For Morichika Nakamoto's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
"It'd be normally looked at as a tough group, but I felt we've gone into a good one. I was hoping for us to go in there a bit and thought, 'Wow, it'd be interesting.'"
In Group E, along with powerhouses Germany and Spain, Japan can only expect to see as much time on the ball as it did against Tunisia when it faces Costa Rica in its second match.
Having seen Japan make huge strides since their tournament debut in 1998, the 54-year-old Ihara believes the current team has players with the best potential yet.
The health crisis has changed nearly every aspect of the Olympics for the roughly 4,600 media members from 2,000 outlets visiting Japan.
Efforts to improve Japanese athletes' nutrition have paid off on the podium, with stars such as Yuzuru Hanyu counted among the success stories of Ajinomoto's Victory Project.
The senior Olympic official believes that preventing fans from attending the games from overseas would run counter to the event's cosmopolitan spirit.
When Tokyo won the rights to host the 2020 Summer Games in 2013, retired top fencer Kenichi Chida was determined to find a role to play, having been one of the "phantom athletes" who never made it to the boycotted 1980 Games in Moscow. Born ...
Although the Japan Open showcased Chinese table tennis supremacy rather than Japan's rise, China's stars have a wary eye on the Tokyo 2020 Olympic hosts — if their words are taken at face value. Kasumi Ishikawa, Mima Ito and Asian champ Miu Hirano all crashed ...
It was a cruel reality check for Miu Hirano as her surging run of form came to a shuddering end in the Japan Open quarterfinals, but the 17-year-old vowed to rebuild her game to again challenge China's top players. Her straight-games defeat (7-11, 8-11, 5-11, ...
Both Japanese curling teams at the Asian Winter Games have their sights firmly set on the Pyeongchang Olympics in a year's time, but this tournament could be bigger for the women after their recent loss in the nationals. There is a chance of five-time men's ...
