Japan

[ad_1] A few months back, I was up in Yoichi, Hokkaido, to lend a hand with the annual grape harvest. One evening, I found myself at Gangara, an izakaya (traditional Japanese pub) known for its selection of local wine sold only by the bottle. I was dining solo and didn’t quite have it in me to polish off a whole bottle, so as I was about to leave, I offered […]

[ad_1] Prime Minister Fumio Kishida has taken the risky gamble of dissolving his Liberal Democratic Party faction in a bid to shore up rock-bottom public support for his Cabinet amid a political funds scandal.Kishida's unilateral decision to dissolve the faction, known as Kochikai and established in 1957, led two other factions, including the one once headed by the late former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, to also decide to disband.Meanwhile, voices […]

[ad_1] Seoul – Seoul's chief of police has been charged with professional negligence over the deadly 2022 Halloween crush that killed nearly 160 people, prosecutors in the South Korean capital said.On Oct. 29, 2022, tens of thousands of people — mostly in their 20s and 30s — had been out to enjoy post-pandemic holiday celebrations in Seoul's Itaewon nightlife district.But the night turned deadly when people poured into a narrow, […]

[ad_1] Melbourne – Zheng Qinwen admitted Saturday she has watched Chinese great Li Na's win in the 2014 Australian Open final "10 times" as she moved closer to matching the exploits of her idol, who surprised her with a visit after the match.The 21-year-old, known to her fans as "Queen Wen," battled into the last 16 with a fighting 6-4, 2-6, 7-6 (10-8) victory over compatriot Wang Yafan.Their clash was […]

[ad_1] Former star soccer player Keisuke Honda, a rare Japanese athlete-turned-angel-investor, is in talks to raise as much as ¥15 billion ($100 million) for his first fund wholly dedicated to startups in his home country. The X&KSK Fund plans to invest in about 30 Japanese startups. It seeks to identify at least one that will eventually reach a valuation of $10 billion, Honda said in an interview."I realized I’m getting […]

[ad_1] SAGAMIHARA, Kanagawa Prefecture – An early four-try blitz and a late go-ahead try were not enough for the Sagamihara Dynaboars as the Tokyo Sungoliath snatched a late 36-34 win Saturday in Japan Rugby League One.The Sungoliath, who came back late to beat Shizuoka BlueRevs a week earlier, repeated the trick for their fifth win from six games, leaving the Dynaboars wondering how they failed to secure their third victory.The […]

[ad_1] SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – Japan's Miho Takagi won the women's 1,500 meters at the Four Continents Speed Skating Championships on Friday in a time of 1 minute, 52.37 seconds. The 29-year-old, who won silver over the distance at the 2018 and 2022 Winter Olympics, finished comfortably ahead of second-placed Mia Manganello, who crossed in 1:55.11, with another American, Greta Myers, in third in 1:55.86. Japan's Sumire Kikuchi was […]

[ad_1] Doha – Japan was tipped as the favorites to win the Asian Cup but a shock defeat to Iraq has exposed cracks in coach Hajime Moriyasu's previously well-oiled machine.The 2-1 loss leaves Samurai Blue facing a potential last-16 match with South Korea, assuming Japan still qualifies from its group.Even a draw on Wednesday against Indonesia would allow Japan to progress, but after Friday's reality check against a side ranked […]

[ad_1] Former ozeki Asanoyama held onto the outright lead with his seventh straight win, while lone yokozuna Terunofuji suffered his second loss, at the hands of rank-and-file opponent Shodai, Saturday at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.Asanoyama, currently ranked as a No. 7 maegashira, defeated No. 9 Meisei to remain the only unbeaten competitor through seven days at Ryogoku Kokugikan. He has a one-win buffer over four wrestlers including ozeki […]