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Japan Times
TENNIS
Jan 9, 2023

Naomi Osaka's withdrawal from Australian Open raises questions about star's future

Tennis writer Ben Rothenberg, who has authored a biography of Osaka due out later this year, believes she has already taken a 'meaningful step back' from the sport.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Jan 5, 2023

NFL and medical experts caution against speculation about cause of Damar Hamlin's condition

'Reckless speculation on social media is a source of disinformation and could lead to other unintended negative consequences,' physicians wrote in an open letter.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Jan 3, 2023

Cristiano Ronaldo arrives in Saudi Arabia ahead of Al Nassr unveiling

The 37-year-old, a five-time winner of the Ballon d'Or, touched down in the capital late on Monday, according to state-run television network Al Ekhbariya.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Dec 29, 2022

Iranian chess player competes without hijab for second straight day during tournament

Her action is seen by some as a show of support for the protests that have gripped Iran since the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on Sept. 16.
Japan Times
ASIA PACIFIC
Dec 21, 2022

Afghan women defy Taliban gym ban with secret fitness clubs

The Taliban banned women from gyms and parks last month, another clampdown amid a progressive erosion of their freedoms.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Dec 21, 2022

Pair of Kenyan marathoners handed long doping bans

As of the end of November, 55 Kenyan athletes were banned and eight provisionally suspended, according to the Athletics Integrity Unit.
Japan Times
SOCCER / World cup
Dec 20, 2022

Jubilant welcome for French team on World Cup return

Supporters had been kept guessing for most of the day about whether the disappointed players would travel to central Paris to meet them.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Dec 10, 2022

U.S. soccer journalist dies in Qatar after collapsing during World Cup game

In recent days, longtime soccer writer Grant Wahl wrote about struggles with his health during a run of coverage that, he said, typically left room for about five hours of sleep a night.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Dec 6, 2022

Cuba to allow female boxers to compete for first time in six decades

The news quickly made waves in gyms in Havana, where for years women have trained, only to be forced to leave the island if they wished to compete.
BUSINESS
Dec 2, 2022

World Cup stocks rise in Tokyo as Japan upsets Spain to advance

Shares of CyberAgent, which is broadcasting all the games for free in Japan on its Abema streaming service, jumped as much as 7.3%.
Japan Times
SOCCER / World cup
Nov 29, 2022

'Neymar haters': Brazil's political divide spills over to World Cup

The Selecao superstar came under criticism after saying he would dedicate his first 2022 FIFA World Cup goal to Brazil's far-right President Jair Bolsonaro.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Nov 23, 2022

In the land of baseball, sumo and soccer share a close relationship

Japan's national sport and the 'beautiful game' have formed many ties over the years, with even top-ranked wrestlers attending matches and taking part in promotional events.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Nov 23, 2022

Man United sale would bring unpopular Glazer family's era to an end

The Glazers have been unpopular with the Old Trafford fan base since the day Malcolm Glazer took charge in 2005 with a $934 million takeover that leveraged huge debts upon the club.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Nov 22, 2022

Olympic champion Andy Cruz training for pro debut after leaving Cuba

Cruz was expelled from competing for Cuba in July after what the country's boxing federation said was an attempt to 'illegally leave the country' the month before.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball / Longform
Nov 14, 2022

Could Roki Sasaki become the future face of Japanese baseball?

Chiba Lotte Marines starting pitcher reflects on the highs and lows of his breakout season.
Japan Times
WORLD / Science & Health
Nov 2, 2022

Blood test that spots concussions in 15 minutes makes emergency room debut

After more than a decade of research, the Abbott Laboratories test is being used for the first time in a real-world setting to evaluate patients at Tampa General Hospital in Florida.
India's parliament has passed a sweeping bill banning online gambling, after government figures showed companies had stripped $2.3 billion annually from 450 million people.
ASIA PACIFIC / Society
Sep 17, 2025

India's online gambling fans eye illegal sites in wake of ban

India's parliament last month passed a sweeping law banning online gambling.
The International Paralympic Committee lifted a partial suspension of Russia and Belarus, meaning athletes may be able to compete under their own flags at the 2026 Milano-Cortina Winter Paralympics.
PARALYMPICS
Sep 28, 2025

International Paralympic Committee lifts partial suspensions of Russia and Belarus

Ukrainian sports minister said those who voted for the decision had betrayed "their conscience and the Olympic values."
A sign-language lesson is held for staff involved in the upcoming Deaflympics events in Tokyo.
JAPAN
Nov 10, 2025

Tokyo government conducts sign language lessons ahead of Deaflympics

Some 3,000 athletes from over 70 countries and regions are slated to compete in the first Japan-held Deaflympics.
New Zealand's Hannah Wilkinson celebrates after her teams victory over Norway at the Women's World Cup in Auckland on Thursday.
SOCCER / Women's World cup
Jul 21, 2023

Australia and New Zealand get Women's World Cup off to rousing start with wins in front of record crowds

Australia and New Zealand earned slim victories at home to kick off the Women's World Cup.
Paris Saint-Germain players line up before the team's club friendly against Inter Milan at Tokyo's National Stadium on Tuesday.
SOCCER
Aug 2, 2023

Second straight tour shows PSG's commitment to Japanese market

The French superclub has experienced explosive growth in its global base, especially in Asia, since its 2011 takeover by Qatari ownership.
JAPAN / Crime & Legal
Aug 4, 2023

Illegal stimulants found in Nihon University football player dorm

Police are planning to conduct a further investigation into the 21-year-old male football player who is suspected of possessing them.
Noah Lyles of the United States celebrates after winning the men's 200m final during the World Athletics Championships in Budapest on Friday.
BASKETBALL
Aug 29, 2023

Sprint king Lyles draws NBA players' ire over 'world champion' claims

Lyles said he is offended when teams declare themselves "world champions" for winning an NBA crown.
Former Spanish football federation chief Luis Rubiales' forced kiss on player Jenni Hermoso drew global protests from women's rights advocates.
SOCCER
Sep 12, 2023

Luis Rubiales quits, but women’s soccer in Spain is still troubled

Even after the federation chief's resignation over his forcible kiss of a player, pay disputes are threatening to disrupt domestic leagues.
Squash officials have attempted to make the sport more accessible to viewers in a push for Olympic recognition.
OLYMPICS
Oct 3, 2023

Squash desperate to end 'very weird' Olympic exile in 2028

Squash is one of nine sports vying for a place at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, along with the likes of cricket, lacrosse and motorsports.
SUMO / INSIDE SUMO
Oct 4, 2023

JSA on right track with new rules to increase pro sumo participation

Revisions to the tsukedashi system will see more spots reserved for top amateur performers in the third and fourth divisions.
Children jump rope in a park. Young people with developmental coordination disorder (DCD) can have difficulties in jumping rope, throwing a ball or doing other common physical activities.
JAPAN / Science & Health / Regional voices: Chubu
Oct 16, 2023

Better understanding of developmental coordination disorder needed

DCD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that makes it hard for children to control their bodily movements to perform daily activities.
The Russian Olympic Committee was banned with immediate effect by the IOC on Thursday.
OLYMPICS
Oct 13, 2023

IOC bans Russian Olympic Committee over annexed Ukrainian territories

The IOC added the ROC would not be eligible for any funding after it recognized Olympic Councils from Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia.
Former President of the Royal Spanish Football Federation Luis Rubiales says he will use his right to appeal a three-year ban on all soccer-related activities.
SOCCER
Oct 31, 2023

Spain's ex-FA chief Rubiales gets three-year ban over kiss scandal

Rubiales said he will use his right to appeal, accusing FIFA of not giving him the chance to defend himself.

Longform

Bear attacks have dominated Japanese news headlines in recent months, with 13 people so far having been killed by the animals.
Japan’s bears have been on their killing spree for more than 100 years