NEWSWORTHY
Around 270 elementary and junior high school students got to meet American sprinter and Olympian Mike Rodgers on Sunday, when he coached a training event in Narita, Chiba Prefecture. Rodgers, who participated in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, as well as hurdler Sharika Nelvis ...
Rights advocates urge Japan to step up LGBT-inclusive efforts and legalize same-sex marriage
Until a few years ago, Rin Okabe, then the general affairs department manager at a subsidiary of ad agency Dentsu Inc., would say goodbye to his wife and son, and commute to work wearing a conventional suit and tie. But quietly, Okabe wanted to be ...
Decorated minimumweight Katsunari Takayama granted amateur boxing license
Former professional four-organization minimumweight champion Katsunari Takayama will be granted his wish to receive an amateur license from the Japan Amateur Boxing Federation, it was announced at a news conference on Tuesday. The JABF said that Takayama, 35, would officially be registered as an amateur ...
Japanese government to require wheelchair-accessible rooms at new hotels
The government said Tuesday it will mandate that new hotels over a certain size make at least one of their rooms accessible to people in wheelchairs. The revised barrier-free enforcement order approved by the Cabinet applies to hotels or inns with more than 50 rooms ...
Tokyo Games organizers confirm courses for 2020 cycling events
The organizing committee of the 2020 Tokyo Games announced the routes for the Olympic individual time trial and Paralympic road race on Wednesday, finalizing the courses for all cycling events taking place in two years' time. The courses for the Olympic time trial and Paralympic ...
Samurai Japan unveils roster for series against MLB stars
Kazuma Okamoto has spent all season showing why many think he could be one of Japan's next great slugging stars. Now he'll get to show it against some of MLB's best. Okamoto, the Yomiuri Giants' 22-year-old cleanup hitter, was given his first call-up to the Samurai ...
Social media lambaste 2020 Olympic volunteer program
Organizers of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics have started accepting applications from those hoping to volunteer at the games a little less from two years from now. As you might suspect, Japan’s online community had plenty to say about the issue from the ...
Amid the excitement of Naomi Osaka winning at the U.S. Open, some in Japan are wondering whether she will continue to compete for their country at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Karate Combat tries to raise profile from high above NYC
Bruce Lee never dodged a shattered champagne flute. But one of the earliest KO's suffered at Karate Combat's debut card in New York came when broken glass lined the path toward one corner of the sunken pit where fighters would enter. Sweep the leg? How about a ...
Japanese firms prepare for large-scale volunteering during 2020 Games
Major companies are encouraging employees to volunteer for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, after the Tokyo Organising Committee started their search for 80,000 on Wednesday. A number of firms plan to send volunteers from among their own workforce, although some industries are concerned about ...
Organizers began recruiting volunteers to work for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics on Wednesday, with staff distributing leaflets in the capital to solicit applicants. The organizing committee aims to secure 80,000 volunteers via a special website through early December. The deadline will be announced ...
Hokkaido quake reveals Japan is woefully unprepared to help foreign tourists in times of disaster
The powerful earthquake that recently hit Hokkaido threw a strong spotlight on how unprepared Japan is to provide foreign visitors with information during a crisis. With the number of foreign visitors expected to grow ahead of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the government is introducing multilingual ...
