Ukrainian-Born Aonishiki Wins Kyushu Basho

Nov 24, 2025 | News On Japan

FUKUOKA - 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.

The 21-year-old sekiwake, whose real name is Danilo Yavhusshyshyn of the Ajigawa stable, became the first Ukrainian-born wrestler ever to win a makuuchi championship, virtually guaranteeing his promotion to ozeki after the tournament.

His initial championship came in just his 14th tournament since making his professional debut, marking the second-fastest ascent to a first title since the six-tournaments-per-year system began in 1958, excluding wrestlers who entered through the tsukedashi fast-track system.

Source: Kyodo

Typhoon No. 24 Raise Flood Risk Across Japan

Western and eastern Japan face a prolonged risk of heavy rain into next week as Typhoon No. 24, a tropical depression and the autumn rain front combine to bring increasingly unstable weather across a wide area, with the typhoon currently located over waters northwest of Okinawa's main island after weakening considerably and losing much of its clearly defined circulation.

Japanese Researcher Wins Ig Nobel Prize

A late former professor at Asahikawa Medical University has won the Ig Nobel Prize in Medicine for scientifically examining the proper way to blow the nose, extending Japan's streak of Ig Nobel winners to 20 consecutive years.

Shinkansen Takes on Overnight Travel

Night trains are making a comeback across Japan, with railway operators introducing new overnight services and even experimenting with overnight Shinkansen trains as demand grows for alternatives that combine transportation, accommodation and the experience of traveling through the night.

Bear Attacks Continue as Peak Season Looms

Bear sightings and attacks have been reported across Japan throughout the summer, with animals damaging sheds, attacking livestock and injuring people, while experts warn that autumn is the most dangerous season as bears expand their range in search of food.

Japan to Conduct First Nationwide Survey of Animal Cafes

Japan's Environment Ministry will conduct its first survey of animal cafes, where customers can interact with animals including exotic species, as concerns grow over infection risks, injuries and the welfare burden placed on animals.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Sports NEWS

From Sydney to Berlin: The Rise of Women's Basketball on the Global Stage

The 20th FIBA Women's Basketball World Cup will be held in Berlin from September 4 to 13, 2026.

Imperial Palace Running Boom Sparks Calls for Better Manners

Running around the Imperial Palace has become one of Tokyo's most popular fitness activities, but growing numbers of runners and pedestrians sharing narrow sidewalks are raising safety concerns and prompting calls for stronger rules and better infrastructure.

Aonishiki Returns to Ozeki as Autumn Grand Sumo Rankings Announced

The Japan Sumo Association announced the rankings for the Autumn Grand Sumo Tournament on August 31, with last tournament's champion Aonishiki returning to ozeki after two tournaments and taking the second position on the east side of the rankings.

Japan U-18 Baseball Team Begins Training for Asian Championship

Japan's high school baseball national team began preparations for the U-18 Asian Baseball Championship with a training session in Yokohama on August 28, as the squad looks to capture the continental title at the tournament opening in Taiwan on September 7.

Basketball celebration in Berlin: Women’s Basketball World Cup 2026 preview

From September 4 to 13, the German capital will become the epicenter of women’s basketball.

Children Try Cricket Ahead of Asian Games

Families and children tried their hand at cricket at an event in Nagakute, Aichi Prefecture, on August 29, designed to build interest in the sport ahead of its competition at the Asian Games.

Scoop on National Goldfish Scooping Championship

Around 1,500 competitors from across Japan gathered in Yamatokoriyama, Nara Prefecture, for the National Goldfish Scooping Championship, testing their skills in three-minute contests to determine the country's best goldfish scoopers.

Japan Team Holds Ceremony One Month Before Asian Games

Japan's delegation for the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games held a team formation ceremony at a hotel in Tokyo on August 19, exactly one month before the competition opens, with wrestler Akari Fujinami pledging that the athletes would "fight through to the very end" on home soil.

< 2 3 4 5 >