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COMMENTARY / World
Jul 3, 2008

Soccer nationalism mirrors European society

ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, New York — The late Arthur Koestler, born in Budapest, resident of many countries, and writer in several languages, once said there is nationalism, and there is soccer nationalism. The feelings inspired by the latter are by far the stronger. Koestler himself, a proud and loyal...
Japan Times
Events
Nov 27, 2001

Visionary sees World Cup as time to boost blind soccer

OSAKA -- Soccer is a sport that relies heavily on coordination between the eye and foot.
SOCCER / WE LEAGUE
Sep 10, 2021

Japan's ambitious WE League aims to empower in historic first season

Japan's first professional women's soccer league will launch on Sunday with the goals of promoting gender equality and raising the country's level of play.
SOCCER / From the Spot
Nov 20, 2019

JFA takes leap with new women's pro league

Eight years ago, Japan won the FIFA Women's World Cup and earned its place among women's soccer's elite nations.
Japan Times
JAPAN
May 2, 2002

Firm seeks to boot out child labor

Children around the globe dream of someday playing in the World Cup, but few people know that thousands of them spend their days making soccer balls to help feed their families, unable to go to school or enjoy the game.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Feb 21, 1999

Two-legged enlightenment in land of soccer gods

Let's talk about religion. Soccer, that is. Many Americans don't like soccer because they say there's not enough action. Americans like fast action sports like American football, rugby and ice hockey. Not me. I like soccer because it's slow. I can get up, go to the bathroom, refill my beer and popcorn,...
SOCCER / World cup
Jun 7, 2001

Kamamoto learns to live with cohosting

Kunishige Kamamoto was the Hidetoshi Nakata or the Kazu Miura of his day.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Mar 10, 2023

Canadian women accuse soccer federation of disrespect in pay dispute

Record breaking goalscorer Christine Sinclair said she and her compatriots were 'forced to negotiate in the dark.'
Japan Times
SOCCER / From the Spot
Sep 25, 2019

Rugby World Cup scores try with Japanese soccer media

Last weekend saw packed crowds take over Ajinomoto Stadium and Nissan Stadium, two of the J. League's biggest venues, for pageantry-filled days of sport.
JAPAN
Jul 5, 2015

Win or lose, World Cup no game changer for women

Win or lose, the enthusiasm Japan is showing for its women's soccer team will probably fizzle soon, leaving aspiring pro players in a rut once again, experts say.
SOCCER / SOCCER SCENE
Jul 3, 2008

Bold Kobe bares its teeth to show Olympic soccer is just not worth it

Clubs grumbling over international callups is nothing new, but Vissel Kobe's decision last week to deny Japan the services of striker Yoshito Okubo for the Beijing Olympics may prove to be a watershed moment.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Dec 30, 2022

Brazilian soccer legend Pele dies at 82

Pele transcended soccer — like no player before or since — and became one of the first global icons of the 20th century.
SOCCER / From the Spot
Dec 6, 2020

Play hard, work hard: Nadecare founder Ami Otaki wants to help players build careers in WE League era

Nadecare, an organization intended to support women's soccer players in achieving their career goals and raise the sport's profile in the country, was launched in 2019.
COMMENTARY / World
Jul 1, 2010

Why is it OK to cheat in professional soccer?

MELBOURNE — Shortly before half-time in the World Cup elimination match between England and Germany on Sunday, English midfielder Frank Lampard had a shot at goal that struck the crossbar and bounced down onto the ground, clearly over the goal line. German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer grabbed the ball and...
SPORTS / SPORTS SCOPE
Jun 15, 2004

Coach Baxter making a name for himself in world soccer

"Stuart who?"
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Oct 4, 2022

Tear gas and locked gates led to Indonesian soccer stampede, spectators say

The use of tear gas, a crowd-control measure prohibited by world soccer governing body FIFA, has come under scrutiny.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Jul 29, 2021

Men's Olympic soccer and the struggle for legitimacy

Poor performances by some of the sport's powerhouses, including France — who were beaten by Japan 4-0 on Wednesday — are a reminder that the Olympic tourney is a different beast.
SOCCER
Jul 28, 2020

WE League chair plots ambitious, progressive path for women's game

After spearheading the growth of Japanese women's soccer in the 80s, Kikuko Okajima hopes to make the new league a force for social change.
SOCCER / Women's World Cup / From the Spot
Jun 23, 2020

Japan must build foundation for women's game after withdrawing bid

The Japan Football Association has lost its easy route to building momentum for the sport after dropping out of contention for the 2023 World Cup.
SOCCER / From the Spot
Jun 5, 2020

JFA's vision for new pro women's league ambitious, but Women's World Cup bid remains pragmatic

The WE League has the right message, but delivering on its promises for the sport will take more than a slogan.
Japan Times
SOCCER / From the Spot
Feb 4, 2019

Restrictions on Japan's soccer media lead to frayed relations with players

In the days since Japan's 3-1 defeat to Qatar in the 2019 Asian Cup final, Japan's soccer media has had plenty of time to unload its takes, whether first, second or simply hot.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Jan 5, 2019

Takehiko Nakamura: Kicking around the U.S. for a career in soccer

A U.S. education, says sports fan Nakamura, helped him score a goal in life.
Japan Times
BUSINESS / Economy
Apr 15, 2015

Soccer still a refuge for BOJ staff

The Bank of Japan officials huddle: they're planning a counterattack.
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / JAPAN LITE
Jul 10, 2010

Why I like Japanese soccer fans

The rainy season is my favorite time of the year. I just love to walk out the door and see the flowers in my garden wearing those big huge grins. But that's not the only reason I like the rainy season — it's a great excuse to stay inside and watch sports. The fact that the World Cup always falls during...
EDITORIALS
Aug 20, 2004

Iraq's soccer magic

On the evening of Thursday, Aug. 12, Baghdad's Sadr City, a Shiite Muslim slum that has been the scene of pitched battles between supporters of rebellious cleric Muqtada al-Sadr and U.S. and Iraqi troops, lay strangely quiet and still. Where were the armed militiamen of al-Sadr's Mahdi Army, usually...
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHEN EAST MARRIES WEST
May 12, 2002

Chewing the cud with cheap shots at soccer

Here's a confession for you -- a self-insight I discovered just the other night:
Japan forward Mina Tanaka dribbles during a SheBelieves Cup match against Australia in Houston on Feb. 20.
SOCCER
Mar 20, 2025

How Mina Tanaka evolved into a prolific striker for Nadeshiko Japan

Mina Tanaka is having a moment. The Nadeshiko Japan and Utah Royals striker dominated the SheBelieves Cup, winning both MVP and top scorer as Japan defeated the U.S.

Longform

Figure skater Akiko Suzuki was once told her ideal weight should be 47 kilograms, a number she now admits she “naively believed.” This led to her have a relationship with food that resulted in her suffering from anorexia.
The silent battle Japanese athletes fight with weight