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Japan Times
BASEBALL / MLB
Apr 22, 2023

With Las Vegas land deal, Athletics may finally leave Oakland

For more than half a century, the Oakland Athletics were one of the signature professional sports clubs in the Bay Area, a consistent presence alongside Interstate 880, while other teams in the city like the Oakland Raiders, the Golden State Warriors and even the California Golden Seals came and went....
Japan Times
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Apr 19, 2023

When it comes to sumo in popular media, style reigns over substance

Despite its rich pageantry and 2,000-year history, the sport is still waiting for an authentic Hollywood portrayal that can catch on with the general public.
SOCCER / J. League / From the Spot
Apr 12, 2023

Frontale fans' protest shows league's 'superclub' push carries risks

Supporters of the four-time J1 champion raised alarms over what they see as weakening ties between the club and the community that has supported it for more than 25 years.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Apr 5, 2023

Sumo's declining recruitment shows need for fresh ideas

As Japanese children gravitate toward sumo and rugby, the Japan Sumo Association may need to take a more active role in overseeing the sport's grassroots levels.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Apr 4, 2023

Endeavor and WWE join forces to create live-combat tag team

Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel and WWE boss Vince McMahon are betting that traditional TV companies and video-streaming giants will continue to pay top dollar for the rights to show live events.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Mar 31, 2023

Exhibition celebrates contributions to art

Also known as Haruhisa Handa, Toshu Fukami, who is an artist, entrepreneur and philanthropist, held an opening ceremony for Toshu Fukami Exhibition 2023, a solo showing of his paintings at Tokyo Big Sight in Tokyo’s Koto Ward, on March 18.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Mar 30, 2023

China’s soccer experiment was a flop. Now it may be over.

The expensive recruits have gone. Top teams have disappeared with alarming regularity. The national team shows little sign of improvement.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Feb 8, 2023

Paris mayor opposed to Russians competing at 2024 Olympics 'while war goes on'

Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo changed her stance on Russian competitors at the 2024 Olympics on Tuesday, saying they should be banned "while the war continues" in Ukraine, her office said.
Japan Times
WORLD
Jan 11, 2023

Turning a snowless ski resort into a national park is complicated

A dispute in Spain has become an example of the tensions that arise when efforts to restore nature clash with economic interests and even long-standing traditions.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Dec 16, 2022

IOC at odds with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy over Russian athletes at Olympics

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said the Olympics have a unifying mission when he spoke to Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who called for a ban on Russian and Belarusian athletes, the IOC said on Thursday.
Leaves of marijuana plants from which hemp fibers are extracted at Japan's largest legal marijuana farm in Kanuma, Tochigi Prefecture, on July 5, 2016
PODCAST / deep dive
Sep 21, 2023

Does a university cannabis scandal point to a larger trend?

A drugs scandal at Japan’s biggest university draws attention to a troubling statistic: Cannabis use among young people is on the rise.
The 2028 Los Angeles Games are set to feature cricket, flag football, lacrosse, squash and baseball-softball, following approval from the International Olympic Committee.
OLYMPICS
Oct 16, 2023

Cricket, flag football, lacrosse and squash make 2028 Games cut

Each host city, under IOC rules, can request the inclusion of several sports for their edition of the Games.
The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani(left) and Yoshinobu Yamamoto pose for a portrait on media day at Camelback Ranch in Glendale, Arizona, on Feb. 21.
BASEBALL / MLB
Mar 14, 2024

See-through baseball pants become eye-opening controversy for MLB

The league's new uniforms have dominated the conversation during spring training.
A banner is displayed by Northern Ireland fans in protest against the redevelopment of Casement Park for use in Euro 2028, at Windsor Park in Belfast last October.
SOCCER
Aug 24, 2024

Derelict stadium for Euro 2028 highlights Belfast’s bitter divide

The issue is stirring up old divisions and proving to be an early headache for the Labour government.
A statue of the founder of the International Olympic Committee, Pierre de Coubertin, at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland
OLYMPICS
Feb 5, 2025

The closed-door battle to lead the Olympics

For such a consequential election, much of it is taking place in the dark, away from any form of public or private debate.
Nadeshiko Japan's Yui Hasegawa vies for the ball against the U.S. during the women's soccer quarterfinals at the Paris Olympics on Aug. 3, 2024.
OLYMPICS
Apr 10, 2025

IOC adds more women's teams to Olympic soccer tournament; men's teams cut

The IOC discussed the issue with both LA Games organizers and world soccer's governing body FIFA before going through with the changes.
Red Bull's Max Verstappen during a practice session for the Japanese Grand Prix. Saudi Aramco has perhaps the most visible presence among fossil fuel giants at Formula One races as one of the series' top sponsors.
ENVIRONMENT / Sustainability / OUR PLANET
Sep 30, 2023

F1 says it will reach net zero by 2030. But can it shake its polluting image?

Formula One's pledge faces myriad challenges, including its long-standing ties to some of the world's dirtiest fossil fuel companies.
Gamers play during the first day of Europe's leading digital games fair, Gamescom, in Cologne, Germany, in August 2019
COMMENTARY / World
Oct 2, 2023

Video game competitions should be in the Olympics

Esports is already among the world’s most popular competitive activities. Last year, the global audience totaled more than 500 million people.
JAPAN / Society
Dec 4, 2023

Nihon University chair vows to continue reforms despite calls to quit

The vice president and president have decided to resign to take responsibility for a drug scandal involving the American football team.
Dodgers owner Mark Walter puts a jersey on Shohei Ohtani during the superstar's introductory news conference on Thursday. The structure of Ohtani's contract could help the Dodgers get a full return on their investment in the two-way player.
BASEBALL / MLB
Dec 15, 2023

For the Dodgers, Ohtani's megadeal could end up being a bargain

The Dodgers have the makings of a juggernaut, and success on the field will allow the franchise to cash in on Ohtani’s transcendent marketability.
Real Madrid's Luka Modric battles for the ball with FC Barcelona's Ilkay Gundogan during a match in October. Plans for a European Super League bringing together elite soccer clubs such as the two Spanish outfits won a surprise boost on Thursday.
SOCCER
Dec 22, 2023

Teams shun European Super League despite shock court victory

UEFA and FIFA are "abusing a dominant position” by applying arbitrary rules on approval, control and sanctions, the top EU court said.
Zhang Yufei was among the 23 Chinese swimmer who tested positive for a banned substance months before the Tokyo Olympics.
OLYMPICS
May 16, 2024

World Anti-Doping Agency combating trust issues ahead of Paris Olympics

WADA is facing a allegations it helped cover up the positive tests of elite Chinese swimmers before the Tokyo Olympics.
Argentina's Macarena Ceballos in action during the women's 100m breaststroke heats at the Pan-Am Games in Santiago on Oct. 21. The swimmer has struggled to train for the Olympics in the chilly Argentine winter after a pump to heat the pool at her training center broke.
OLYMPICS
Jun 11, 2024

As Olympics loom, Argentine athletes fret over dwindling funds

Some 1,200 high-level Argentine athletes and coaches receive stipends of an average $350 per month.
The International Olympic Committee's headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland
OLYMPICS
Jun 15, 2024

IOC issues first list of Russians and Belarusians eligible for Olympics

Each qualified athlete must undergo the vetting process by a three-member panel appointed by the IOC to make sure they meet eligibility criteria.
Celtics guard Jaylen Brown dunks during Game 3 of the 2024 NBA Finals in Dallas on June 12.
BASKETBALL / NBA
Jul 25, 2024

NBA signs broadcasting deal with Disney, Amazon and Comcast worth $77 billion

The NBA rejected a last-minute offer from TNT, which it said fell short of Amazon's proposal, ending a four-decade relationship with the media company after next season.
Algeria's Imane Khelif (left) punches Italy's Angela Carini in the women's 66-kg last 16 bout at the Paris Olympics on Thursday.
OLYMPICS / Boxing
Aug 2, 2024

Italian boxer quits bout, sparking furor over gender at Olympics

The issue has become the latest flashpoint in the politically charged debate over gender and fair play in sports.
MLB Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson after throwing out the ceremonial first pitch before a game between the Mariners and the Athletics in Seattle on Sept. 29.
BASEBALL / MLB
Dec 22, 2024

Rickey Henderson, baseball’s flamboyant ‘Man of Steal,’ dies at 65

Henderson holds the MLB career record for stolen bases with 1,406 — a mark unlikely to be swiped from him anytime soon, or perhaps ever.
Dodgers announcers Stephen Nelson and Jessica Mendoza pose with Ichiro Suzuki before a game against the Mariners in Seattle in 2023.
BASEBALL / MLB
Dec 27, 2024

Dodgers voice Stephen Nelson paves way for Japanese Americans in media

Nelson strongly believes representation matters in media and is aware that he might be helping inspire the next generation of Asian Americans in sports media.
The BayStars used data analytics to inform the decision to have Hayato Horioka pitch against the Giants last fall. The bet paid off, with Horioka helping to seal the game and Yokohama advancing to the championship.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Mar 17, 2025

'Moneyball' disciples aim to upend Japanese baseball for second year

Yokohama is honing its indicators that predict how well a pitcher will perform at any given moment.
Scarves are sold, including one depicting Liverpool's new German striker Florian Wirtz, before the pre-season friendly soccer match between Preston North End and Liverpool at Deepdale stadium in Preston, north-west England on July 13.
SOCCER
Jul 25, 2025

Liverpool CEO says player spree should quell ownership gossip

Liverpool has sent a 29-man squad to Hong Kong and Japan as part of its pre-season warm up.

Longform

Ichiro Suzuki, one of the most iconic players in NPB and MLB history, was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame with 99.7% of the vote.
With Hall of Fame induction, Ichiro makes himself heard loud and clear