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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
Aug 24, 2022
Degeiko training endures despite rise in COVID-19 infections
The Japan Sumo Association's decision to allow joint training between stables is both a benefit for wrestlers and a positive sign of a return to pre-pandemic norms.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Aug 17, 2022
Threatened by rivals, Nichidai continues to produce elite sumo talent
Though Nihon University has ceded space in the elite tier of college sumo to its rivals, the school is still capable of developing wrestlers who can make an impact in the pro ranks.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Aug 10, 2022
JSA taps veteran presenter for new English-language YouTube channel
Hiroshi Morita, who has been in the commentary booth for NHK since 1999, is the face of professional sumo's biggest effort yet to market to international fans in the internet era.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Aug 3, 2022
Former yokozuna Hakuho faces new challenges as Miyagino stablemaster
Sumo's greatest-ever grand champion is now in charge of his own beya, but whether he will be able to rise through the complicated hierarchy of the Japan Sumo Association is an open question.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Jul 27, 2022
Ichinojo's deserved first title rescues virus-struck Nagoya Basho
The Minato stable man's debut championship brought not only relief but genuine joy, as he is one of the most affable and likeable figures in Japan's national sport.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Jul 20, 2022
Recently deceased yokozuna Wakanohana leaves mixed legacy
The giant portrait that commemorates his perfect 15-0 championship in November 1978 still hangs in JR Ryogoku Station and is visible to anyone getting off the train to visit the Kokugikan.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Jul 13, 2022
World Games chaos highlights amateur sumo's structural flaws
The furor over excessive celebrations by Egyptian and Ukranian wrestlers shows that the sport needs reforms if it is to build a stable following.
Japan Times
SUMO
Jul 8, 2022
Yokozuna Terunofuji eager to put on show for fans in Nagoya
Terunofuji is the frontrunner in Nagoya, and it'd be no surprise if he finished the fortnight's action with another title under his belt.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Jun 29, 2022
Faster, aggressive sumo on display at women's college championships
The tournament, dwarfed by its male counterpart in terms of size and interest, is nonetheless showcasing wrestlers increasingly capable of delivering entertaining and thrilling bouts.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Jun 22, 2022
Wrestlers ramp up public appearances as pandemic subsides
The loosening of media restrictions has given wrestlers more exposure to both current and potential fans, whether it's through interviews at stables or guest spots on prime-time TV.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Jun 15, 2022
Philosophical living legend Konishiki reflects on launch of career
The Hawaiian-born former ozeki, a driving force in gaining sumo recognition overseas, is celebrating the 40th anniversary of his entry into the sport.
Japan Times
SPORTS / INSIDE SUMO
Jun 8, 2022
The return of degeiko training may herald more competitive sumo
That 2020 edict to ban degeiko was put in place to lower the risk of COVID-19 infection for wrestlers at a time when one rikishi had died, and the virus was raging.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Jun 1, 2022
New challengers arrive as retired greats enjoy end of 'long goodbye'
Long stints in Japan's national sport aren't as common as they might seem at first glance, especially in sumo's upper echelons.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
May 25, 2022
Terunofuji making most of what may be limited time as yokozuna
The 30-year-old's expected brief span as grand champion won't detract from what he has achieved to date, and purely in terms of silverware he has already outclassed many of his predecessors.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
May 18, 2022
Frenzied Summer Basho offering little clarity on sumo's future
After 10 days, virtually every pre-basho prediction made by columnists, experts and insiders about what might transpire in the May meet has gone up in flames.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
May 11, 2022
Kotonowaka impresses as top-rankers stumble early at Summer Basho
The early story of the unpredictable Summer Basho is Kotonowaka, who opened the tournament with three straight wins over ozeki opponents.
Japan Times
SUMO
May 6, 2022
Element of surprise set to add more flavor to May Grand Sumo Tournament
A reduction in the amount of detailed reports emanating from sumo ensures the surprise factor from tournament to tournament remains high.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
May 4, 2022
Fan-produced content boosts sumo's international visibility
With few dedicated English-language journalists covering sumo, the importance of fan-produced translations, blogs and reports remains high.
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Apr 27, 2022
Balanced Summer Basho banzuke offers few reasons for complaint
With the current top-division hierarchy well established, fans in search of the unexpected may have to look down to the third-division makushita.
Japan Times
SUMO
Apr 20, 2022
Sumo's doors open for college stars but closing for foreign hopefuls
University sumo clubs regularly churn out talent capable of reaching the paid ranks, but fewer foreigners are entering the sport outside of powerhouse Mongolia.
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

Rows of irises resemble a rice field at the Peter Walker-designed Toyota Municipal Museum of Art.
The 'outsiders' creating some of Japan's greenest spaces
By Stephen Mansfield

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Vol. 35: Travel in time — and stay there
Vol. 35: Travel in time — and stay there

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