News On Japan

Japan men and women secure Olympic qualification in Osaka

Nov 20, 2023 (asiarugby.com) - There was double delight for Japan as both the men’s and women’s team became the final regional qualifiers for the Olympic Games Paris 2024 with victory in the Asia Rugby qualification tournament in Osaka.

Both teams competed in the inaugural Olympic rugby sevens in Rio in 2016 and were present again as hosts in Tokyo in 2021, and they will now complete a hat-trick of appearances in the French capital next year.

The women were first to qualify with a 21-14 win against China before the men staged a dramatic comeback to beat Hong Kong China by an identical scoreline.

The final lived up to its billing as a match-up between the reigning Asia Rugby Sevens Series champions Japan and Asia Games gold medal winners China as momentum swung one way and then the other. ...continue reading

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Japan’s World Cup campaign ended in the cruelest possible fashion on June 29, as Gabriel Martinelli scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time to give Brazil a 2-1 victory over the Samurai Blue in their knockout match in Houston. Japan had led in the first half and were still level at 1-1 in the final moments, but Martinelli’s late strike sent Brazil into the Round of 16 and eliminated Japan from the tournament.

Strong earthquakes have continued to shake parts of Japan in recent weeks, with 11 temblors measuring lower 5 or above on the Japanese seismic intensity scale recorded across the country since April 2026.

A Kintetsu Railway train derailed inside Kyoto Station on the morning of June 29, forcing partial suspensions on the Kintetsu Kyoto Line for the rest of the day and causing long delays that hit commuters, students and tourists.

A section of stone wall at Hikone Castle, one of Japan’s few surviving original Edo-period castles and a National Treasure whose main keep remains intact more than 400 years after its construction, collapsed after heavy rain caused by Typhoons No. 7 and No. 8, Hikone city officials said.

Japan advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup after a 1-1 draw with Sweden on June 25, finishing second in Group F and setting up a Round of 32 clash with Brazil in Houston.

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The Asian Games, opening on September 19, will be held without a traditional athletes village, with organizers instead planning to accommodate athletes and officials in container-style housing, a cruise ship and hotels across Nagoya and surrounding prefectures.

Japan advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup after a 1-1 draw with Sweden on June 25, finishing second in Group F and setting up a Round of 32 clash with Brazil in Houston.

Japan will face Brazil in the Round of 32 at Houston Stadium at 2:00 a.m. Japan time on June 30, with Hajime Moriyasu’s side seeking the first knockout-stage victory in the country’s World Cup history against the five-time champions and one of the tournament’s most dangerous attacking teams.

In 2006, these teams met for the first time at the world’s biggest football tournament. Back then, you could bet on Brazil to win at odds of 1.28 and hardly worry about the outcome.

Japan delivered their strongest performance of the World Cup so far with a 4-0 victory over Tunisia in Monterrey on June 21, moving to four points in Group F and putting themselves in a strong position to reach the knockout stage ahead of their final group match against Sweden.

Japan's national soccer team arrived in Monterrey, Mexico, after holding a mostly closed training session near Nashville, Tennessee, on June 18 as it prepares for a key Group F match against Tunisia on June 20 local time, or June 21 in Japan, at Monterrey Stadium.

Japan's national team continued preparations on June 17 for its World Cup Group F match against Tunisia, holding a largely closed training session near Nashville, Tennessee, ahead of the June 20 fixture, which will be played on June 21 Japan time.

When Japan faces Tunisia at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, at 1 p.m. local time on June 20 (3 a.m. Japan time on June 21), the Samurai Blue will have an opportunity to take a major step toward the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.