During a guest appearance on an ABEMA broadcast covering Rally Paraguay—a round of the World Rally Championship (WRC) that concluded on August 30—Olympic gold medalist and prominent Japanese judoka Uta Abe discussed her passion for American automobiles, highlighting a high-performance vehicle equipped with over 300 horsepower that she purchased despite its manufacturer having already exited … Read more
Honda Kumamoto advanced to the second round of the prestigious Intercity Baseball Tournament (Toshi Taiko) following a dramatic 7-6 victory in an 11-inning tiebreaker against Tokyo-based Saginomiya Seisakusho. According to public broadcaster NHK, the hard-fought opening-round match carried profound emotional weight for the corporate team representing Otsu, Kumamoto Prefecture, which faced severe disruption following the … Read more
In a sequence that quickly drew widespread attention online, actress Lee Eun-sam showcased sharp judo skills during a dramatic scene in television drama broadcasting. According to verified broadcast details, the character Se-ah displayed an unexpected past involving martial arts training after confronting and dismissing the character Sung-hoon, before shifting focus toward a tense encounter with … Read more
Kei Nishikori fell in the third round of the US Open men’s singles qualifying tournament in New York, bringing a quiet end to his final appearance in the season’s final Grand Slam event. The 36-year-old Japanese veteran, who previously announced that the current season will be his last on the professional tour, dropped a straight-sets … Read more
The Japan under-18 national baseball team suffered a 7-1 defeat against the university national baseball team in a send-off exhibition game ahead of the upcoming international championship in Taiwan, according to public broadcaster NHK. Exhibition Match Context and Tournament Preparation The high school all-star selection, featuring standout players from the spring and summer Koshien tournaments … Read more
Approximately 350 participants gathered in Matsuyama for a special martial arts festival designed to introduce youth and local residents to traditional disciplines, focusing heavily on foundational etiquette and physical engagement. According to regional reports from 47NEWS, the event brought together practitioners of disciplines like judo to showcase techniques, teach respect, and encourage youth participation in … Read more
The Hanshin Tigers have moved closer to the Nippon Professional Baseball Central League pennant race after a six-game slate across Japan on Saturday brought their championship magic number to 23, according to official league data. The milestone underscores a dominant stretch for the league leaders as the regular season enters its final, high-stakes stretch. Championship … Read more
Kei Nishikori fell in straight sets to Rei Sakamoto in the final round of the US Open men’s singles qualifying tournament, dropping a 4-6, 6-7(3) decision that highlighted a significant generational changing of the guard in Japanese tennis. Former world No. 4 Nishikori, currently ranked No. 477 as he works his way back from persistent … Read more
Paris Olympic silver medalist Sanshiro Murao celebrated his 26th birthday surrounded by celebratory cake and glowing sparklers, sharing a message of resilience with supporters as he looks ahead to the next phase of his competitive judo career. The 90-kilogram judoka, competing for JES Elevator, marked his milestone birthday by posting updates to his personal social … Read more
Japanese-born judoka Kosuke Mashiyama announced an unprecedented career shift on October 28, confirming via Instagram that he has acquired Mongolian citizenship and will compete under the Mongolian flag in upcoming international events, including the Olympic Games and World Championships. Mashiyama, a 27-year-old former member of the Japanese national judo team, shared a photograph of a … Read more