A white mesh jersey worn by Michael Jordan during the 1998 NBA Finals sold for $12.26 million at auction, setting a new record for any basketball jersey in sports memorabilia history. The 1998 Finals Context and Rarity The iconic jersey featuring Jordan’s signature number 23 was worn during Game 3 of the 1998 NBA Finals … Read more
Uruguay secured a 4–1 victory over South Korea in an international friendly on September 28, reversing a 3–1 defeat to Japan just four days prior. The decisive win in Seoul ended an eight-match winless run and marked the first victory for manager Diego Forlán in his debut stint. Darwin Núñez scored twice to break a … Read more
Yasuhiro Yamashita, the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic judo gold medalist and former head of the Japanese Olympic Committee, sat in a Tokyo green room wearing a blond hairstyle that starkly contrasted with his public image. Confined to an electric wheelchair and with his upper body secured by a belt and harness, Yamashita discussed his physical … Read more
The Japan Rugby Football Union announced the squad and training schedule for the Sakura Sevens, the women’s national rugby sevens team, ahead of their upcoming assembly in Nagoya. The team will hold a training camp from September 29 through October 5, utilizing facilities across Nagoya and Nisshin in Aichi Prefecture. During the training window, the … Read more
Keigo Atobe, the captain of the Hyotei Academy Middle School tennis club and captain of the U-17 Japan representative middle school team, anchors the cover of the October 7 special edition of anan magazine (Issue 2514) published by Magazine House. This marks the first time the character has appeared solo on the cover of the … Read more
Inside the Olympic Mind: Judo Legend Tadahiro Nomura and the Defining Images of Iconic Careers Judo legend Tadahiro Nomura recalled the exact moment his mindset shifted during the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games, describing his reaction to a critical photograph that captured a fierce turning point in his career. Nomura, who earned three consecutive Olympic gold … Read more
FIFA Rankings Update: Croatia Surpasses Germany as Italy’s Defeat Narrows Gap With Japan The latest FIFA world ranking updates following recent UEFA Nations League fixtures and international friendlies have introduced significant shifts at the top, highlighted by Croatia overtaking Germany and the Ivory Coast climbing into the top 30. For the Japan national team, positioned … Read more
Paris 2024 Olympic gold medalist and retired Japanese judoka Natsumi Tsunoda has publicly unveiled the proposed site in Chiba Prefecture for a long-planned personal dojo, turning a family legacy into the foundation of her post-competitive career. Tsunoda, who captured the women’s 48kg title at the 2024 Paris Games and subsequently retired from active competition at … Read more
Brazilian jiu-jitsu has surged in global popularity. In this martial art, practitioners utilize leverage, joint locks, and chokeholds to neutralize larger opponents. It proves that technique consistently supersedes brute strength. The Mechanics of Leverage on the Canvas Unlike traditional striking arts or Olympic judo, which heavily emphasize throws, pins, and abrupt scoring via “ippon” or … Read more
The Japan men’s national basketball team secured a silver medal at the 20th Asian Games after a hard-fought 56–67 defeat against South Korea in the final at Aichi International Arena on Sept. 20, marking the program’s first podium finish since the 2014 tournament. Team captain Atsuya Ogawa highlighted the squad’s growth and expressed gratitude for … Read more