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Kyoto International High School players react after their win over Kanto Daiichi High School in the National High School Baseball Championship final at Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture, on Friday.
BASEBALL
Aug 23, 2024

Underdog Kyoto International High School wins Summer Koshien crown

Kyoto International High School defeated Tokyo’s Kanto Daiichi High School in extra innings.
Rudy Garcia-Tolson (left) at the London Paralympics in September 2012. The American swimmer got a tattoo of the Olympic rings after first competing at the 2004 Athens Paralympics.
PARALYMPICS
Aug 25, 2024

Paralympics will drop ban on Olympic rings tattoos

Days before the start of the Paralympics, the IPC has suddenly, and without obvious explanation, reversed course on a rule that had banned tattoos of the Olympic rings.
England manager Sven-Goran Eriksson at a news conference in London in September 2002. Eriksson died on Monday at the age of 76.
SOCCER
Aug 27, 2024

Soccer world pays tribute as 'true gentleman' Eriksson dies age 76

The former England manager died surrounded by his family after revealing in January he had "at best" a year to live.
Full-time homemaker Momoko (Noriko Eguchi, left, with Kotaro Koizumi) finds her world falling apart in Yukihiro Morigaki’s “Rude to Love.”
CULTURE / Film
Aug 29, 2024

‘Rude to Love’ gives Noriko Eguchi her tour de force moment

The perennially underused actress gives a bravura performance as a woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown in Yukihiro Morigaki's drama.
China's Xia Zhou celebrates after crossing the line to win gold in the women's T35 100-meter final on Friday at the Paris Paralympics.
PARALYMPICS
Aug 31, 2024

China extends lead in Paralympic medals table after track success

The Chinese, who have topped the medal standings at every Paralympics since Athens in 2004, finished the second day of competition with 12 gold.
Naoya Inoue (left) and TJ Doheny pose after the official weigh-in ahead of their boxing super-bantamweight title fight in Yokohama, on Monday.
MORE SPORTS / Boxing
Sep 2, 2024

Unbeaten 'Monster' Inoue still feels pressure ahead of Doheny clash

Inoue is stepping into the ring for the first time since he stopped Mexico's Luis Nery in front of 55,000 fans at the Tokyo Dome in May.
Japan's Naoya Inoue (left) and Ireland's TJ Doheny fight during their super bantamweight title match at Ariake Arena in Tokyo on Tuesday.
MORE SPORTS / Boxing
Sep 3, 2024

'Monster' Inoue eyeing Vegas bout after stopping injured Doheny

The unbeaten Inoue was declared the winner when Doheny was left hobbling and unable to continue following a barrage to the body.
Michie Hino, 77, works at an elderly care home in Chiba Prefecture. She is one of a growing number of senior Japanese citizens working into their 70s.
JAPAN / Society / FOCUS
Sep 5, 2024

Working till your 70s — Japan's prospective gift to the world

A struggling pension system and the highest inflation in decades have led more Japanese people to delay retirement until their 70s or later to make ends meet.
Fireworks are fired on the Stade de France roof during the closing ceremony of the Paris Paralympics on Sunday.
PARALYMPICS
Sep 9, 2024

Paris Paralympics close with festive ceremony as France celebrates 'historic' summer

International Paralympic Committee President Andrew Parsons said the Paris Paralympics had shown that "change starts with sport."
A barista fills a customer’s order at a Starbucks in Odessa, Texas. Starbucks has more than 16,000 locations in the United States, including this one in Odessa.
BUSINESS
Sep 10, 2024

A funnel cake macchiato anyone? The coffee wars are heating up.

From the giant Starbucks to small coffee shops, the battle is on for who can come up with the craziest, calorie-laden, not-really-coffee drink.
Wealthy Chinese shoppers are buying luxury goods in Japan to take advantage of favorable exchange rates, which is hurting European luxury brands' profitability.
COMMENTARY / Japan
Sep 8, 2024

Big Luxury frets that China is turning Japanese

Wealthy Chinese shoppers are buying luxury goods in Japan to take advantage of favorable exchange rates, which is hurting European luxury brands' profitability.
The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani celebrates in the dugout after hitting his 47th home run of the season during the first inning against the Cubs in Los Angeles on Wednesday.
BASEBALL / MLB
Sep 12, 2024

Shohei Ohtani moves closer to 50-50 milestone as Dodgers beat Cubs

Ohtani's sixth leadoff homer of the season came on the fourth pitch of the game.
A vendor attends to a customer at the secondhand books section of Panjiayuan antiques market in Beijing
ASIA PACIFIC / Politics
Sep 13, 2024

China wants academic exchanges, but censorship could stand in the way

The Chinese Communist Party has exerted control over all publications since establishing the People's Republic of China in 1949.
Swallows star Norichika Aoki announced his plan to retire on Friday.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Sep 13, 2024

Swallows great Norichika Aoki to retire

Veteran Tokyo Yakult Swallows outfielder Norichika Aoki, one of the best hitters Japan has ever seen, plans to retire at the end of this season, he announced on Friday.
Giants quarterback Eli Manning drops back to pass during a game against the Dolphins in December 2019.
MORE SPORTS / Football
Sep 19, 2024

Eli Manning and Marshawn Lynch lead 2025 Hall of Fame nominees

Kicker Adam Vinatieri, defensive end Terrell Suggs and late wide receiver Demaryius Thomas are also among first-year nominees with Super Bowl resumes.
The world-beating record rally in Japanese shares this year has stalled, with a 12% plunge in both the Topix and Nikkei 225 gauges on Aug. 5 underscoring the risks of putting money into already high-flying equities.
BUSINESS / Markets
Sep 19, 2024

Japanese share sales reach 20-year high despite market rout

The share surge was driven in part by policymakers pushing companies to boost returns for their shareholders.
“Patlabor: The Movie” keeps the fun and irreverence of the small-screen series while adding a more contemplative touch.
CULTURE / Film / Wide Angle
Sep 20, 2024

At 35, ‘Patlabor’ now looks awfully prescient

The robot-centric film is back in theaters across Japan in celebration of its 35th anniversary, and the future it paints looks mighty familiar.
Before Shohei Ohtani created the 50-50 club on Thursday, just two players in MLB history had hit 50 homers and stolen 50 bases in a season, but not in the same one.
BASEBALL / MLB
Sep 21, 2024

Others who had 50 steals or 50 homers admire Ohtani's feat

Before Shohei Ohtani created the 50-50 club on Thursday, just two players in MLB history had hit 50 homers and stolen 50 bases in a season, but not in the same one.
People inspect the site of an Israeli strike in the southern suburbs of Beirut on Friday.
WORLD
Sep 21, 2024

Top Hezbollah commander among 14 killed in Israeli strike on Beirut

Ibrahim Aqil was killed with other senior members of an elite Hezbollah unit, sharply escalating the yearlong conflict between Israel and the Iran-backed group.
A destroyed car in the Biala Ladecka river following flooding in Zelazno, Poland, on Friday
ENVIRONMENT
Sep 22, 2024

U.S. election uncertainty clouds U.N. climate finance progress

Governments are analyzing a possible win by Kamala Harris, who promotes climate spending, or by Donald Trump, a climate denier who wants to boost fossil fuels.
Former Defense Minister Shigeru Ishiba waves after he was elected as the new head of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party during a leadership vote on Friday.
JAPAN / Politics
Sep 27, 2024

Fifth time's a charm: Shigeru Ishiba set to be Japan PM after LDP poll win

Ishiba, who has also served as party secretary-general, won the LDP presidential election on Friday, defeating economic security minister Sanae Takaichi in a runoff vote.
Gilles Langourieux, chief executive officer of Virtuos, speaks during an interview in Tokyo on Thursday.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 27, 2024

Game developer Virtuos seeks acquisitions and growth in Japan

The Singapore-based company, which has been involved in such major franchises as Call of Duty and Metal Gear Solid, is in active talks with multiple studios in Japan.
Former Reds great Pete Rose speaks during a pregame ceremony for the unveiling of his bronze statue at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati in June 2017.
BASEBALL / MLB
Oct 1, 2024

MLB Hit King Pete Rose dies at 83

Rose helped the Reds win consecutive World Series in 1975 and 1976 before winning a third title with the Phillies in 1980.
As is the trend in movies and TV, the games with the biggest budgets at Tokyo Game Show 2024 were by and large remakes and remasters.
LIFE / Digital / ON: GAMES
Oct 5, 2024

At Tokyo Game Show 2024, nostalgia was king

Indie gems were on the show floor, but the nostalgia from remakes and remasters drew the biggest crowds this year.
Without Japanese outdoorsman George Masa, America might not have the Great Smoky Mountains National Park — so why do so many people in Japan not know he existed?
COMMUNITY / Issues
Oct 7, 2024

The forgotten Japanese naturalist who created a U.S. national park

George Masa was an enigmatic figure, but his contributions to preserving America's natural beauty are unassailable.
Vladimir Putin’s actions in Ukraine, much like those of past Soviet leaders, stem from a desire to be recognized as a global power and from perceived Western threats.
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 7, 2024

The sources of Russian conduct

From Josef Stalin to Mikhail Gorbachev, Soviet leaders shared Putin’s desire for “great power” prestige.
Pope Francis addresses the crowd from the window of the Apostolic Palace overlooking St. Peter's Square during the Angelus prayer in the Vatican on Sunday. The pontiff announced the appointment of 21 new cardinals on Sunday.
JAPAN / Society
Oct 7, 2024

Japanese archbishop named cardinal

Tarcisio Isao Kikuchi, the archbishop of the Catholic Archdiocese of Tokyo, will also be eligible to vote in a papal conclave.
Tokyo Metro is seeking to raise at least ¥319.6 billion at a time when the nation’s equity market is showing signs of recovery.
BUSINESS / Companies
Oct 8, 2024

Tokyo Metro unveils range for biggest Japan IPO since 2018

The price range of ¥1,100 to ¥1,200 values the subway operator at between ¥639.1 billion and ¥697.2 billion.
Ratan Tata, who transformed the Tata Group into a multibillion dollar conglomerate, at his home in Mumbai in 2021
BUSINESS
Oct 10, 2024

Indian business titan Ratan Tata dies at age 86

Under Tata, the Tata Group grew into a sprawling international enterprise with a portfolio ranging from software to sports cars.
Yuri Kondo (center), who filed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of Japan's ban on dual nationality, speaks at a news conference in the city of Fukuoka in December 2023.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Oct 10, 2024

Ban on dual nationality is constitutional, Fukuoka High Court rules

The court dismissed a claim filed by a woman who lost her Japanese citizenship after she became a naturalized American citizen.

Longform

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