Tag - samurai

 
 

SAMURAI

Saudi fans cheer during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Asia zone qualifiers group C match between Saudi Arabia and China in Riyadh on Thursday.
SOCCER
Mar 25, 2025
Renard expecting no letup from Japan as Saudis eye World Cup spot
The Saudis picked up their first win in five qualifiers when they beat China 1-0 at home last week.
Japan head coach Hajime Moriyasu gives a speech after his team clinched a spot in the 2026 World Cup with a win over Bahrain on Thursday in Saitama.
SOCCER / World cup
Mar 23, 2025
Japan's quiet World Cup celebrations show it is hungry for much more
Samurai Blue celebrated its qualification for the World Cup with victory speeches and a water shower for coach Hajime Moriyasu. But this squad has much bigger aims.
Japan's Takefusa Kubo celebrates after scoring against Bahrain during their World Cup qualifier in Saitama on Thursday.
SOCCER
Mar 21, 2025
Samurai Blue becomes first nation to secure World Cup berth
It will be Japan's eighth straight World Cup appearance.
Wataru Endo speaks during a news conference in Paris earlier this month.
SOCCER / World cup
Mar 20, 2025
Endo says Japan won't be satisfied just to reach World Cup
Samurai Blue have been dominant in qualifying and can book their spot at the 2026 finals if they beat Bahrain in Saitama.
Hidemasa Morita (right) celebrates scoring Japan’s fourth goal against Bahrain with Kaoru Mitoma (center) on Sep. 10, 2024.
SOCCER
Mar 18, 2025
Japan set to seal World Cup spot as Son aims to forget Spurs woes
Japan will seal its spot with three qualifying matches to go if, as expected, it beats Bahrain at home in Saitama on Thursday.
Junichi Yasuda’s surprise hit “A Samurai in Time” won the award for best film at the 48th Japan Academy Film Prize ceremony.
CULTURE / Film
Mar 15, 2025
‘A Samurai in Time’ wins top prize at Japan’s premier film event
This country’s answer to the Oscars also saw awards go to “Oppenheimer” and “Faceless.”
Stuttgart's Anrie Chase applauds the fans after a match against Bayer Leverkusen on Nov. 1.
SOCCER
Dec 29, 2024
How Anrie Chase went from a Fukushima high school to playing against Real Madrid
Just three years ago, the Stuttgart defender was still playing for Shoshi High School in Koriyama. Now he's competing against the likes of Kylian Mbappe.
Fulham's Junichi Inamoto scores his third goal of the game during a match against Bologna on Aug. 27, 2002.
SOCCER
Dec 4, 2024
Japan's Premier League pioneer, Junichi Inamoto, retires at age 45
Inamoto became a national hero when he scored twice at the 2002 World Cup on home soil, including the winner against Russia.
Chen Chieh-hsien, the captain of Taiwan's baseball team, waves to the crowd during a parade to celebrate the team winning the Premier12 title over Japan, on Tuesday in Taipei.
BASEBALL
Nov 27, 2024
President welcomes home victorious team amid surge of Taiwan pride
On Tuesday, the team took part in a thronged ticker tape parade through central Taipei to the presidential office on the back of military jeeps and trucks.
Taiwan celebrates with the trophy after beating Japan in the Premier12 final at Tokyo Dome on Sunday.
BASEBALL
Nov 25, 2024
Taiwan celebrates after team's victory over Japan in Premier12 final
Taiwan is not a global sporting powerhouse but baseball is hugely popular.
Japan's players watch from the dugout after their loss against Taiwan in the Premier12 final at Tokyo Dome on Sunday.
BASEBALL / Sac Bunts
Nov 25, 2024
Japan exits Premier12 with no need to panic but with adjustments to make
Japan lost in an international tournament for the first time since the 2019 Premier12.
Japan starter Shosei Togo reacts after allowing a three-run home run against Taiwan in the fifth inning of the Premier12 final on Sunday.
BASEBALL
Nov 24, 2024
Taiwan stuns Samurai Japan to capture Premier12 title
Taiwan won the Premier12 crown for the first time.
Keita Sano celebrates with his teammates after scoring on Kotaro Kiyomiya's two-run triple against Taiwan during their Premier12 game at Tokyo Dome on Saturday.
BASEBALL
Nov 23, 2024
Japan beats Taiwan ahead of rematch in Premier12 final
Japan and Taiwan will meet for the Premier12 title.
Samurai Japan infielder Shugo Maki celebrates after hitting a grand slam against Venezuela in the sixth inning of their game at the Premier12 at Tokyo Dome on Friday.
BASEBALL
Nov 22, 2024
Shugo Maki hits grand slam to power Japan to victory over Venezuela at Premier12
Japan is 7-0 in this year's tournament.
Japan's Kaito Kozono celebrates after hitting a three-run home run against the United States in the eighth inning at Tokyo Dome on Thursday.
BASEBALL
Nov 21, 2024
Kaito Kozono hits two homers to power Samurai Japan to win over U.S. at Premier12
Japan extended its winning streak in international games to 25.
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.”
CULTURE / Film
Nov 21, 2024
The slow-burn success of ‘A Samurai in Time’
Junichi Yasuda’s film about a time-traveling warrior is a loving tribute to the “jidaigeki” (period drama) genre and its practitioners.
Japan's Wataru Endo (center) in action with China's Wenneng Xie and Shangyuan Wang during a 2026 World Cup qualification clash in Xiamen, China, on Tuesday
SOCCER
Nov 20, 2024
Ruthless Japan beats China to move to brink of World Cup qualification
The game was briefly stopped in the first half when a fan invaded the pitch.
China's Lin Liangming (left) and Zhang Yuning (second from left) vie for the ball against Indonesia's Jay Idzes in Qingdao, China, on Oct. 15.
SOCCER
Nov 18, 2024
China preparing to host Japan in World Cup qualifier
The strength of China's recovery will be challenged when Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu leads the runaway Group C leader into Xiamen.
Japan's Koki Ogawa (left) fights for the ball with Indonesia's Rizky Ridho Ramadhan during the 2026 World Cup Asian qualification soccer match at the Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta on Friday.
SOCCER / World cup
Nov 16, 2024
Japan hammer Indonesia to edge closer to World Cup spot
Japan defeated a hapless Indonesia side 4-0 on Friday, extending their lead at the top of qualifying for the 2026 World Cup.
Japan coach Hajime Moriyasu (left) and captain Wataru Endo speak during a news conference before the team's World Cup qualifier against Indonesia in Jakarta on Friday.
SOCCER
Nov 15, 2024
Liverpool's Wataru Endo praises Japan manager Hajime Moriyasu's flexibility
Endo dismissed concerns that his lack of playing time for Liverpool will have a negative impact on his influence for Japan.

Longform

The sun shines from behind a waving Philippine flag at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.
Eighty years after the Battle of Manila, old foes forge new ties