author

 
 
Ed Odeven
Ed Odeven covers primarily basketball for The Japan Times. He reported on a wide range of sports from the 2008 Beijing Olympics and 2012 London Summer Games for this newspaper. A native of the Bronx, N.Y., Odeven is a graduate of Arizona State University. He previously worked for the Arizona Daily Sun in Flagstaff, Ariz., reporting on high school, collegiate, professional and Olympic sports (Flagstaff is a major international Olympic training site due to its high elevation) and writing a weekly column. His articles have appeared in Venezuela Online News, The Gleaner (Jamaica), the Monitor (Uganda), The Moscow Times, Swimming World Magazine and numerous other publications.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Feb 15, 2015
Iwate's Oketani earns 300th career victory
When the bj-league tipped off in the fall of 2005, Dai Oketani was working as an assistant under Oita HeatDevils head coach Jawann Oldham, a former NBA big man.
BASKETBALL
Feb 14, 2015
Evessa take down Bambitious
The one-two punch of Takuya Soma and Josh Dollard sparked the Osaka Evessa to an 86-76 victory over the visiting Bambitious Nara on Saturday.
BASKETBALL
Feb 12, 2015
Togashi enters All-Star break after top scoring game of season
The Texas Legends are on a 10-day break, but guard Yuki Togashi may be getting antsy to get back on the court at any moment.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS / TYSON-DOUGLAS SHOCKER REVISITED
Feb 12, 2015
Ringside reporters recall date with destiny
Fifth in a series
BASKETBALL / BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Feb 12, 2015
Shimane showing surprising improvement
Despite a disastrous start this season, the Shimane Susanoo Magic won't challenge the Takamatsu Five Arrows' league record of 50 losses.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS / TYSON-DOUGLAS SHOCKER REVISITED
Feb 12, 2015
Result stunned analyst Bernstein
Fourth in a series
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS / TYSON-DOUGLAS SHOCKER REVISITED
Feb 10, 2015
Douglas reflects on Tyson fight 25 years later
The youngest heavyweight champion in history, making his 10th title defense, entered the fight with a 37-0 record and had never been knocked down during his pro career; Douglas was the 42-1 underdog. Tyson's reign ended 28 minutes, 22 seconds into the fight, at precisely 1:22 into the 10th round.
BASKETBALL
Feb 8, 2015
Cinq Reves slump to 17th straight loss
The Tokyo Cinq Reves won three of their first five games this season. It appeared to be a positive sign for the third-year franchise, which went 18-34 in 2012-13 and 13-39 last season.
BASKETBALL
Feb 7, 2015
Defense, fan support fuel Akita's success on road
The Akita Northern Happinets have rattled off 16 victories in their past 17 games.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Feb 6, 2015
Johnson secures victory for Broncos at free-throw line
Without defenders' hands in his face, contesting his shot and trying to disrupt his timing, Saitama Broncos forward Gary Johnson was a potent weapon on Friday night at Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS / TYSON-DOUGLAS SHOCKER REVISITED
Feb 6, 2015
Lampley remembers historic fight in Tokyo
Second in a series
BASKETBALL / BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Feb 5, 2015
Ishikawa comes up with interesting team name
When the bj-league's 11th season begins in the fall, the new Ishikawa Prefecture-based team will have one of the most unique names in all of pro sports — in Asia and beyond.
MORE SPORTS / TYSON-DOUGLAS SHOCKER REVISITED
Feb 5, 2015
Vaccaro was only bookmaker to lay odds on historic fight
Just like Don King, Mike Tyson's inimitable promoter, and Tyson and James "Buster" Douglas themselves, longtime Las Vegas bookmaker Jimmy Vaccaro had a pivotal role in making the Tokyo fight on Feb. 11, 1990, a historic occasion.
MORE SPORTS / TYSON-DOUGLAS SHOCKER REVISITED
Feb 5, 2015
Whiting says booming economy brought Tyson-Douglas bout to Tokyo
Best-selling author Robert Whiting, who penned an epic series for The Japan Times examining the legacy of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics last fall, has lived in Tokyo for decades. He is a keen observer of the ties that bind the United States and Japan, especially through the prism of sports.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS / TYSON-DOUGLAS SHOCKER REVISITED
Feb 5, 2015
Seeing Douglas shock Tyson gave Lewis confidence
Editor's note: Looking back at one of the greatest upsets in sports history, The Japan Times is featuring a series of stories over the next several days to commemorate the 25th anniversary of the Mike Tyson-James "Buster" Douglas fight on Feb. 11, 1990, at Tokyo Dome.
BASKETBALL
Feb 3, 2015
Gunma guard Morrison arrested on suspicion of drug possession
Gunma Crane Thunders guard Marcus Morrison on Tuesday morning was arrested on suspicion of marijuana possession, according to several published reports.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Feb 2, 2015
West prevails in high-tempo bj-league All-Star Game
In a fast-paced game of dueling run-and-gun offenses, including 79 3-point shots in all, the Western Conference had the better scoring touch in the pivotal fourth quarter.
BASKETBALL
Jan 30, 2015
Aomori signs Klaiber, releases Saunders
This week, the Aomori Wat's made a pair of roster moves in advance of the season's second half, adding an older, more experienced veteran.
BASKETBALL / BJ-LEAGUE NOTEBOOK
Jan 29, 2015
Ryukyu's McHenry plays pivotal role for dominant defensive squad
Lockdown defense fuels championship teams.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Jan 28, 2015
Kawabuchi to help lead task force charged with solving Japan's basketball impasse
FIBA, basketball's world governing body, on Wednesday announced the formation of a task force to lay a new foundation for the sport in Japan, and former J. League chairman Saburo Kawabuchi was appointed co-chairman.

Longform

Construction takes place on the Takanawa Gateway Convention Center in Tokyo, slated to open in 2025.
A boom for business tourism in Japan?