Kaz Nagatsuka - The Japan Times

Today's print edition

Subscribe for more access

Kaz Nagatsuka

Meta

Twitter

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

Dec 17, 2014

Gordon stars on big stage

In a marquee matchup of American quarterbacks, which likely led fans to expect an aerial game, running back Gino Gordon stole the show with his stellar performance on the ground.

Japan Times

MORE SPORTS

Dec 13, 2014

Former NFL player, coach Kaumeyer helps boost Fujitsu's defense

The Fujitsu Frontiers have found some missing pieces to the puzzle and are a completely different —and better — team this year.

Japan Times

MORE SPORTS

Dec 12, 2014

Ice Bucks strive to build brand, promote league

"Hard work, every day."

Japan Times

MORE SPORTS

Dec 8, 2014

Offensive leaders Craft, Stanton propel IBM BigBlue to new heights

Usually, IBM BigBlue quarterback Kevin Craft is not the type of a guy who has emotional outbursts once a game is over.

Japan Times

BASKETBALL

Dec 6, 2014

Revamped Tsukuba Robots fall to 0-17

Gloria Gaynor's "I will Survive" was playing in the arena. The Tsukuba Robots intentionally did so and that was their message: they have made a fresh start.

Japan Times

BASKETBALL

Dec 3, 2014

JBA chief Maruo says its 25 board members will ‘eventually’ step down

The chaotic situation surrounding Japan basketball seems to only continue to get worse.

Japan Times

BASKETBALL

Nov 27, 2014

FIBA hands down Japan ban; JBA sorry

It was something everyone expected to happen, so there shouldn't have been any surprise whatsoever. That, however, did nothing to lessen the gravity of the situation.

Japan Times

BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball

Nov 19, 2014

Otani impresses visiting MLB stars

Shohei Otani exhibited some of the immaturity of a 20-year-old pitcher but also some of the potential that could eventually see him playing on American soil.

BASEBALL

Nov 18, 2014

Samurai Japan pitching coach Katori embraces serious demeanor in preparation for 2017 WBC

The MLB-Japan All-Star Series is sort of a deceiving event, because it's uncertain what kind of physical condition the players are in and how close they are to their top level.

Japan Times

BASEBALL

Nov 16, 2014

Rays outfielder Zobrist gets crash course in Japanese baseball culture

They play the game with the same rules on the same diamond. But how they develop their game based on practice looks to be a little different between Japan and the United States.

Japan Times

MORE SPORTS

Nov 11, 2014

Murata determined to tame 'Beast' Nicklow

Middleweight boxer Ryota Murata will be in the ring for his sixth professional fight, against the United States' Jessie Nicklow, while former double weight-class champion Jorge Linares will take on Javier Prieto for the WBC lightweight title at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on Dec. 30, Teiken Promotions...

Japan Times

MORE SPORTS

Nov 8, 2014

Elecom Kobe linebacker Takahashi juggles duties as player, college coach

Mutsumi Takahashi made up his mind to dedicate himself to coaching when he retired as a player for good two years ago.

Japan Times

BASKETBALL / NBL NOTEBOOK

Oct 31, 2014

Off-court distractions create additional challenges for Tsukuba Robots

Usually, the first few weeks of any sports league's season should be happy, exciting times as both the teams and fans had eagerly anticipated its arrival.

Japan Times

BASKETBALL

Oct 29, 2014

Japan Basketball Association chief Maruo says new league will launch in 2016 despite failure to meet FIBA deadline

Despite facing an expected suspension from FIBA, Japan Basketball Association acting president Mitsuru Maruo insisted that the country's governing body would not stop trying to address and fix its problems, including the unification of the nation's two men's top leagues.

Japan Times

BASKETBALL

Oct 29, 2014

NBL executive Yamaya steps down; president Maruo plans to quit

NBL executive Takashi Yamaya stepped down as chief operating officer, while league president Mitsuru Maruo also expressed his intention of resigning, the league announced on Wednesday.

Japan Times

BASKETBALL

Oct 23, 2014

JBA head Fukatsu to resign

Japan Basketball Association president Yasuhiko Fukatsu announced his resignation from the helm during a Tokyo news conference on Thursday with the sport's national governing body likely to face a ban from FIBA.

Japan Times

MORE SPORTS

Oct 23, 2014

Yamanaka defends belt against gritty Suriyan

WBC bantamweight champion Shinsuke Yamanaka fell short of posting another KO win in a world title bout, but managed to retain his belt for the seventh consecutive time by defeating Thailand's Suriyan Sor Rungvisai in an unanimous decision (114-110, 116-108, 115-109) at Yoyogi National Gymnasium Annex...

Japan Times

MORE SPORTS

Oct 14, 2014

WBC bantamweight champion Yamanaka stays hungry for improvement

Having just turned 32 a few days before, boxer Shinsuke Yamanaka said with a bitter smile that having a birthday for an athlete at his age wasn't necessarily a pleasant thing.

Japan Times

BASKETBALL

Oct 10, 2014

Brex outplay defending champion Brave Thunders in NBL opener

The Toshiba Brave Thunders were the last men standing at the end of last season, but on Friday night, they had to settle for a loss to start the new year.

Japan Times

BASEBALL

Oct 9, 2014

Samurai Japan unveils remaining players for MLB series

The organizers of the 2014 Nichibei Yakyu all-star series announced the remaining players for the Japan national team and 10 more players for the major league squad on Thursday.

You can often see generations of families enjoying performances together at Fuji Rock Festival.

Japan’s summer music festivals are feeling the heat in more ways than one

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'

By Tomoko Otake

SUSTAINABLE JAPAN

Exploring Japanese culturevia Tohoku’s festivals

Exploring Japanese culturevia Tohoku’s festivals

SPECIAL SUPPLEMENTS

SUPPLEMENTS BINDER

international-reports