Reigning Wimbledon champion Garbine Muguruza on Monday did not hold back her joy at becoming world No. 1 in women's tennis. The 23-year-old last week topped the WTA rankings for the first time, becoming the second woman from Spain to achieve the feat, after four-time ...

Tokyo will not benefit long term from hosting the 2020 Olympics — contrary to the hopes and prayers of a nation — sports economist Andrew Zimbalist said Wednesday. "I'd be really surprised," Smith College professor Zimbalist said at the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Japan, when ...

The 10-second barrier has been unbreakable for Japanese sprinters in the 100 meters, Koji Ito coming the closest in 1998 when he ran it in 10 seconds flat. But Abdul Hakim Sani Brown, the 18-year-old half-Ghanaian prodigy, is giving Japan hope the wall may finally ...

Having been instrumental in Kashiwa Reysol's surge to the top of the J. League on an eight-game win streak, goalkeeper Kosuke Nakamura has earned his first Japan call-up for Wednesday's friendly against Syria and the World Cup qualifier away to Iraq next week. The 22-year-old ...

Japan was not drawn in the 2019 Rugby World Cup pool phase with England, the team coached by its former boss Eddie Jones. The earliest they could meet at the tournament would be in the semifinals, provided both teams get that far. But it is ...

The 2020 Tokyo Olympic organizing committee drew rave reviews from its future guests after completing its first organized group tour for National Olympic Committees earlier this week. Organizers of Tokyo's second Summer Games have had to weather a number of controversies to date, with issues ...

Keisuke Honda should seriously consider leaving AC Milan or risk losing his place on the Japan squad, according to national coach Vahid Halilhodzic. "I need Honda to play more on a regular basis," Halilhodzic said in an end-of-year interview with members of the Tokyo Sportswriters' ...

Sapporo will have the full backing of Asia should the city formally bid to host the 2026 Winter Olympics, Olympic Council of Asia president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah said in an interview with Kyodo News. Sapporo, which will host the Asian Winter Games for a ...

Once again, Kashima Antlers banked on the experience and savvy that has led to a record eight J. League championships, when they beat Mamelodi Sundowns 2-0 on Sunday to book a place in the Club World Cup semifinals. While Mu Kanazaki, who came off the ...

Japan coach Vahid Halilhodzic's decision to sit back and try to hit Australia on the break on Tuesday certainly had its effect, taking the Socceroos players by complete surprise. "Knowing Japan in the past, and the players that they have, I didn't expect it to ...