Amateur baseball in Japan is facing a shifting recruiting landscape as elite prospects increasingly bypass professional opportunities to sign with corporate industrial teams, exemplified by top prospect Serizawa joining the Hamamatsu-based powerhouse Yamaha. Inside Yamaha Baseball Club Facility in Hamamatsu Located about 30 minutes by car from Hamamatsu Station in Shizuoka Prefecture, the baseball grounds … Read more
Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani updated his Instagram account in the middle of the Japanese night on Oct. 21, sharing a farewell video summarizing his season alongside a new photo of his dog, Decoy. Ohtani posted a brief “Thank you” message to fans following a campaign that saw the team reach the postseason before concluding … Read more
Hanshin Tigers pitcher Haruto Takahashi and catcher Tomoi Fushimi have been selected as the Central League recipients of the 2026 Professional Baseball Best Battery Award, presented by Sports Nippon Newspapers. The annual accolade recognizes the most outstanding pitcher-catcher combinations in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball. How Takahashi and Fushimi Secured the Central League Battery Honor Takahashi … Read more
The Japan national judo team returned home on October 13 following their campaign at the Judo World Championships held from October 4 to 11 in Azerbaijan, capturing a total of 13 medals including seven gold, two silver, and three bronze medals in individual events alongside a mixed team championship. Individual Division Medal Haul and Weight … Read more
Rintaro Sasaki Forgoes SoftBank Draft Rights for Major League Baseball Path During a July 23 press conference in Miami, Rintaro Sasaki spoke to reporters in English without an interpreter. The left-handed slugger, who hit 140 home runs at Hanamaki Higashi High School under his father and head coach Hiroshi Sasaki, turned down an initial first-round … Read more
Ryuga Tanaka claimed the men’s 73-kilogram title at the Judo World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, securing gold on his tournament debut and marking the first time a Japanese judoka has won the division since Shohei Ono in 2019, according to competition records published on October 6, 2026. How Tanaka Secured the Gold Medal in Baku … Read more
Yokohama Stadium indoor practice facility has added three new dates for the Yokohama DeNA BayStars Play Ball School preschool program, designed for children from nursery school age to first-grade beginners, baystars.co.jp reported. Additional Yokohama Stadium Dates Announced for Preschool Baseball Beginners The preschool program expansion offers three new weekend sessions following high demand for previous … Read more
Kenny Ishikawa signed with the Cincinnati Reds in July, establishing his training base at the organization’s player development complex in Goodyear, Arizona. Ishikawa Trains at the Goodyear Facility Ishikawa is currently working out at the Cincinnati Reds facility in Goodyear, Arizona. Collegiate Baseball Contrast Between Seattle and Georgia Reflecting on his two seasons in the … Read more
Japan secured its third mixed team judo title at the Asian Games on December 3, defeating Kazakhstan 4-0 in the final at the Aichi International Arena to capture the nation’s ninth gold medal in the sport. Kazakhstan Final Sweep Caps Four-Win Run The mixed team event served as the final judo competition of the Games. … Read more
Kei Nishikori closed the chapter on his 19-year professional tennis career on October 1, 2026, falling 4–6, 4–6 to second-seeded Frances Tiafoe in the first round of the Kinoshita Group Japan Open at Ariake Colosseum in Tokyo. Nishikori, a former world No. 4 and a central figure in Asian tennis history, shed tears on the … Read more