May Tournament Day 2 - GRAND SUMO Highlights
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Japan Times
29 minutes ago
- Japan Times
Heatstroke alert issued for 19 prefectures as Japan enters 'once-in-a-decade' heat wave
The mercury is expected to hit dangerously high levels in Japan on Sunday, with weather authorities issuing heatstroke alerts in 19 prefectures nationwide, including this year's first for central Tokyo and Kanagawa. With climate change driving up temperatures across the globe, Japan will experience a heat wave between Sunday and July 14 on a 'level only seen once in a decade,' the Meteorological Agency said last week. The highest temperatures are expected to reach the mid to high 30s in wide areas of the country, including 37 degrees Celsius in Nagoya, 36 C in Fukuoka, Osaka and Kochi and 35 C in Hiroshima and Tokyo, according to Weathernews. The Japan Association of Athletics Federations, which is holding its three-day national championship in Kunitachi, western Tokyo, shifted schedules for events on Sunday after doing the same on Friday and Saturday. It has delayed some events scheduled during the day to the evening hours. The Japan Sport Association advises all sports events to be canceled when the heat index — which takes temperatures, humidity and solar radiation into consideration — reaches 31. Tokyo is forecast to see its heat index rise to 32 at 3 p.m. on Sunday. The summer heat has arrived ahead of schedule this year due to an early end of the rainy season in many parts of the country, particularly in western Japan. In the Chugoku, Shikoku and Kinki regions, as well as northern Kyushu, the rainy season was declared over in late June, which was nearly 20 days earlier than usual and the earliest on record, according to agency data. Global warming has pushed up atmospheric air temperatures across the globe, the agency says, noting that the Pacific high-pressure system extending more strongly toward Japan and prevailing westerly winds meandering further north have contributed to the early end of the rainy season, which normally lasts through mid-July. Japan experienced its hottest June ever, with the average monthly temperature being 2.34 C higher than the standard value, according to the agency.
Japan Times
18 hours ago
- Japan Times
Brave Blossoms extend Wales losing streak to 18 with 24-19 win
Eddie Jones' Brave Blossoms extended Wales' record losing streak to 18 games after winning the first of their two matches 24-19 on Saturday thanks to a furious second-half fightback. First-half tries from Ben Thomas, Tom Rogers and a penalty try looked to have put Wales in control in hot and humid Kitakyushu until Japan scored twice in the second half to snatch the win. "We lost out to them in the first half but our DNA is to play high-tempo rugby," said Japan flyhalf Seungsin Lee. "We haven't been able to beat any of the top 10 teams in the world for a few years now so we're happy. More than anything, it gives us confidence." Wales' last victory came against Georgia at the World Cup in October 2023 and its losing streak is a record for a Tier One country in the professional era. Wales' previous match had ended in a humiliating 68-14 thrashing by England in Cardiff during the Six Nations. With the temperature hitting a steamy 31 degrees Celsius at kickoff, ball handling was difficult. Wales was dealt an immediate blow when Ben Carter went down in the first minute following a heavy head-first collision. The 24-year-old, who was returning to the team after missing the Six Nations through injury, lay prone on the ground for several minutes before being stretchered off and replaced by James Ratti. Wales opened the scoring in the fourth minute, with Thomas going over after Taulupe Faletau had punched a hole in the Japanese defense from a line-out. Japan fought its way back into the game and leveled when Takuro Matsunaga finished off a flowing move with a try in the 16th minute. Matsunaga went off injured soon after and was replaced by debutant Ichigo Nakakusu, one of six uncapped players on the Japanese bench. Nakakusu was given a harsh introduction to international rugby when he gave away a penalty try just minutes after coming on, swatting the ball away from Josh Adams with the Wales winger in a try-scoring position. Nakakusu was also sin-binned for his troubles and Wales took advantage of a temporary numerical advantage when Rogers ran in a third try. The Brave Blossoms were denied a try for a knock-on early in the second half but Nakakusu crossed the line in the 59th minute to bring the home team right back into it. Lee kicked a penalty to close the gap to just two points before debutant substitute Halatoa Vailea put Japan in front with nine minutes to go. "We managed to bend the game to our tempo and attack them more," Lee said of Japan's comeback. "At our training camp we have been practicing for the last 10 minutes of a game when it's tough and we want to show our passing game. "We're happy because this is the result we were looking for."
Japan Times
a day ago
- Japan Times
Osaka still dreams of glory despite latest Wimbledon disappointment
Naomi Osaka admits she contemplates life without tennis but the Japanese star does not plan to quit just yet despite her latest painful defeat at Wimbledon on Friday. Osaka blew a golden opportunity to reach the fourth round of Wimbledon for the first time as she was beaten by Russian world No. 50 Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova. The 27-year-old took the first set, but she lost her way as Pavlyuchenkova battled back to clinch a 3-6, 6-4, 6-4 victory. Osaka is a four-time Grand Slam champion but she has not won a major since 2021 and has still never been beyond the third round at the All England Club. "Right now I'm just really upset. I wanted to better than I did before. I thought I could make a great run here but clearly not," Osaka said. Osaka gave birth to a daughter in July 2023, returning from a 15-month sabbatical for the start of the 2024 season. Visibly frustrated throughout her postmatch press conference after losing on Friday, she was asked if she thought about hanging up her racket to find happiness elsewhere. "Yeah. I feel like I'd be kind of crazy to not, but I think right now I have so many things I want to attempt to achieve," she said. "I feel like while I still have the opportunity to try to do it, I want to, even though I get very upset when I lose, but I think that's my competitive nature. That's also the younger sister syndrome. "No person wants to feel this way, like, multiple times throughout the year, but tennis players are crazy." The former world No. 1, now 53rd in the WTA rankings, has always struggled on grass and is relishing a return to hard courts. "In Paris I was very emotional when I sat there (after losing in the first round) and now I don't feel anything. I guess I prefer to feel nothing than everything," she said. "I'm just going to be a negative human being today. I have nothing positive to say about myself. "I'm glad to be done with this, and I'm looking forward to the hard courts."
