author

 
 

Meta

Mitch Phillips
For Mitch Phillips's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Earlier this month, the International Olympic Committee said that Russians and Belarusians who qualify in their sport for the Paris 2024 Games can take part as neutrals without flags, emblems or anthems.
OLYMPICS
Dec 19, 2023
Russian athletes still banned, but 'things change,' says Coe
"We made a judgement which we believe was in the best interest of our sport," said Coe, president of World Athletics.
England's outside center Joe Marchant (left) scores a try against Fiji during the quarterfinals of the Rugby World Cup in Marseille, France, on Oct. 15.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Oct 25, 2023
World Rugby changes open pathway for smaller nations
World Rugby has announced a series of changes that will increase the number of matches between traditional powerhouses and smaller teams.
South Africa's Handre Pollard (left) converts an eventual match-winning penalty kick against England during their Rugby World Cup semifinal in Paris on Saturday.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Oct 22, 2023
Handre Pollard's late penalty sends Springboks into RWC final
It was a second successive single-point victory for South Africa after it beat France 29-28 in the quarterfinals.
Argentina players celebrate after their 2023 Rugby World Cup quarterfinal win over Wales in Marseille, France, on Saturday.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Oct 15, 2023
Argentina surges into semis with battling comeback win over Wales
The Pumas will play New Zealand in Paris next week.
U.S. golfer Patrick Cantlay celebrates after holing his birdie putt on the 18th green to win his fourball match with teammate Wyndham Clark against Team Europe's Rory McIlroy and Matt Fitzpatrick at the Ryder Cup in Rome on Saturday.
MORE SPORTS
Oct 1, 2023
Europe leads Ryder Cup by five but U.S. finally shows fight
Europe needs four points from Sunday's 12 singles to regain the trophy and continue its incredible 30-year unbeaten home run.
England's Tom Curry waits to be shown a yellow card during the team's Rugby World Cup Pool D match against Argentina in Marseille, France, on Saturday.
MORE SPORTS / Rugby
Sep 13, 2023
England's Tom Curry banned for Japan and Chile games
England is already without captain Owen Farrell for the Japan game as he serves the final game of his suspension.
Japan Times
SOCCER / World cup
Dec 11, 2022
Olivier Giroud sends France into World Cup semifinals over England
The defending champion was forced to work hard for its win after England fought back in the second half, but persevered to set up a semifinal with Morocco on Wednesday.
Japan Times
SOCCER / World cup
Nov 30, 2022
England's Rashford and Foden justify Southgate's rare reshuffle
England roar into the knockout rounds of the 2022 FIFA World Cup as Marcus Rashford scores twice in a 3-0 rout of Wales.
Japan Times
SOCCER / World cup
Nov 24, 2022
Japan stuns Germany with late strikes in World Cup opener
As the game wore on, Japan's raids into the German half became more frequent, culminating in Ritsu Doan's equalizer and a brilliant finish from Takuma Asano eight minutes later.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Feb 15, 2022
Akito Watabe takes bronze behind Joergen Graabak's gold in Nordic combined
Just as he did last week, Graabak sat back in the field and timed his charge perfectly to edge compatriot Jens Oftebro, who also came from deep to take silver.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Jan 26, 2022
Ski jumping: Ryoyu Kobayashi ready to take giant leap for Japan
Kobayashi is bidding to become the first Japanese jumper to win gold on foreign snow.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Jul 28, 2021
As athletics records tumble, new shoe technology puts comparisons in question
Since the arrival of thick-soled, carbon-plated road shoes and now their track spike equivalent, long-standing records set by the sport's all-time greats are being obliterated.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Jul 28, 2021
Seeing's not believing — how doping has tainted athletics
Advances have tilted the balance back toward clean athletes but it is a never-ending war, with each Olympics merely the highest-profile battleground.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Jul 27, 2021
Who can fill the track void left by Usain Bolt's retirement?
The two 2020 athletes of the year were Swedish pole vaulter Mondo Duplantis and Venezuelan triple jumper Yulimar Rojas, but their names remain largely unknown to the general public.

Longform

Later this month, author Shogo Imamura will open Honmaru, a bookstore that allows other businesses to rent its shelves. It's part of a wave of ideas Japanese booksellers are trying to compete with online spaces.
The story isn't over for Japan's bookstores