Asia's aging sports stars never say 'retire'

Apr 20, 2022 | News On Japan

Durability of the region's professional athletes puzzles outsiders

Apr 20, 2022 (Nikkei) - Elderly Western visitors to East Asia often say they enjoy their trips partly because of the respect accorded to older people. But these cultural habits can hold back countries such as Japan and South Korea when it comes to sport.

The saga of Japanese footballer Kazuyoshi Miura could not have happened in Europe. I started covering Asian sports in the late 1990s when "King Kazu," who debuted for Japan in 1990, was approaching what appeared to be the final stages of a storied career.

After being excluded from Japan's first soccer World Cup appearance in 1998, Miura's best days seemed to be over. To put it baldly (although he still has a fine head of hair) a current version of Miura even at 25 would not now be employed in top class soccer.

Yet at 55, he is still playing professionally, having moved from Yokohama FC to the Suzuka Point Getters in January. For comparison, Teddy Sheringham, the oldest player to appear in the English Premier League, was 40 in his last EPL game in 2006.

Miura's annual contract renewal has become the most consistent sports story in East Asia for the international media. Japanese journalists think there are better stories, but won't say so publicly. Nobody wants to criticize this icon of Japanese soccer. ...continue reading

Japan Introduces Stricter Penalties for Drunk Driving

Japan began applying a new numerical alcohol threshold for dangerous driving offenses on July 21, introducing a clearer standard for cases involving impaired driving that could lead to fatal accidents.

Japan Sets Investment Strategy

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government approved its first annual basic economic and fiscal policy on Tuesday, pledging "responsible and proactive fiscal policy" and envisioning about 370 trillion yen in public- and private-sector investment in strategic industries through fiscal 2040.

Japan Scrambles for Oil

A covert network of shuttle tankers is carrying crude through the increasingly dangerous Strait of Hormuz as renewed fighting between the United States and Iran disrupts shipping and raises concerns over how Japan will secure the oil it needs.

Russia Calls Japan-Ukraine Drone Cooperation a Clear Hostile Act

Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Andrey Rudenko has criticized moves by Japanese and Ukrainian companies to cooperate on drone technology, warning that such ties would be regarded by Moscow as a "clear hostile act."

Rainy Season Ends in Kanto-Koshin

The rainy season ended in the Kanto-Koshin and Tokai regions on July 20 as strengthening high pressure brought intense heat across Japan, with temperatures forecast to reach 38 C in Kumagaya, Saitama Prefecture, and Kofu.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Society NEWS

Police Fire Warning Shot at Knife-Wielding Woman

A police officer fired a warning shot into the air after a 42-year-old woman approached officers while pointing a kitchen knife at them on a street in Eniwa, Hokkaido, on July 17.

Armed Driver Crashes Car Into Convenience Store

A 45-year-old man was arrested early July 20 after allegedly crashing a passenger car into a convenience store in Sagamihara, Kanagawa Prefecture, and walking around the parking lot carrying a kitchen knife and a golf club.

Drunk Driver Rams Roaring Motorcycle

A 42-year-old man was arrested after allegedly driving under the influence and intentionally ramming a motorcycle in Togitsu, Nagasaki Prefecture, leaving its rider seriously injured.

Giant Tug-of-War Rope Snaps, Injuring Over a Dozen

More than a dozen people were injured after a massive rope suddenly snapped during a tug-of-war at a festival in Kitami, Hokkaido, sending participants falling backward onto an asphalt road.

Housing Complex With 70% Foreigners Introduces Fine System

A public housing complex in Aichi Prefecture where about 70% of households are occupied by foreign residents is showing signs of improvement after introducing multilingual communication, foreign-led neighborhood activities and a 3,000-yen fine for residents who skip community cleaning duties.

Old Sake Brewery Goes Up In Smoke

A fire that broke out at the long-established Echigo Tsurukame sake brewery in a densely populated residential district of Niigata City on July 19 destroyed the brewery and spread to at least six nearby homes, with firefighters still unable to declare the blaze fully extinguished by noon on July 20.

Husband and Wife Killed in Ashikaga Landslide

Two people found dead in a collapsed home following a landslide in Ashikaga, Tochigi Prefecture, have been identified as a married couple in their 60s who lived at the property, city officials said.

Bacteria on Nurse's Uniform Match Those Found in Slain Patient's Blood

Bacteria found in excrement on the uniform of a former nurse arrested on suspicion of killing a hospital patient by contaminating his intravenous drip matched bacteria detected in the victim's blood, investigators have found.

< 2 3 4 5 >