author

 
 
 Kaz Nagatsuka

Meta

Twitter

@kaznagatsuka

Kaz Nagatsuka
Kaz Nagatsuka is a staff writer covering Japanese sports, including Japanese professional baseball, basketball, American football and individual sports. He has covered big sporting events such as the World Baseball Classic, the NFL Super Bowl and soccer's World Cup.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Nov 27, 2016
Boxing megastar Pacquiao seeks to deepen ties with Japan
It's questionable whether there is a country in the world where boxing megastar Manny Pacquiao can go completely unnoticed in public.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Nov 23, 2016
Uchiyama seeks revenge, title in bout with Corrales
Top Japanese boxer Takashi Uchiyama is preparing to take the ring on New Year's Eve for the sixth consecutive year next month.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Nov 17, 2016
University of Tsukuba, Dome Corporation look to change Japan college sports landscape with new deal
The University of Tsukuba wants to help revolutionize college sports in Japan, and setting up its own athletic department is a big part of that goal.
Japan Times
BASEBALL
Nov 15, 2016
Otani's extraordinary skills gain wider exposure during games against Mexico, Netherlands
The only reason Shohei Otani won't be Japan's breakout star at the 2017 World Baseball Classic is because everybody is already talking about the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters star.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League
Nov 15, 2016
Inaugural B. League All-Star Game to be held Jan. 15
The B. League All-Star Game will be played on Jan. 15 at Yoyogi National Gymnasium, the first-year professional men's circuit announced on Tuesday.
Japan Times
BASEBALL
Nov 14, 2016
Exhibitions shine light on Samurai Japan's deficiencies
Samurai Japan wrapped up its series of exhibition games on Sunday at Tokyo Dome, finishing with a 3-1 record against Mexico (1-1) and the Netherlands. But Japan's top team couldn't care less about the result from each game. The team understands there are still issues that have to be resolved and improvements...
Japan Times
BASEBALL
Nov 12, 2016
Mexico, Netherlands exhibit pride, passion in preparation for 2017 World Baseball Classic
Samurai Japan is determined to recapture the title at next spring's World Baseball Classic. But the national team will have to endure a tougher challenge to accomplish than goal than before as other countries have now gotten more eager to win as well.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Nov 10, 2016
Star sprinter Sani Brown decides to attend University of Florida
Sprint phenom Abdul Hakim Sani Brown is set to enroll at the University of Florida, the Japan Association of Athletics Federations announced on Thursday.
Japan Times
BASEBALL
Nov 10, 2016
Japan, Cuba to square off on first day of 2017 WBC
Japan's quest to recapture the title at next March's World Baseball Classic will begin against Cuba at Tokyo Dome.
Japan Times
BASEBALL
Nov 9, 2016
Japan, Mexico, Netherlands look to take advantage of exhibition series ahead of WBC
The skippers for Japan, Mexico and the Netherlands said they were taking a serious attitude into the upcoming three-team exhibition series at Tokyo Dome, since next spring's World Baseball Classic is right around the corner.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Nov 9, 2016
Inoue, Kono to meet for super flyweight title
WBO super flyweight champion Naoya Inoue will try to defend his belt for a fourth time when he faces compatriot and former world champion Kohei Kono, on Dec. 30 at Ariake Colosseum, the Ohashi gym announced on Wednesday. The gym also revealed IBF light flyweight title holder Akira Yaegashi and Inoue's...
Japan Times
JAPAN
Nov 9, 2016
Japan Volleyball Association urges Koike to look beyond costs and build new Olympic venue
The Japan Volleyball Association (JVA), along with former Olympians, submitted a written petition Tuesday to Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike calling on the government to stick to the original plan of building the Ariake Arena volleyball venue for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Nov 6, 2016
Samurai Japan has first practice ahead of four-game series
Despite some of its members having just completed a long season, Japan's men's national baseball team donned their Samurai Japan uniforms and took the field with a lot of energy for their first practice ahead of this week's four-game exhibition series against Mexico and the Netherlands.
Japan Times
Rugby
Nov 5, 2016
Brave Blossoms upbeat about opportunity to improve, grow as a unit
Despite a lopsided 54-20 loss to Argentina on Saturday afternoon, Japanese players held their heads up high at Prince Chichibu Memorial Rugby Ground because they know that they can only improve by working more together in practices and games moving forward.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Nov 2, 2016
JAAF makes changes with 2020 Games looming
With the stunning silver-medal performance by the men's 4x100-meter relay squad, Japan's track and field team seemed to have left the Rio de Janeiro Olympics on a high note this summer.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League
Nov 1, 2016
Kawasaki's Spangler adapting to B. League
Until this past spring, forward Ryan Spangler played in a crimson-colored jersey for the University of Oklahoma Sooners.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 27, 2016
Fighters' Nakata thrives in role as cleanup hitter
Since the Japan Series began last Saturday, Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters manager Hideki Kuriyama has repeatedly indicated that he wouldn't hesitate to change the batting order on his lineup card in order to give his team the best chance to win.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 26, 2016
Carp legend Kuroda takes potential curtain call in stride
Hiroshima Carp right-hander Hiroki Kuroda gave a phenomenal performance in what could be the final outing of his storied professional career in Tuesday's Game 3 of the Japan Series against the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters at Sapporo Dome.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 25, 2016
Fighters skipper Kuriyama grateful for change of seasons, another trip to Japan Series
Hokkaido, the northernmost place in Japan, opens the door to winter faster than other places, and the leaves are already changing colors from green to yellow and red. And this makes Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters skipper Hideki Kuriyama genuinely thankful to be playing baseball this late in the year.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Oct 21, 2016
Former champ Uchiyama awaits return to ring on New Year's Eve
When he took a defeat against ferocious challenger Jezreel Corrales in April, Takashi Uchiyama lost multiple things at once, not just the WBA super featherweight belt.

Longform

Akiko Trush says her experience with the neurological disorder dystonia left her feeling like she wanted to chop her own hand off.
The neurological disorder that 'kills culture'