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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 / B. League
May 27, 2017
Kamata feels fan support helped fuel Tochigi's run to B. League crown
Perhaps it was fitting that it was the Tochigi Brex hoisting the first B. League championship trophy at Yoyogi National Gymnasium on Saturday evening.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
May 24, 2017
Japan women's basketball team satisfied with experience in U.S.
The provisional Japan women's national basketball team made a two-week trip to the United States from April 30 to play some practice games against WNBA squads, and the players and coaches believe it was an important experience.
Japan Times
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May 21, 2017
Inoue retains WBO super flyweight title with third-round KO of Rodriguez
It was nearly a sparring for Naoya Inoue. The difference was that he did it surrounded by 6,500 spectators.
Japan Times
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May 21, 2017
Gatlin outruns Cambridge, Sani Brown for 100-meter victory at Golden Grand Prix Kawasaki
American top sprinter Justin Gatlin withstood challenges from Japanese prospects Aska Cambridge and Abdul Hakim Sani Brown in a 100-meter race on Sunday at the Golden Grand Prix Kawasaki.
Japan Times
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May 20, 2017
Murata loses by split decision to N'Dam in first title bout
When the announcement was made, Ryota Murata, standing near his blue corner, was dumbfounded.
Japan Times
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May 20, 2017
Gatlin sees bright future ahead for young Japanese sprint stars
Justin Gatlin, one of the top sprinters in the world, insists the future for Japanese sprinters looks promising.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
May 19, 2017
Hachimura hopes to get game back for Under-19 World Cup
Just listening to how he talks and reacts, he just seems the same kid that we came to know from his high school days in Japan.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League
May 18, 2017
Brave Thunders, Alvark renew rivalry with trip to title game on the line
When the Kawasaki Brave Thunders and Alvark Tokyo square off in the B. League Championship semifinals on Friday and Saturday, expect the foes to display physical, hard-nosed basketball.
Japan Times
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May 18, 2017
Murata, N'Dam primed for middleweight title showdown
It's time. Well, almost.
Japan Times
TENNIS
May 17, 2017
Japan Tennis Association stunned by news of Mitsuhashi's lifetime ban for match-fixing
Japan Tennis Association executive members said that the lifetime ban on Junn Mitsuhashi completely came out of the blue.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League
May 13, 2017
Brex capitalize on home-court advantage, tight perimeter defense to top Jets in series opener
The arena was all yellow and extremely loud.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League
May 12, 2017
Brave Thunders' Fazekas reaping rewards of shooting practice
Nick Fazekas is a big fella, and it certainly gives him an advantage playing basketball.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League
May 10, 2017
B. League unveils positive attendance figures from inaugural regular season
The first-division teams of the inaugural B. League season raised their average attendance numbers in the regular season by 32 percent from last year (based on figures from bj-league and NBL, which merged to form the B. League), the top men's basketball circuit revealed on Wednesday, a few days before...
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League
Apr 28, 2017
Kawasaki's Shinoyama expanding all-around game at point guard
Point guard is arguably the most demanding position in basketball because you are asked to do multiple tasks and lead your team, fully using your brain.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Apr 26, 2017
Fujioka building big reputation
She is big, strong, tough, smart, and can do everything.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League
Apr 24, 2017
89ers trying to keep spirits up amid battle for first-division survival
Imagine how mentally tough it must be when your team gets mauled two days in a row by a division rival and is on the verge of demotion to a lower division.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL / B. League
Apr 23, 2017
B. League announces launch of preseason Early Cup regional tournaments
The B. League is currently in its inaugural season and is putting basketball in Japan in the spotlight like never before.
Japan Times
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Apr 20, 2017
'King Kohei' making adjustments with new scoring system
Coming off a year in which he sealed his legacy as an all-time great by adding two more Olympic gold medals at the Rio Summer Games, Koehi Uchimura got off to a good start in his first season as a professional gymnast. He captured his 10th consecutive national championship title two weeks ago in Tokyo....
Japan Times
SPORTS
Apr 19, 2017
Sports Agency Japan unveils plan to unearth talent for Tokyo Olympics
Sports Agency Japan will attempt to dig up hidden talent for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics/Paralympics and beyond through a new national program called "Japan Rising Star Project," it announced Tuesday.
Japan Times
OLYMPICS
Apr 17, 2017
Japan softball team excited to take first steps toward Tokyo 2020
There may still be three years to go until the Tokyo Olympics, but Japan women's softball national team head coach Reika Utsugi and players Yukiko Ueno and Eri Yamada are already psyched up.

Longform

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