Sports

Ohtani Shohei's hometown immortalizes him in rice field

Jun 29 (NHK) - The hometown of Ohtani Shohei has honored the baseball star by creating an image of him in a paddy field.

The likeness in Oshu City, Iwate Prefecture, northeastern Japan, shows the two-way Major League Baseball player in Japan's national team uniform throwing a pitch. The initialisms "WBC" and "MVP" were rendered alongside.

Ohtani was named most valuable player in the 2023 World Baseball Classic for helping Japan clinch its third championship.

The group behind the project said that in early June local residents, including junior high school students, planted five varieties of rice in colors including purple and red. ...continue reading

Chinese Tourists Plunge as Travel Warning Takes Effect in Japan

Chinese tourists are disappearing from major destinations across the Kansai region as diplomatic tensions between Japan and China continue to deepen on the heels of comments by Prime Minister Takaichi regarding a potential Taiwan contingency, prompting Beijing to urge its citizens to refrain from traveling or studying in Japan.

Tokyo Quake Scenario Projects Up to 18,000 Deaths

The Japanese government is preparing to release a new damage projection for a major earthquake striking directly beneath the Tokyo metropolitan area by the end of the year, and interviews with officials familiar with the assessment indicate that in the worst-case scenario the death toll could reach 18,000, while economic losses are estimated at 83 trillion yen.

Toyota Launches First New Supercar in 17 Years

Toyota unveiled its new GR GT supercar on December 5th at Woven City, the next-generation technology testbed located in Susono, Shizuoka Prefecture, marking the model’s world debut as the automaker targets a release around 2027, positioning the vehicle as the pinnacle of its GR sports-car lineup and its first true supercar since the Lexus LFA launched in 2010.

Eel Regulation Dropped After Japan Opposition

The proposal to strengthen regulations on international eel trade has been formally shelved, marking a result in line with the position pushed by Japan and several other countries.
EU member states and others had called for tighter controls on all eel transactions under the Washington Convention, citing global resource depletion and the need for stronger international oversight. However, Japan countered that the Japanese eel faces no imminent risk of extinction and opposed the measure.

Tsukiji Outer Market Urges Tourists to Stay Away in December

Tokyo’s Tsukiji Outer Market has taken the unusual step of asking tourists not to visit in December as operators move to prevent crowd-related accidents during the busy year-end shopping season, with local officials also confirming that Shibuya’s New Year’s Eve countdown will be canceled for the sixth consecutive year.

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Ohtani Declares on Instagram He Will Play for Japan in the 2026 WBC

Shohei Ohtani announced on November 25th that he will take part in the World Baseball Classic to be held in March 2026, stating on his Instagram account that he intends to join Japan’s national team, Samurai Japan.

Ukrainian-Born Aonishiki Wins Kyushu Basho

Aonishiki captured his first championship at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament on November 23rd, winning a title-deciding playoff against yokozuna Hoshoryu at the Fukuoka International Center and closing the 15-day basho with a 12–3 record.

Kin Triathlon Athletes Push Their Physical Limits

A triathlon held in Kin Town on November 16th drew athletes from across Japan and overseas as participants pushed themselves to the limits of physical endurance in the second edition of the Kin Triathlon.

Ohtani Clinches Fourth National League MVP

Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani was named the National League’s Most Valuable Player on November 13th (local time), marking his fourth career MVP award and his third consecutive year receiving the honor, including his previous selections in the American League.