Commentary / Japan Oct 28, 2019
2020 Tokyo Olympics: Democracy in the spotlight
by John Lee
Democracies must accept they are in a contest of political ideas, especially in Asia.
Olympics / Summer Olympics Aug 28, 2019
French investigators focus on Dentsu partner in sports corruption probe
French authorities investigating corruption in international sports believe a Swiss partner of Japanese advertising giant Dentsu Inc. played a "central and essential role" in deals used to embezzle sponsorship money and have asked Switzerland to raid its office and seize evidence, according to a ...
National Aug 25, 2019
Culturally inspired medal designs revealed exactly a year before start of 2020 Tokyo Paralympics
The medals for next year's Tokyo Paralympics were revealed Sunday, exactly one year to the day before the games kick off in the Japanese capital. The bronze, silver and gold medals, which for the first time can be distinguished by touch for those with visual ...
Commentary / Japan Aug 14, 2019
Beating the heat at the Tokyo Olympics
by Takeo Hirata
Hosting the games will call on the best of Japanese expertise, innovation and imagination to bring out the best in the athletes competing in very challenging conditions.
National Jul 25, 2019
Decades after Moscow boycott, petition launched to include affected Japan athletes in Tokyo Olympics
The Japan Sports Society began collecting signatures Thursday for a petition asking that former athletes who missed out on the 1980 Moscow Games due to Japan's Cold War-era boycott be included in some way in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The group will solicit support until ...
National Jul 23, 2019
Tokyo must plan ways to use new venues beyond the Olympics, says IOC's Coates
John Coates, chairman of the International Olympic Committee's Coordination Commission for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, said Monday that the Japanese capital needs to strategize beyond the games. In an exclusive interview with Kyodo News, Coates said while organizers deal with the pre-Olympic madness, they must ...
National Jul 23, 2019
Astronaut 'ambassadors' to encourage Tokyo 2020 torchbearers from space
Japanese astronauts will broadcast messages of encouragement from space during the torch relays for both the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games, according to Olympic organizing committee officials. Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency astronauts Soichi Noguchi and Akihiko Hoshide will send the messages to torchbearers from ...
National Jul 18, 2019
Cyberthreats bound to expand ahead of 2020 Games, experts warn
As Japan gears up for the 2020 Olympics in just over a year, it needs to brace for sophisticated cyberattacks, experts say. With the proliferation of smart devices and drones, such attacks are likely to increase not only in number, but also in complexity. Previous Olympic ...
National Jul 16, 2019
A large-scale trial to relieve the traffic congestion expected during the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games will kick off next Monday, about a year before the quadrennial sporting events begin. The test will involve staggered commuting and teleworking by central and Tokyo Metropolitan Government ...
National May 17, 2019
Over the hump: Olympic workers complete wooden roof for New National Stadium in Tokyo
The Japan Sport Council said Friday the wooden roof that will be the distinctive trademark of the main venue for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics has been completed. The roof of the New National Stadium, which will host the opening and closing ceremonies of both the ...
National May 15, 2019
Volunteers prepare to be the face of inclusive 2020 Tokyo Olympics
While athletes will take center stage at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, volunteers — including people with disabilities — are expected to play a significant role in supporting spectators and others who will flock to the games. "Please show your support until the end," ...
More Sports / Track & Field Apr 5, 2019
Yuki Kawauchi now focused full time on marathoning
by Kaz Nagatsuka
During the past decade, Yuki Kawauchi has been perhaps Japan's most famous marathon runner. He's been known as the "Citizen Runner" or the "Civil Service Runner." But he no longer carries these catchphrases when he runs. Kawauchi became a professional runner on Monday, meaning he will ...