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BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Nov 25, 2020

Japan Series atmosphere adapts to restrictions caused by pandemic

With fans unable to cheer at either of the series' two venues, it's been up to the dominant Hawks to generate excitement on the field.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / MLB
Nov 24, 2020

'Man of mystery': How Yu Darvish evolved into a powerhouse on the mound

The Cubs ace re-established his bona fides as one of MLB's best pitchers in his ninth big-league season.
Japan Times
COMMENTARY / Japan
Nov 6, 2020

Japan's new Olympic experiment is a risky mistake

Various measures to protect spectators are being tested out, including smartphone apps that issue warnings about which parts of a stadium are crowded at any given moment.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League
Sep 29, 2020

B. League Chairman Shinji Shimada pushing for growth amid pandemic

The former Jets president has pledged to protect financially struggling clubs and expand the league's online viewership.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Jul 25, 2020

Black Lives Matter prompts important conversations in Japanese sports

Despite its distant origins the movement has resonated in the nation, where a growing number of biracial athletes have faced racial issues.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Jul 17, 2020

Atsunori Inaba to remain in charge of Samurai Japan for 2020 Olympics

The former outfielder, who represented Japan at the 2008 Beijing Games, remains steadfast in his goal of achieving a gold medal at the postponed competition.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Jul 15, 2020

JSA's decision to let fans attend July Basho catches everyone off guard

Few insiders had expected sumo's governing body to allow the public back in so soon.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Jul 10, 2020

Fans welcomed back into NPB stadiums as COVID-19 precautions eased

Masks, physical distancing and refrained celebrations were the order of the day as teams played in front of crowds for the first time this year.
SPORTS
Jun 30, 2020

Expert calls on Japanese sports industry to innovate after pandemic

Managing director of Sports Branding Japan believes leagues and teams must come up with new business models in the wake of the coronavirus.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
May 22, 2020

NPB and J. League cleared to begin planning for fan-free restart

Medical experts advising the leagues' joint task force indicated cautious optimism in Friday's meeting.
MORE SPORTS
May 11, 2020

NPB, J. League remain in holding pattern after latest task force meeting

A medical panel advised the two circuits to continue to wait before setting firm dates to resume play.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Apr 8, 2020

NPB closes main office, announces further delays to season after emergency declaration

Like many other organizations in Japan, professional baseball is adjusting to the state of emergency declared Tuesday by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to combat the spread of the coronavirus.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Mar 26, 2020

Tigers pitcher Shintaro Fujinami to have test for coronavirus

Hanshin Tigers pitcher Shintaro Fujinami will undergo a PCR test for the coronavirus, the team announced on Thursday.
SPORTS
Mar 9, 2020

NPB to delay start of regular season due to ongoing COVID-19 outbreak

Nippon Professional Baseball has made the decision to postpone the start of its regular season as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, the league announced on Monday afternoon.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / Sac Bunts
Mar 2, 2020

NPB clubs keep things normal amid virus fears

The oddest thing about the preseason game the Yomiuri Giants and Tokyo Yakult Swallows played at Tokyo Dome on Saturday night — and really the same could be said about all the other games over the weekend too — was the lack of fans.
Japan Times
SPORTS
Mar 2, 2020

NPB and J. League join forces to combat COVID-19

Nippon Professional Baseball and the J. League, two of Japan's biggest professional sports circuits, will form a tag team amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the two entities announced in a Tokyo news conference on Monday.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Feb 29, 2020

Giants and Swallows compete without familiar sights and sounds at ballpark

The return of pro baseball to Tokyo Dome on Saturday night was greeted by a jarring silence.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / Sac Bunts
Feb 11, 2020

Batterymates Katsuya Nomura, Joe Stanka shared special bond decades after playing for Hawks

The ball that brought an end to the 1964 Japan Series between the Nankai Hawks and Hanshin Tigers landed, as so many others had over those seven games, in Hawks catcher Katsuya Nomura's mitt.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / NPB NOTEBOOK
Dec 29, 2019

Ryosuke Kikuchi joins list of players to hit wall in posting system

Musing about whether or not certain players will get posted is fairly commonplace in discussions about the top NPB players these days.

Longform

Mount Fuji is considered one of Japan's most iconic symbols and is a major draw for tourists. It's still a mountain, though, and potential hikers need to properly prepare for any climb.
What it takes to save lives on Mount Fuji