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October 08, 2025
 

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SAMURAI BLUE

American forward Alejandro Zendejas fights for the ball with Japanese forward Daizen Maeda during a friendly in Columbus, Ohio, on Tuesday.
SOCCER
Sep 10, 2025
Zendejas and Balogun lift U.S. over Samurai Blue in friendly
After a scoreless draw against Mexico on the weekend, Japan goalkeeper Keisuke Osako made nine saves as his team again failed to get on the scoreboard.
Mexican defender Jorge Sanchez battles for the ball with Japan's midfielder Kaoru Mitoma during a friendly in Oakland, California, on Saturday.
SOCCER
Sep 7, 2025
Japan and Mexico play to goalless draw as World Cup preparations ramp up
A lively Japanese side could not break through against a Mexico team that lost captain Edson Alvarez when he hobbled out with an injury in the first half.
Brazil's Neymar (left) in action with Japan's Yuta Nakayama during a friendly game at National Stadium in Tokyo on June 6, 2022
SOCCER
Aug 27, 2025
Brazil to face Japan and South Korea in October friendlies
The five-time world champions will face Japan in Tokyo on Oct. 14 after playing South Korea in Seoul on Oct. 10..
Kaoru Mitoma celebrates scoring Brighton's second goal against Chelsea in the fourth round of the FA Cup on Feb. 8.
SOCCER
Aug 12, 2025
Kaoru Mitoma looks to build on Premier League success with Brighton
No Japanese player will be more essential for their team’s Premier League ambitions than Kaoru Mitoma.
Kunishige Kamamoto waves after a match commemorating his retirement in Tokyo in 1984.
SOCCER
Aug 10, 2025
Japanese soccer legend Kunishige Kamamoto dies at 81
Kamamoto scored a record 75 goals for the national team and was widely considered the greatest striker in Japanese soccer history.
Japan's Daichi Kamada (right) dribbles the ball against Indonesia during the World Cup qualifying match at Panasonic Stadium Suita in Osaka Prefecture on Tuesday
SOCCER
Jun 11, 2025
Japan and South Korea celebrate World Cup qualification with big wins
Japan romped to a 6-0 thrashing of Patrick Kluivert's Indonesia in Osaka.
Japan's head coach Hajime Moriyasu (left) reacts after the loss against Australia in Perth on Thursday.
SOCCER
Jun 6, 2025
Moriyasu mourns end of unbeaten run after loss to Australia
"It ended up being an extremely frustrating and disappointing result," Moriyasu told reporters.
Australia's Milos Degenek celebrates after qualifying for the knockout stages of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar on Nov. 30, 2022
SOCCER
Jun 4, 2025
Australia targets easier World Cup path ahead of Japan clash
If Australia does beat Samurai Blue on Thursday, it still faces a long wait to confirm whether a berth has been secured for a sixth straight World Cup finals.
Australia coach Tony Popovic (right) before the World Cup qualifying match against Japan at Saitama Stadium on Oct. 15
SOCCER
Jun 2, 2025
Australia faces 'best team in Asia' Japan in quest for World Cup berth
"To be the best we have to beat the best and they clearly are," said Australia coach Tony Popovic.
Japan's Takefusa Kubo competes for the ball with Luca de la Torre of the U.S. during a friendly in September 2022 in Dusseldorf, Germany.
SOCCER
May 14, 2025
U.S. to take on Japan in World Cup warmup
On Sept. 9, the Americans will play Japan at the home of the Columbus Crew in Ohio.
Saudi fans cheer during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asia zone qualifiers group C match between Saudi Arabia and China in Riyadh on Thursday.
SOCCER
Mar 25, 2025
Renard expecting no letup from Japan as Saudis eye World Cup spot
The Saudis picked up their first win in five qualifiers when they beat China 1-0 at home last week.
Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu gives a speech after his team clinched a spot in the 2026 World Cup with a win over Bahrain on Thursday in Saitama.
SOCCER / World cup
Mar 23, 2025
Japan's quiet World Cup celebrations show it is hungry for much more
Samurai Blue celebrated its qualification for the World Cup with victory speeches and a water shower for coach Hajime Moriyasu. But this squad has much bigger aims.
Japan's Takefusa Kubo celebrates after scoring against Bahrain during their World Cup qualifier in Saitama on Thursday.
SOCCER
Mar 21, 2025
Samurai Blue becomes first nation to secure World Cup berth
It will be Japan's eighth straight World Cup appearance.
Wataru Endo speaks during a news conference in Paris earlier this month.
SOCCER / World cup
Mar 20, 2025
Endo says Japan won't be satisfied just to reach World Cup
Samurai Blue have been dominant in qualifying and can book their spot at the 2026 finals if they beat Bahrain in Saitama.
Hidemasa Morita (right) celebrates scoring Japan’s fourth goal against Bahrain with Kaoru Mitoma (center) on Sep. 10, 2024.
SOCCER
Mar 18, 2025
Japan set to seal World Cup spot as Son aims to forget Spurs woes
Japan will seal its spot with three qualifying matches to go if, as expected, it beats Bahrain at home in Saitama on Thursday.
Stuttgart's Anrie Chase applauds the fans after a match against Bayer Leverkusen on Nov. 1.
SOCCER
Dec 29, 2024
How Anrie Chase went from a Fukushima high school to playing against Real Madrid
Just three years ago, the Stuttgart defender was still playing for Shoshi High School in Koriyama. Now he's competing against the likes of Kylian Mbappe.
Fulham's Junichi Inamoto scores his third goal of the game during a match against Bologna on Aug. 27, 2002.
SOCCER
Dec 4, 2024
Japan's Premier League pioneer, Junichi Inamoto, retires at age 45
Inamoto became a national hero when he scored twice at the 2002 World Cup on home soil, including the winner against Russia.
Japan's Wataru Endo (center) in action with China's Wenneng Xie and Shangyuan Wang during a 2026 World Cup qualification clash in Xiamen, China, on Tuesday
SOCCER
Nov 20, 2024
Ruthless Japan beats China to move to brink of World Cup qualification
The game was briefly stopped in the first half when a fan invaded the pitch.
China's Lin Liangming (left) and Zhang Yuning (second from left) vie for the ball against Indonesia's Jay Idzes in Qingdao, China, on Oct. 15.
SOCCER
Nov 18, 2024
China preparing to host Japan in World Cup qualifier
The strength of China's recovery will be challenged when Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu leads the runaway Group C leader into Xiamen.
Japan's Koki Ogawa (left) fights for the ball with Indonesia's Rizky Ridho Ramadhan during the 2026 World Cup Asian qualification soccer match at the Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on Friday.
SOCCER / World cup
Nov 16, 2024
Japan hammer Indonesia to edge closer to World Cup spot
Japan defeated a hapless Indonesia side 4-0 on Friday, extending their lead at the top of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
‘We have drawn lessons,’ Indian Army chief says of brief clash with Pakistan
Indian Army chief Upendra Dwivedi waves as he arrives to attend the ceremonial reception of Defense Minister Gen Nakatani in New Delhi in May.
Japanese immunologist among three Nobel medicine prize winners
Shimon Sakaguchi, an immunologist and distinguished professor at Osaka University, attends a news conference after winning the 2025 Nobel Prize in medicine, in Osaka Prefecture on Monday.
Spanish tourist injured in latest bear attack
Shirakawago, a U.N. World Heritage site in Gifu Prefecture
Americans and Canadians unite in battling 'eating machine' carp
A Fisheries and Oceans Canada team patrols the Grand River in Dunnville, Ontario, in search of invasive grass carp specimens on Sept. 25.
Trump hails 'wisdom and strength' of Japan's incoming prime minister
Sanae Takaichi, the newly elected leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party, gives a news conference after the LDP presidential election in Tokyo on Saturday.
Trump has his eyes on the prize — but a Nobel win looks unlikely
A protester holds a sign with an image depicting U.S. President Donald Trump and the words "Nobel" written on it, as supporters and family members of hostages who were kidnapped during the deadly Oct. 7, 2023, attack on Israel by Hamas, demonstrate to demand the immediate end of the war and the release of all hostages, outside the U.S. Consulate in Tel Aviv, on Sept. 2.
‘Takaichi trade’ stalls as political reality calls for wait-and-see approach
Tokyo stocks staged a powerful rally on Monday. On Tuesday, they rallied again, then retreated.
‘We have drawn lessons,’ Indian Army chief says of brief clash with Pakistan
Indian Army chief Upendra Dwivedi waves as he arrives to attend the ceremonial reception of Defense Minister Gen Nakatani in New Delhi in May.
How a family-run landscaper turned the Osaka Expo green
The team at Ryokukou Garden consists primarily of a single family, including Toshiki Tanisaki (second from right), who led the company's efforts at the Osaka Expo, Chikako Tanisaki (fifth from right), who performs daily maintanence at the expo, and Takeshi Tanisaki (fourth from right), who added a nursery to the family farm more than 50 years ago.
Eat your balloons: The culinary theater of Grant Achatz comes to Tokyo
Avant-garde chef Grant Achatz and his team from Alinea are in Tokyo for a three-week residency.

Podcast

One of the many entrances to the Kabukicho neighborhood in Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward.
Kabukicho: Tokyo’s ‘stadium of desire’

Longform

Growing families are being priced out of Tokyo’s condo market, forced to choose between downtown convenience and suburban space.
Is living in central Tokyo still affordable?
By Alex K.T. Martin

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