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SOCCER / World cup
Dec 6, 2022

Penalty shootout agony for fans as Japan's World Cup dream comes to a disappointing end

Devastated fans brave rain and a midnight start to watch the Samurai Blue's historic chance at a quarterfinal appearance slip through their fingers.
Japan Times
SOCCER / World cup
Nov 23, 2022

A Saudi soccer victory rings out across the Arab world

Few had given the Saudis a chance of winning a game at the tournament, much less overcoming the might of Argentina and Lionel Messi, arguably the finest player the sport has ever seen.
Japan Times
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Nov 9, 2022

WWE plans long-term push in Africa with tryouts and partnerships

The world's top pro wrestling promotion is joining other major North American sports leagues, such as the NBA and NFL, who have targeted the continent as a growth market.
Japan Times
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Oct 20, 2022

Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi greeted as hero after competing without hijab

Climber apologizes for causing concern as doubts swirl about her safety.
Japan Times
Figure Skating
Oct 13, 2022

Former skater Sarah Abitbol 'feels punished' for speaking out about sexual abuse

Former figure skating star Sarah Abitbol lifted the lid on sexual abuse in sports in France by revealing she was raped by her former coach as a teenager — but says she feels she was "punished" as a result.
Japan Times
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Oct 2, 2022

NFL plans concussion protocol changes after Tua Tagovailoa incident

In a joint statement, the National Football League and NFL Players Association said conversations are already under way and changes are likely soon.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Oct 2, 2022

Russia slams idea of making athletes condemn war in order to compete

Responding to a proposal from IOC President Thomas Bach, one sports federation chief said Olympic participation should not require athletes to become 'traitors.'
Japan Times
WORLD / ANALYSIS
Sep 29, 2022

Slots to smartphones: Pandemic sends Australia's gambling problem online

Already the world's biggest gambling nation in terms of loss per person, Australia has seen a shift in betting behavior since the pandemic-forced closure of public venues.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / MLB
Sep 23, 2022

Yankees' Aaron Judge captivates baseball with home run pursuit

The debate over who should win American League MVP between Judge and Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani has also invigorated a sport slumping in popularity.
Japan Times
TENNIS
Sep 16, 2022

Roger Federer to call time on glittering career after next week's Laver Cup

The 41-year-old, who won 20 Grand Slam singles titles and re-defined a sport with his artistry and grace, broke the news tennis fans across the world have long dreaded.
Japan Times
TENNIS
Sep 4, 2022

Serena Williams in the broadcast booth? The ball is in her court

Industry officials say the former world No. 1 and 23-time Grand Slam winner would be welcomed with open arms were she to take on a commentary role after she retires.
Japan Times
WORLD
Sep 3, 2022

What's in a name? Czechs learn to live in 'Czechia'

Nearly three decades after Czechoslovakia peacefully split into two states, Czechs are still looking for a proper name in English for their country.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Aug 17, 2022

Germany may consider Olympic bid after multi-sport Munich event

The Bavarian capital is hosting the European Championships, with large crowds flocking to venues that are still in regular use after having been built for the 1972 Summer Games.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Aug 16, 2022

Premier League celebrates 30-year rise to global dominance

In 1992, England's top clubs broke with 104 years of tradition by splitting from the Football League and controversially creating a 'super league' which would keep its own income.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Jul 31, 2022

Ex-Tokyo Olympics executive received ¥230 million from Games sponsor, sources say

Tokyo prosecutors suspect that the payments to Takahashi were made as a reward for helping Aoki Holdings become a Tokyo Games official sponsor.
Japan Times
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Jun 23, 2022

Martina Navratilova calls out IOC over lack of leadership on transgender issue

Tennis great and gay rights trailblazer Martina Navratilova has slammed the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for its lack of leadership on the issue of the inclusion of transgender athletes in sports.
Disney and cable giant Charter Communications are negotiating over how much Charter will pay Disney to carry its channels.
BUSINESS / Companies
Sep 6, 2023

Behind the Disney-Charter dispute over the future of TV

Media companies are trying to build profitable streaming services while cable providers feel like they're subsidizing a business that cannibalizes them.
JAPAN / History / Longform
Sep 16, 2023

Rugby turns 200: A history of the sport in Japan

As the sport of rugby turns 200, Japan hopes to celebrate its own success in a game that first arrived in the 1860s.
The Olympic and Russian flags during the Opening Ceremony of the 2014 Sochi Winter Games.
OLYMPICS
Dec 9, 2023

IOC clears some Russians to compete in Paris as neutrals

The IOC added that there were currently only eight athletes from Russia and three from Belarus who had qualified as neutral athletes.
Spurs center Victor Wembanyama dunks during a game against the Grizzlies on Tuesday.
BASKETBALL / NBA
Jan 6, 2024

Victor Wembanyama sets course to become a basketball billionaire unlike any other

Known to fans as "Wemby,” Victor Wembanyama entered the NBA with a level of buzz unlike any player since LeBron James.
Wakatakakage competes at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in November. In sumo, early-arriving fans get to see some of the drama unfold in the lower tiers of the sport.
SUMO / Inside Sumo
Jan 10, 2024

For sumo fans, the drama doesn’t end with the top tier of wrestlers

Starting Sunday in Tokyo, myriad storylines are set to play out in sumo's lower ranks.
When Fighters interpreter Shinju Sakuma set her mind on becoming a language liaison in sports, she picked a sport she enjoyed watching and an employer who thinks outside the box.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Feb 26, 2024

Rookie female interpreter provides voice for foreign baseball stars in Japan

Shinju Sakuma, who will graduate from Rikkyo University in Tokyo this spring, is believed to be the first female interpreter in NPB history.
BASEBALL / MLB / EXPLAINER
Mar 25, 2024

Ohtani’s former interpreter’s gambling scandal: What we know so far

Here is a breakdown of events leading to the interpreter’s firing ahead of the baseball superstar's plan to speak to the media about the scandal.
Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) shoots against the South Carolina Gamecocks in Cleveland, Ohio, on Sunday.
BASKETBALL
Apr 9, 2024

'Caitlin Clark Effect' set to transform WNBA

"No one has been able to capture the kind of magic or lightning in a bottle like Caitlin Clark has done," said one academic.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani needs to find a way to keep his eye on the ball as he plays his first 162-game season without his former interpreter Ippei Mizuhara.
BASEBALL / MLB
Apr 9, 2024

Can Shohei Ohtani achieve Michael Jordan-level mental resilience?

One expert says ensuring that he can pivot smoothly into a new support system is crucial for the player.
Sapporo had hoped the Winter Olympics, which the city had hosted in 1972, would return in 2030, but it was not meant to be.
JAPAN / Society / Regional Voices: Hokkaido
Apr 15, 2024

Why Sapporo’s bid for the 2030 Winter Olympics and Paralympics failed

Part of the city's downfall in trying to secure the Games was, ironically, snow.
Ippei Mizuhara interprets for Shohei Ohtani during the baseball star's introductory news conference with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Dec. 14.
BASEBALL
May 10, 2024

Gambling scandal involving Shohei Ohtani's interpreter being turned into TV series

The shocking gambling scandal surrounding Shohei Ohtani’s former interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, which made headlines across the world earlier this year, is already heading to television.

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