NEWSWORTHY
IOC continues to review esports
Is there a future for esports in the Olympics? It's a question some have begun to ask as competitive gaming continues to rise in popularity and the International Olympic Committee continues to search for ways to get younger audiences interested in the Olympic Games. Gaming and ...
Tokyo's summers are hot. That means upcoming Olympic events may need to start earlier in the morning.
North Korean minister to enter Japan for Olympics meeting: government
North Korean sports minister Kim Il Guk arrived in Tokyo on Tuesday to attend a major international sports meeting later this week, after the Japanese government permitted his entry as a special case. It is rare for a senior North Korean official to visit Japan, ...
With popularity growing in Japan, pole dancing sheds seedy image to climb to new heights
Sixty-three-year-old Kiyoshi Ikehara mops his bald head with a towel, wipes his hands and grips the vertical pole. With a sharp intake of breath he hauls himself up, grunting and straining as he climbs to the top. Once there he stops, clamps his thighs shut ...
Divided Taiwan to vote in test for ruling party, including referendum on name change for 2020 Games
When Taiwan goes to the polls Saturday in local elections, it will not only be a test for President Tsai Ing-wen's embattled government but a crucial vote on divisive issues that could rile China. The ballot includes an unprecedented 10 referendums, one of which calls ...
IOC warns Taiwan against name-change that would rile Beijing ahead of Tokyo 2020 Games
The International Olympic Committee has warned Taiwan that it could lose its right to compete if it tries to change its name for the 2020 Games in Tokyo, ahead of a referendum that will incense Beijing. Taiwan will vote Saturday on whether the island should ...
The organizing committee for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and the metropolitan government plan to operate water buses to transport people visiting the Tokyo Bay area to watch events. Traditional transportation systems are expected to face capacity shortages in the waterfront area, where boat, canoe and ...
Two-time Olympic long-distance runner Izumi Maki, who later served as a training adviser for Fujita Running Academy, died at her Osaka home on Oct. 18. She was 49. The cause of death was breast cancer, according to published reports. Maki, who was born on Dec. 10, ...
Ai Fukuhara decided it was right time to step away
There were no traits of a crying baby. Instead of shedding tears, which was her trademark in childhood, Ai Fukuhara kept smiling and repeated the words of appreciation as the 29-year-old table tennis icon spoke to the media on Tuesday, two days after announcing ...
Russia retaliated for doping bans with hacks
In Russia, sports and the government are closely intertwined. Top athletes hold military ranks, Olympic medals are a matter of national pride, and champions receive luxury cars in Kremlin ceremonies. So when Russia was accused of doping its way to the top, the Russian state hit ...
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 ...
Rio Olympic relay swimmer and 2009 world champion Junya Koga is set to be issued a four-year ban by a FINA doping panel for violating anti-doping rules, sources said late Monday evening. Should the sport's ruling body announce the decision, the 31-year-old Koga, who said ...
