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.
SPORTS
Mar 12, 2020
Task force, panel unveil guidelines for coping with COVID-19 crisis
While the COVID-19 outbreak has greatly impacted sports leagues in Japan, the joint task force formed by Nippon Professional Baseball and the J. League and its medical panel introduced proposals to help the leagues and their fans properly cope with the virus.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League
Mar 11, 2020
B. League announces plan to return to court on weekend
While most sports leagues and organizations have refrained from holding contests and events amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the B. League made the tough decision to resume its regular season this weekend, but without spectators, the pro basketball circuit announced on Wednesday.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League
Mar 10, 2020
B. League unveils revamped playoff format
Amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, the B. League has revamped its postseason schedule, it announced on Tuesday.
Japan Times
SPORTS
Mar 9, 2020
NPB to delay start of regular season due to ongoing COVID-19 outbreak
Nippon Professional Baseball has made the decision to postpone the start of its regular season as a result of the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, the league announced on Monday afternoon.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Mar 5, 2020
Judo standouts Funa Tonaki, Naohisa Takato set lofty goals for 2020 Games
Funa Tonaki and Naohisa Takato aim to give the Japan national judo team a boost by winning gold medals on July 25, when the judo competition kicks off at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League
Mar 4, 2020
Nomoto provides spark for Akita
Whether he's on the court or on the bench, Kengo Nomoto has been a spark plug for the Akita Northern Happinets.
Japan Times
SPORTS
Mar 2, 2020
NPB and J. League join forces to combat COVID-19
Nippon Professional Baseball and the J. League, two of Japan's biggest professional sports circuits, will form a tag team amid the COVID-19 outbreak, the two entities announced in a Tokyo news conference on Monday.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Mar 1, 2020
Birhanu Legese wins Tokyo Marathon title as Suguru Osako sets new national record
Reigning champion Birhanu Legese successfully defended his title while local star Suguru Osako got closer to securing the final spot on Japan's Olympic team with a national-record-setting performance in the men's race at the 2020 Tokyo Marathon on Sunday.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Feb 28, 2020
Tokyo Marathon last chance for 2020 hopefuls
The 14th edition of the Tokyo Marathon on Sunday could produce cutthroat battles among local men's runners, including current and ex-national record holders.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League
Feb 26, 2020
B. League to postpone games until March 11 because of coronavirus
The B. League made the difficult decision to put its regular season on hold from this weekend through March 11 amid the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak, the pro basketball circuit announced Wednesday.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Feb 25, 2020
Ryan Rossiter, Kosuke Kanamaru provide big boost in Japan's rout of Taiwan
National team debutant Ryan Rossiter and sharpshooter Kosuke Kanamaru provided stellar performances in Monday’s 96-57 win over Taiwan, and perhaps showcased new dimensions for the Akatsuki Five during the 2021 FIBA Asia Cup qualifier.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Feb 20, 2020
Ryan Rossiter making case for spot on Japan squad
In preparation for its first game in 2020, the provisional Japan men's national team has been practicing in a series of training camps at Tokyo's National Training Center since the beginning of the month.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Feb 17, 2020
University program boosts number of coach developers
Faculty behind the Nippon Sport Science University Coach Developer Academy (NCDA) program are confident that the "athlete-centered" culture it is fostering has made positive international progress since its 2014 inception.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League
Feb 14, 2020
B-Corsairs rookie Raita Akaho follows in family's footsteps on basketball court
With a somewhat unusual last name, it's perhaps a little difficult for Raita Akaho to not be noticed that he's from a distinguished basketball family.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Feb 6, 2020
Companies making good use of platform at Sports Business Expo
Beginning with last year's Rugby World Cup, Japan has begun a golden period of hosting some of the world's biggest sporting events, including, obviously, this summer's Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics and also the 2021 World Masters Games in Osaka.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Feb 4, 2020
Japanese players put skills on display for CFL
The Canadian Football League's global scouting team came away "very, very impressed" by the performances of the athletes who participated in the Japanese stop of the CFL Global Combine over the weekend.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League
Jan 29, 2020
Kawamura laying foundation for bright future
Yuki Kawamura has been one of the best players in Japanese high school basketball in the last couple of years. He lived up to fans' lofty expectations by guiding Fukuoka Daiichi to the All-Japan High School Tournament titles two years in a row from 2018.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Jan 28, 2020
Japan coach Julio Lamas outlines goals for team before upcoming Asia Cup qualifiers
Japan men's national team head coach Julio Lamas said that it wasn't a surprise that his team didn't play as well as it had hoped to at last year's FIBA World Cup.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Jan 23, 2020
Yuka Osaki hopes to secure a spot on Japan national team after becoming a mother
Just over a year after giving birth to her first child, Yuka Osaki decided to return to the court with the goal of representing her home country at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Jan 12, 2020
Shibuya captain Leo Vendrame hopes Emperor's Cup can lead to team's first-ever B. League crown
After achieving one of their goals for this season, the Sunrockers Shibuya are now moving on to shoot for the second: the B. League championship.

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'