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BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Sep 30, 2017

Tigers defeat Giants, secure second spot in CL Climax Series

The No. 2 seed in the Central League was right there for the taking, and that's exactly what the Hanshin Tigers did.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC / Society / FOCUS
Sep 26, 2017

China's Communist Party uses rap to tap youth culture, hook millennials

In his baseball cap and baggy yellow T-shirt, the rap star Li Yijie — better known by his stage name "Pissy" — is an unlikely face of China's strait-laced ruling Communist Party.
Japan Times
BUSINESS
Sep 17, 2017

Beyond Airbnb: Minpaku market poised for growth

Needing a place to stay before moving to a new home, James Degan recently went on Airbnb and found an apartment in Tokyo's upscale Minato Ward. At ¥8,000 per night with a double bed and fully equipped kitchen, it came cheaper than staying in a hotel and was conveniently located near a station close...
Japan Times
SOCCER
Sep 15, 2017

'Moneyball' executive Beane joining group to purchase Barnsley

"Moneyball" baseball executive Billy Beane is joining a consortium including Chinese businessman Chien Lee and American investor Paul Conway to acquire English soccer club Barnsley, a source told Reuters on Friday.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League
Sep 11, 2017

B. League hoping to build on success over coming season

The B. League tipped off its inaugural season in lavish fashion last year with a game between the Alvark Tokyo and Ryukyu Golden Kings on an LED court at Yoyogi National Gymnasium.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Sep 4, 2017

Sarfate has pitched way into MVP discussion

The bow has become one of the most familiar sights in Japanese baseball. Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks closer Dennis Sarfate records the final out of a game, brings his right hand up to meet his gloved left hand in front of his chest, and leans forward. When you see it, Sarfate has either converted a save or...
Japan Times
SUMO
Aug 30, 2017

Exhibition events bring sumo to new audience

Jungyo is similar to baseball's spring training for sumo; wrestlers are more relaxed and laid back, and fans have more opportunities to interact with the giant fellows.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Aug 28, 2017

Ramirez guiding BayStars with steady hand

It might be strange to some to see Yokohama BayStars manager Alex Ramirez remaining so grounded. The same Ramirez who played with emotion, who performed special dances after his home runs (sometimes with team mascots), is calm, cool and collected as his BayStars work to secure a second-straight trip...
Japan Times
CARTOONS / ZERO GRAVITY
Aug 27, 2017

Baseball Texting

BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / NPB NOTEBOOK
Aug 26, 2017

Otani heating up in a hurry

Shohei Otani has been on fire this month.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Music
Aug 22, 2017

Babymetal, Foo Fighters and Rick Astley make Summer Sonic a fun weekend

This year's Summer Sonic had its craziest moment on Sunday night when 1980s singer Rick Astley joined the Foo Fighters for the latter's headlining performance.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Aug 21, 2017

Kikuchi, Sugano locked in duel for Sawamura Award

Despite the amount of ink spilled trying to determine whether Seibu Lions pitcher Yusei Kikuchi was actually guilty of the illegal two-stage pitching motion he was cited for on Thursday night, it's more important to note the way he handled the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Aug 19, 2017

Giants' Sugano continues winning ways against BayStars

Tomoyuki Sugano hasn't really needed a lot of run support when facing the Yokohama BayStars this season.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Aug 14, 2017

From subculture chic to mainstream style trend: Japanese-themed T-shirts are all the rage

Designers and clothing retailers are spotting what has previously been a niche trend now gaining widespread popularity in Japan, drawing a growing number of fashion-forward customers from within the country and overseas: T-shirts.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / NPB NOTEBOOK
Aug 13, 2017

Leadoff home runs generate energy, excitement on diamond

Leadoff home runs are fun. Most can probably agree on that. A leadoff home run is a rush, an unexpected jolt of energy at the outset of a game.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Aug 10, 2017

Terauchi seizes chance to lift Giants past Tigers

For most of the season, Yomiuri Giants infielder Takayuki Terauchi has been the odd man out, relegated mostly to pinch-hitting, running and serving as a defensive replacement. So when he got a rare chance to step into the spotlight, he wasn't about to let it slip away.
BUSINESS / Companies
Aug 9, 2017

SoftBank may invest $1 billion in U.S. online sports store Fanatics

SoftBank Group Corp. is nearing a $1 billion (¥109 billion) investment in Fanatics Inc., an online retailer of licensed sports apparel, as it ramps up deal-making with its giant technology fund.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / HIT AND RUN
Aug 7, 2017

Sakamoto has shot at historic hit total

It won't be long before the Yomiuri Giants' Shinnosuke Abe breaks through the 2,000-hit threshold. Abe has 1,994 now, so it's only a matter of time before he becomes the 49th player to reach the mark in NPB alone.

Longform

Dangami House is a 180-year-old former samurai residence of the Kato clan, who ruled over Ozu, Ehime Prefecture, until the Meiji Restoration.
A house, a legacy and the quiet work of restoration in rural Japan