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Hiroki Noda
For Hiroki Noda's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan's athletes participate in the closing ceremony of the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS
Oct 9, 2023
Asian Games come to close in Hangzhou
Medals were contested across 40 disciplines, including non-Olympic ones such as kabaddi, sepaktakraw and the Go board game.
Shigeyuki "Shigekix" Nakarai competes in the final of the Asian Games men's breakdancing competition in Hangzhou, China, on Saturday.
MORE SPORTS / Breakdancing
Oct 8, 2023
'Shigekix' Nakarai dances to Asian Games breaking gold and Olympic spot
Japan's women stood second and third on the women's podium as the sport prepares for its Summer Games debut next year.
Aichi Governor Hideaki Omura (fourth from left), Japanese Olympic Committee President Yasuhiro Yamashita (fourth from right) and Raja Randhir Singh (third from right), acting president of the Olympic Council of Asia, participate in a reception promoting the 2026 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Saturday.
MORE SPORTS
Oct 8, 2023
Co-hosts Aichi and Nagoya vow to stage inspiring Asian Games in 2026
The 2026 Asian Games will be Japan's third, following the 1958 meet in Tokyo and the 1994 meet in Hiroshima.
Japan's women's soccer team celebrates its Asian Games gold medal after defeating North Korea in Hangzhou, China, on Friday.
SOCCER
Oct 8, 2023
Women's soccer gold bodes well for future of Nadeshiko Japan
In six matches in Hangzhou, Japan scored 39 goals, including a dismantling of a host team featuring 10 players from this summer's Women's World Cup.
Ririka Hironaka celebrates after taking silver in the women's 5,000-meter final at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Tuesday.
MORE SPORTS / Athletics
Oct 4, 2023
Ririka Hironaka and 4x100 relay team take disappointing silvers
Hironaka appeared on course for victory before the final twist in the women's 5,000 meters.
South Korea's Jeon Ji-hee and Shin Yu-bin embrace North Korea's Cha Su Yong and Pak Su Gyong after winning the table tennis women's doubles final at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Monday.
MORE SPORTS / Table tennis
Oct 3, 2023
North and South Korea meet for gold in table tennis women's doubles
The women's doubles final was not only between players from the two Koreas, but also without representation from table tennis powerhouse China.
Saki Baba carded a 5-over 77 on Sunday to register a 6-under 282 finish at the Asian Games women's singles golf tournament in Hangzhou, China, on Sunday.
MORE SPORTS / Golf
Oct 1, 2023
Rising golf star Saki Baba 11th in failed Asian Games medal bid
Baba struggled to cope with tough pin positions and fast greens in a round that included three birdies, six bogeys and one double bogey.
Japanese athletes at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, have been able to unwind in a relaxation room arranged by the Japanese Olympic Committee.
MORE SPORTS
Oct 1, 2023
Japan's Olympic body working on athletes' mental care
The manga cafe-style relaxation room was the first of its kind for Japan at an international multisport event, according to the JOC.
Yosuke Watanuki returns a ball to Zhang Zhizhen during the men's tennis final at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Saturday.
TENNIS
Oct 1, 2023
Yosuke Watanuki misses out on men's tennis gold and Paris 2024 spot
Home favorite Zhang Zhizhen fought back from a 4-1 deficit in the first set and never looked back at Hangzhou Olympic Sports Center.
Tomoru Honda celebrates after winning the men's 400-meter individual medley final during the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Tuesday.
MORE SPORTS / Swimming
Sep 27, 2023
Tomoru Honda bags Japan's first swimming gold in Hangzhou
Japan's first gold in the pool came on Day 3 of the six-day swimming program after two days of Chinese dominance.
Japan's Miu Hirano hits a return against China's Chen Meng in the table tennis women's team final at the 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Tuesday.
MORE SPORTS / Table tennis
Sep 27, 2023
China defeats Japan for Asian Games women's table tennis team gold
The final turned out to be one of the most closely watched events at Asia's version of the Olympics.
Bronze medalist Ryosuke Irie (right) celebrates on the podium with bronze medalist Wang Gukailai (left) and gold medalist Xu Jiayu, both of China, after the men's 50-meter backstroke final at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, on Monday.
MORE SPORTS / Swimming
Sep 26, 2023
Japan remains without swim gold as China adds four Asian Games titles
Double Tokyo Olympic individual medley champion Yui Ohashi, struggling with conditioning issues, finished sixth in the women's 200 IM.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Aug 20, 2021
Swimmer slams IOC for allowing junta-led Myanmar to compete at Tokyo Games
"The IOC is picking and choosing parts of the Olympic charter that they want to protect, mostly what is commercially of interest to them," he said.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 6, 2021
Tokyo school for Chinese students undeterred by COVID-19 hardships
For Chinese students wishing to attend universities in Japan, entrance exams don't wait and preparation continues nonstop.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Jan 21, 2019
Japanese couple makes rare transition from IT world to miso-making
For people used to the fast-paced tech world, making miso in a sleepy town in Japan's countryside might not seem too appealing — unless they realize that's where their true calling lies.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Politics / FOCUS
Sep 30, 2014
Economic benefits have China, South Korea reconsidering strained ties with Japan
Expectations that rapprochement may benefit their economies have prompted China and South Korea to reconsider their strained relations with Japan, but obstacles still need to be cleared before Prime Minister Shinzo Abe can hold his first summit talks with their leaders.
Japan Times
ENVIRONMENT
Mar 27, 2014
Cost high, but danger of inaction higher, climate panel chief warns
Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the U.N.-sponsored Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, stressed Wednesday that the impacts of global warming will be severe if the world fails to take action.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Dec 29, 2013
Science Club leaving schools behind
Mio Kawamura spends much of his free time differently than his elementary school classmates.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Dec 10, 2013
Myanmar to get Japan Post model of efficient, fast mail
An initiative has been launched to modernize Myanmar's postal system by introducing Japan's fast, efficient and precise services, in line with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's economic revitalization plans featuring exports of advanced technologies and services, especially to developing countries in Asia.
JAPAN
Sep 9, 2013
12 publishers to push tablets for classrooms
In a move toward full-scale digitization of education, 12 textbook publishers plan to develop a common platform for using tablet devices in classrooms.

Longform

A statue of "Dragon Ball" character Goku stands outside the offices of Bandai Namco in Tokyo. The figure is now as recognizable as such characters as Mickey Mouse and Spider-Man.
Akira Toriyama's gift to the world