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 Kaz Nagatsuka

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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
BASKETBALL
Jan 11, 2016
SeaHorses climb back to summit with All-Japan victory
Despite the numerous titles they've won — no, precisely because they've won so many and know how sweet it is — anything short of a championship is unacceptable for the Aisin SeaHorses.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Jan 10, 2016
Tokashiki leads Sunflowers to rout of Iris in All-Japan final
The Jx-Eneos Sunflowers maintained their dominance of Japan's women's basketball scene as they completed a three-peat with an 83-44 victory over the Denso Iris in the final of the All-Japan Championship at Yoyogi National Gymnasium on Sunday.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Jan 9, 2016
SeaHorses edge Alvark in overtime to reach All-Japan final
The Aisin SeaHorses lost their lead in the final minute of regulation, but came through in overtime as they defeated the Toyota Alvark 94-87 in the semifinals of the All-Japan Basketball Championship at Tokyo's Yoyogi National Gymnasium on Saturday.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Jan 8, 2016
Happinets stars lead bj-league All-Star voting
A pair of Akita Northern Happinets players received the most fan votes as the players and coaches were announced for the Jan. 24 bj-league All-Star Game on Friday.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Jan 3, 2016
Panasonic prevails in thriller to capture Rice Bowl crown
The Panasonic Impulse came out on top at the end of a thrilling contest to win the Rice Bowl national championship game for the first time in eight years with a 22-19 victory over collegiate champion Ritsumeikan University at Tokyo Dome on Sunday.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Dec 31, 2015
Super featherweight champion Uchiyama defends title for 11th time
Hard hitter Takashi Uchiyama posted a third-round technical knockout victory over Oliver Flores on Thursday night, defending his WBA super featherweight title for the 11th time at Ota City General Gymnasium.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Dec 31, 2015
Kawabuchi using strength to spark basketball revival
Japanese basketball marked an unprecedented dark year in 2015 as its national governing body was suspended by FIBA. It was a tough penalty handed down in November 2014.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Dec 30, 2015
Uchiyama in prime condition ahead of title defense
Japanese boxing great Takashi Uchiyama looked motivated on Wednesday as he made his final preparations to defend his WBA super featherweight belt for the 11th time against Nicaragua's Oliver Flores at Ota General City Gymnasium on Thursday.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Dec 29, 2015
Hachimura lifts Meisei High to Winter Cup three-peat
High school phenom Rui Hachimura racked up 34 points, 19 rebounds and three blocks to lead Meisei High School to its third consecutive championship in the All-Japan High School Tournament with a 78-73 win over Tsuchiura Nihon University High School in the boys' final on Tuesday.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Dec 28, 2015
Gifu Girls dethrone Oka Gakuen
Gifu Girls High School exhibited produced impressive second-half comeback to end Oka Gakuen High School's dominance with a 54-49 win in the girl's championship game at the All-Japan High School Basketball Tournament at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on Monday.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Dec 28, 2015
Tokashiki helps Storm rout Sparks in WNBA opener
Ramu Tokashiki has officially begun her brand-new journey with the Storm as she made her WNBA regular-season debut in Seattle's 86-61 season-opening win over the Los Angeles Sparks on Saturday at KeyArena.
Japan Times
SOCCER
Dec 27, 2015
Sawa lifts cup in swan song
Homare Sawa has always been regarded as a winner throughout her long career. And she was still thought of in that way when she left the pitch for the final time.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Dec 25, 2015
Hachimura guides Meisei High to impressive victory in Winter Cup opener
Japan's best high school player Rui Hachimura racked up 30 points, 14 rebounds and four assists and two-time defending champion Meisei High School cruised to a 100-81 win over Gunma Prefecture's Maebashi Ikuei High School on Friday in the All-Japan High School Tournament.
Japan Times
Rugby
Dec 21, 2015
Japan reveals Sunwolves roster; Hammett named as coach
A few of Japan's Rugby World Cup stars, including Akihito Yamada, Shota Horie and Hitoshi Ono, will headline the Sunwolves squad that will compete in Super Rugby next spring, team organizers revealed on Monday.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Dec 16, 2015
JAAF names Tanii top athlete of 2015
Race walker Takayuki Tanii, who captured a bronze medal in the men's 50-km competition at this summer's IAAF World Championships in Beijing, was named the athlete of the year at the annual Athletic Awards of the Japan Association of Athletics Federations in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Dec 13, 2015
Waseda rally falls just short as Ritsumeikan captures Koshien Bowl title
Underdog Waseda University threatened to end Kansai schools' stranglehold on the Koshien Bowl national collegiate football championship on Sunday, but Kyoto's Ritsumeikan University came out on top in the end with a 28-27 win in the tournament's 70th anniversary.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Dec 10, 2015
Runners, coaches gearing up for Hakone ekiden
The Hakone ekiden, one of the biggest amateur sporting events in Japan and the nation's tradition for the New Year, gets underway in three weeks and the head coaches of the 21 participating teams presented their ambitions for their respective squads at a Tokyo news conference on Thursday.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Dec 9, 2015
Veteran QB Takata prepares to bring curtain down on career
In his 20-year career on the gridiron, Tetsuo Takata has always been a winner.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Dec 8, 2015
Politicians launch support group for new men's basketball circuit
A group of nearly two dozen Diet members launched a basketball-supporting parliamentarians' association and held its kickoff meeting on Tuesday at the members' office buildings of the House of Councilors in Tokyo's Nagatacho district.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Dec 7, 2015
Gonzaga alumni sure Hachimura making right choice
Basketball phenom Rui Hachimura is headed to the United States to play for the Gonzaga University Bulldogs, the most prestigious college program a Japanese player will have ever suited up for.

Longform

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