For Chris Gallagher's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Olympic race walkers had to fight through "brutal" conditions as temperatures climbed steadily during their 50-km race to top 30 degrees Celsius by 9 a.m. in Sapporo on Friday.
Tomala, 31, said he switched to the 50-km distance from the 20 km earlier this year because he was "bored and needed new challenges," and his decision paid immediate dividends.
The Aussie Spirit squad touched down at Narita Airport outside Tokyo along with their support staff and was immediately ushered off for coronavirus testing.
Sunday's competition, held behind closed doors due to the state of emergency, offered organizers and athletes a chance to trial anti-infection protocols that will be used at the Tokyo Games.
The cafe had hoped to capitalize on strong demand during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, but with the outlook still uncertain a decision was made to let the lease expire and shut down.
The firm had been working on a system to meet the needs of allergy sufferers who wear masks when the COVID-19 pandemic prompted it to accelerate development.
"We want to deliver a smile to cheer people up," said the head cheerleader. "We're doing this hoping that people can feel even a little bit better."
The facilities, set up in the Ginza shopping district, use recycled water, chlorine and deep ultraviolet irradiation.
Yuzawa in Akita Prefecture has seen a decline in its fortunes in recent years, with a low birth rate and high death rate.
Yoshihide Suga, used to suits, a lectern and the trappings of the Japanese government, now finds himself on hip hop T-shirts and bags in his hometown, where the locals are celebrating the man expected to become prime minister in a few days. Designer Ippei Fujita ...
