Japanese badminton star injured in car crash

NHK -- Jan 14

Japanese world number one badminton player Kento Momota has been injured in a vehicle crash near Malaysia's capital Kuala Lumpur.

Fire department officials say the accident occurred at around 5:00 a.m. on Monday, local time.

Momota was a passenger in a car traveling on an expressway to Kuala Lumpur's international airport that rear-ended a truck.

The car's driver died. Momota, two other Japanese passengers and a Briton were injured. They were taken to hospital where Momota was treated for a broken nose and a cut to his mouth.

Momota, 25, tops the world rankings for men's badminton singles. He won the Malaysia Masters tournament that ended on the weekend.