For veterans of Japan's 2014 World Cup campaign, avenging a painful loss at that tournament to Colombia was cause for only momentary celebration, goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima said Wednesday. In the buildup to the rematch between the two sides in Saransk on Tuesday, the 35-year-old custodian ...

Japan will face a tough task containing Senegal's speedy, skillful attacking players in its next World Cup clash, left back Yuto Nagatomo said Wednesday. A day after Samurai Blue's surprise 2-1 win over 10-man Colombia in Saransk, the squad has turned its attention to the ...

Having won a slew of trophies with Russian powerhouse CSKA Moscow, this World Cup is a happy homecoming of sorts for Keisuke Honda. Honda, who joined CSKA in January 2010, helped the team win back-to-back first-division titles in 2013 and 2014. It also captured two ...

Japan's mind set will not change if Colombia is without star playmaker James Rodriguez for the team's World Cup opener, defender Yuto Nagatomo said Saturday, following reports that the 2014 Golden Boot winner's status is in doubt for the Group H clash in Saransk. Multiple ...

As Japan and Colombia prepare to go into battle at the World Cup again, the Samurai Blue remain haunted by memories of their clash with the South Americans at the previous tournament, goalkeeper Eiji Kawashima said Friday. On that day four years ago in the ...

After surviving one of the "most difficult" seasons of his Premier League career, Japan defensive stalwart Maya Yoshida said Thursday he is mentally prepared to help his Samurai Blue teammates face the challenges ahead of them at the World Cup in Russia. Having regularly finished ...

While many Olympic athletes can trace their path back to high school gyms or playgrounds, weightlifting legend Tommy Kono began his journey to the Games in a most unlikely setting — a World War II internment camp for Japanese-Americans. A six-time world champion and the ...