Japanese athletes top TIME list of 100 Most Influential People in 2021

A few days ago the list of the 100 most influential people of the year 2021 of the TIME magazine appeared again. There people were listed who could exercise the greatest public influence that year. There were also three Japanese in the categories of icons, pioneers, titans, artists, executives and innovators.

The athletes Shohei Ohtani and Naomi Osaka can be found among the icons, alongside international celebrities such as Prince Harry and his wife Meghan. The Japanese architect Keno Kuma, who designed the stadium for the Olympic Games in Tokyo, is one of the most influential “innovators” in the world.

TIME magazine honors people who made a name for themselves

Other prominent names on the TIME list include US President Joe Biden, Olympic gymnast Simon Biles and singers Billie Eilish and Britney Spears. Shohei Ohtani is only the second baseball player to ever receive the honor of being one of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.

In 2007, Taiwanese player Wang Chien-Ming was a player with the New York Yankees and was elected to the list. A year later, Ichiro Suzuki found himself among the finalists for inclusion on the TIME list, but in the end he could not prevail. In 2019, the athlete was to be awarded a prestigious award, which he refused.

Japanese athletes international stars

Shohei Ohtani is a unique sporting talent who has developed into an exceptional player. The Japanese combine the outstanding skills of various baseball stars and would significantly enrich the world of sports with his numerous facets.

Naomi Osaka made it to the for the third time in a row List of the most influential people in the world. The Japanese tennis player is internationally known for her modesty and great commitment, which repeatedly makes her stand out from the crowd. The fact that she spoke so honestly about her psychological problems and thus made her vulnerability public brought her a lot of sympathy.