport widely expected to remain untouchable.
Japan Times
Rugby
Oct 27, 2022
All Blacks test offers Brave Blossoms chance to advance Japanese rugby
Saturday's matchup at the National Stadium with New Zealand, while ostensibly a friendly international test, could be Japan's most important 80 minutes since 2019.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Oct 26, 2022
Tokyo takes over as host of 2023 Sumo World Championships
Amateur sumo's most prestigious tournament will return to the capital for the first time since 1998, replacing Russia which was scheduled to host this year.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Oct 19, 2022
JSA welcomes new crop of sumo recruits ahead of Kyushu Basho
Ten wrestlers passed their mandatory health checks at Ryogoku Kokugikan on Tuesday, with eight Japanese newcomers eligible to take part in next month's Fukuoka meet.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Oct 12, 2022
Wrestlers and fans relax together at successful Sumo Fan Festival
For the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began, fans were able to get up close and personal with their favorite rikishi at Ryogoku Kokugikan.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Oct 5, 2022
Classic sumo film 'Shiko Funjatta' finds new life as spinoff drama
The upcoming Disney+ series based on director Masayuki Suo's award-winning work is leading a new wave of sumo content on streaming platforms.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Sep 28, 2022
'Ironman' Tamawashi gets his due with second Emperor's Cup
The 37-year-old's victory was the feel-good story of the the Autumn Basho, but the sport's immediate future remains in flux as young wrestlers struggle to perform consistently.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Sep 21, 2022
No stars? No problem: Interest in sumo grows as it enters parity era
The ebb and flow of Japan's national sport is closely tied to the rise and fall of its grand champions, but overseas viewers are increasingly backing a wider variety of wrestlers.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Sep 14, 2022
JSA delights sumo diehards with announcement of October fan event
A number of rare opportunities will be available for attendees at Ryogoku Kokugikan event, the sport's first fan festival since 2005.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Sep 9, 2022
Ichinojo seeking repeat as focus shifts back to sumo for Autumn Basho
It's looking increasingly likely that all members of the top division will be ready to go when the final Tokyo meet of the year gets underway at Ryogoku Kokugikan on Sunday.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Sep 7, 2022
Hakuho coy on details as January retirement ceremony announced
Fans of the former yokozuna can likely anticipate a spectacle when the newly minted Miyagino stablemaster enters the Ryogoku Kokugikan ring one last time.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Aug 31, 2022
Ascent to sumo's peak slowing for recent crop of foreign wrestlers
While Mongolia may currently be monopolizing sumo's foreign slots, the overall level of domination that the central Asian nation has exerted over the sport is unlikely to continue.
Biden calls ally Japan ‘xenophobic’ along with rivals China and Russia
U.S. President Joe Biden speaks in Syracuse, New York, on April 25.
Yen swings stir talk that Japan is in the FX market once again
An electronic screen in Tokyo displays the yen exchange rate against the U.S. dollar and the graph showing its recent swings, on Thursday.
Harajuku strives to reclaim its former glory — and surpass it
Laforet Harajuku, which celebrated its 45th anniversary last year, has been a witness to the district's evolution over the years.
Weak yen fattens tourist wallets in Japan
People visit the Ameya Yokocho market in Tokyo's Ueno district during the Golden Week holiday on Tuesday.
Japan's May 1 intervention may have cost ¥3.66 trillion, BOJ data suggests
An electronic screen displays a graph showing Japanese yen exchange rates surging against the dollar amid signs of intervention by authorities, in Tokyo on Thursday.
Kishida sets sights on energy and climate in South America trip
Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will use a policy speech in Sao Paulo to set out his vision for ties between Japan and South America, almost 10 years after former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe advocated for stronger ties between the two in the same city.
Yellow sand allergy: A health issue made worse by climate change
A screenshot of the Meteorological Agency's satellite image of clouds and yellow sand (in pink) on Sunday.
Climate change, chalky grains and the risks for Japan’s rice farmers
A farmer plants seedlings in Satsumasendai, Kagoshima Prefecture. Japan’s self sufficiency rate for rice is nearly 100%, compared with 38% for food overall, on a calorie basis.
Japan wants you to spend more with ‘luxury tourism’
Performers play a traditional drum unique to Wajima, Ishikawa Prefecture, in the prefectural capital of Kanazawa on March 16 to mark the extension of the Hokuriku Shinkansen line to Tsuruga Station in Fukui Prefecture.
Theaster Gates’ ambitious ‘Afro-Mingei’ brings Black Chicago to Tokyo
Theaster Gates' “A Heavenly Chord” lines up church pews before seven speakers and a Hammond B3 organ, a type of electric organ prevalent in Black American churches.

Podcast

From easily navigable train stations to the helpfulness of its municipal staff, Tokyo has earned high praise for its commitment to accessibility for disabled travelers.
[Rebroadcast] Japan is doing better on accessibility than you may think

Longform

When trying to trace your lineage in Japan, the "koseki" is the most important form of document you'll encounter.
Climbing the branches of a Japanese family tree
By Alex K.T. Martin

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

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