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November 24, 2024
 

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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.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Nov 3, 2008
Giants sluggers bring crowd into the action
The ushers blow whistles to call the fans' attention when batters hit into the outfield stands during the batting practice. And with the powerful Giants, the whistles are particularly heard more often when Michihiro Ogasawara and Alex Ramirez take the cages.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Nov 2, 2008
Lions maintain relaxed attitude before Game 1
In many ways, the 2008 Japan Series clubs — the Yomiuri Giants and Seibu Lions — are similar. Neither of them are strangers to the Fall Classic. They've been winning thanks to their fierce offensive power, and both managers are young, vigorous leaders.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 31, 2008
Watanabe's gentle touch brings out Lions' claws
When thinking of what made the Seibu Lions' quick resurgence from the fifth-place finish of the previous season possible, as well as the players' growth, manager Hisanobu Watanabe's presence played a big part in it.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Oct 29, 2008
Q-chan announces retirement
Literally, Naoko Takahashi had bumps in the road in her career as a marathoner. But her days of glory and agony are finally over, and now she can walk in the street as everyone else.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 23, 2008
Wakui-led Lions nab spot in Japan Series
TOKOROZAWA, Saitama Pref. — While the excited Lions fans were giving big cheers, pitcher Hideaki Wakui was uneventfully doing his job.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 22, 2008
Ishii delivers vintage effort
TOKOROZAWA, Saitama Pref. — The sleeping lions finally woke up and swallowed the ham.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 21, 2008
Nippon Ham offense rises to the occasion
Entering the postseason, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters weren't favored to reach the Japan Series.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 20, 2008
Fighters hold off Lions to tie series
TOKOROZAWA, Saitama Pref. — Like on the previous day, the Fighters got on board early. This time, Seibu rallied, but the experienced and ingenious defending Pacific League champions remained unruffled and uncannily added insurance runs late.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 19, 2008
Versatile Darvish powers Fighters
TOKOROZAWA, Saitama Pref. — Yu Darvish showed a different side to his game. But the result was the same as always.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 18, 2008
Hot-hitting Lions crush Fighters in series opener
Despite a two-week layoff and missing some players due to injuries, the young Lions silenced the skeptics with a night of offensive fireworks.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 17, 2008
Fighters stake hopes on resurgent Glynn
OSAKA — While the Pacific League champion Seibu Lions open the second stage of the Pacific League Climax Series with a one-win advantage, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters know they can't afford to observe how the Saitama club is going to play.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 13, 2008
Mistakes prove costly for erratic Buffaloes
OSAKA — Kensuke Tanaka talked as if he's said it many times before.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Oct 12, 2008
Resilient Darvish shrugs off problems to justify top billing for Fighters
While the Buffaloes had a few options with whom they'd start for the first game, Hokkaido Nippon Ham's choice was clear-cut: Yu Darvish.
Japan Times
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Oct 11, 2008
Nakajima follows father's path, chooses own route to success
In his first campaign as a full-time pilot in the highest level of motor sports, Kazuki Nakajima is, if not rapidly but gradually, seizing a position and recognition by driving steadily and patiently.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Sep 26, 2008
JBL staking future on fielding fewer foreign players
While there have been a number of Japan Basketball Association-related issues that have hurt its credibility in the past few years, it it is desperate to turn the page with new players and a new experiment.
Japan Times
MORE SPORTS
Sep 24, 2008
Asahara concludes track career in style
KAWASAKI — When he crossed the finish line, Nobuharu Asahara didn't just finish the race. The moment also marked the end of his fruitful 20-year track career.
Japan Times
BASKETBALL
Sep 20, 2008
Optimistic JBL awaits start of new season
Despite all the fuss over this country's governing body in the past year and a half, the Japan Basketball League believes it sees a bright future entering the 2008-09 season, which tips off next Friday.
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Sep 19, 2008
Patient Lee hungry to come good in the end
Aside from the Yomiuri Giants' hunt for the Central League pennant, South Korean slugger Lee Seung Yeop is desperate to regain the reliability and pride he once had.
Japan Times
BASEBALL / Japanese Baseball
Sep 18, 2008
Streaking Giants power past last-place 'Stars
YOKOHAMA — Again, resting their core starting pitchers for the upcoming crucial series against the Hanshin Tigers, the surging Yomiuri Giants stomped the Yokohama BayStars 6-2 on Wednesday night.
Japan Times
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Sep 13, 2008
Asahara awaits final race of track career
Hammer thrower Koji Murofushi, 400-meter hurdler Kenji Narisako and women's long jumper Kumiko Ikeda are among the well-known Japanese Olympics who will compete in the 2008 Seiko Super Track and Field Meet on Sept. 23.
U.S. aircraft carrier returns to Japan carrying navy’s ‘most capable fighter’
U.S. 7th Fleet Commander Vice Adm. Fred Kacher speaks to reporters shortly after the arrival of aircraft carrier USS George Washington at Yokosuka naval base in Kanagawa Prefecture on Friday.
After Shohei Ohtani bump, Iwate ironware maker sees brighter future
Kaito Kikuchi's decision to send superstar Shohei Ohtani one of his company's traditional ironware tea kettles has paid off with a surge of interest from general consumers.
Japan approves ¥21.9 trillion stimulus plan
The policy chiefs of the Democratic Party for the People, Liberal Democratic Party and Komeito — Makoto Hamaguchi (left), Itsunori Onodera (center) and Mitsunari Okamoto — shake hands after reaching an agreement on an economic stimulus package on Wednesday.
Woman dies after train collides with car in Tochigi
A Moka Railway train car
133-year-old Kyushu railway station remains to be partially preserved
The remains of the original Moji Station in Kitakyushu
After Shohei Ohtani bump, Iwate ironware maker sees brighter future
Kaito Kikuchi's decision to send superstar Shohei Ohtani one of his company's traditional ironware tea kettles has paid off with a surge of interest from general consumers.
Shohei Ohtani wins National League MVP award
Shohei Ohtani celebrates after hitting a three-run home run against the Padres during the National League Division Series at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles last month.
The slow-burn success of ‘A Samurai in Time’
A 19th-century warrior gets struck by lightning and wakes to find himself in 21st-century Kyoto in Junichi Yasuda’s surprise hit “A Samurai in Time.”
Around a quarter of Japan married couples in their 20s met through dating apps
A survey released by an organization promoting “Good Couples Day” shows that 24% of couples in their 20s met their marriage partner through a dating app.

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