Latest news with #Kitakyushu
BBC News
3 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Thomas aims to learn from Wales prop legends
Prop Gareth Thomas says he is benefitting from working with front-row greats Adam Jones and Gethin Jenkins before Wales' upcoming Test series in flew to Japan on Wednesday as they aim to register their first victory since the 2023 World Cup and end a run of 17 successive Test boss Matt Sherratt has brought Jenkins on board as defence coach, with the 129-times capped loose-head recognised as one of Wales' greatest return means being reunited with his old Wales and British and Irish Lions sparring partner, as former tight-head prop Adam Jones is in charge of the scrum. "We had 'Bomb' [Jones] in the Six Nations and he's been class for us," said Thomas."He's awesome for the front rowers, he's bringing scrum time and is just a great bloke to have around as well."Gethin is one of the best loose-heads who's played for Wales, so it's great for the boys to work with him and use his mindset stuff."We're looking forward to getting some good defensive stuff going in Japan and the opportunity to try and turn the corner." 'Desperate to win' Wales meet Eddie Jones' Japan in a two-match series, with the first Test in Kitakyushu on 5 July and the second in Kobe on 12 is one of the most experienced players in the squad and sees similarities with the 2022 tour of South Africa as Wales bid to end their awful run of lost that series 2-1 against the world champions, but won the second Test – their first ever victory on South African soil – having been beaten narrowly by three points in the opening match."The last summer tour we had with this kind of block was South Africa, four or five weeks together before we went," said Thomas."We don't have that opportunity in the autumn and Six Nations to have this time together. So this time has been really good for us."Ospreys prop Thomas hopes Wales will gain their first international victory since October 2023."We're all desperate to get that win now and turn the corner," said Thomas."I think there is a talented group here and boys who have been in it for a while and on this losing streak, it does get to you. "We need it, we are desperate for it. "The work we've put in the last five weeks, there's a lot of effort gone into it, and hopefully it shows in Japan that we can turn the corner." Dealing with heat and humility Much has been made of the conditions awaiting Wales, with extreme heat and humidity expected for two mid-afternoon preparation has included gruelling heat chamber sessions at their training base in the Vale of Glamorgan."You go to the well, but I love it – the whole squad in there," said Thomas."The most I have lost is three kilos of fluid and we have to make sure we replace that, because otherwise we would be dehydrated and struggling."It's good to see how hard the boys are working because it's going to be tough out there."
BBC News
3 days ago
- Sport
- BBC News
Wales head to Japan seeking an end to painful run
Wales set off for Japan on Wednesday hoping the Two-test trip will see them end their painful run of international who are under the guidance of caretaker coach Matt Sherratt, will face Eddie Jones' Japan side in Kitakyushu on Saturday, July 5, with the second Test in Kobe a week suffered a 17th straight Test defeat - a record for a tier one nation - when they were hammered 68-14 at home by England in miserable stretch has seen Wales sink to an all-time lowest position of 12th in the world rankings, with Japan one position below them. Wales will arrive in Japan on Thursday for nine days of preparation as they seek a first international win since October 2023, with Sherratt's side aiming to give the chaotic Welsh rugby scene a much-needed boost. Lake leads squad featuring six uncapped players There are six uncapped players in the travelling party, while hooker Dewi Lake has been given the leads the 33-man squad in the absence of flanker Jac Morgan, who is with the British and Irish Lions in Australia along with Gloucester scrum-half Tomos captain Liam Belcher, Dragons prop Chris Coleman, Ospreys trio Garyn Phillips, Keelan Giles and Reuben Morgan-Williams and Scarlets back Macs Page are the fresh faces in second row Ben Carter, Scarlets fly-half Sam Costelow and Bath tight-head prop Archie Griffin return for Wales having missed the Six Nations due to injury, while Kieran Hardy, Alex Mann, Josh Macleod, James Ratti, Johnny Williams and Cameron Winnett have been handed number eight and Wales centurion Taulupe Faletau will provide experience alongside the likes of Josh Adams, Nicky Smith, Aaron Wainwright and Elliot Dee, who are the four survivors from the squad which went to the 2019 World Cup in Japan. Some notable absentees are Dafydd Jenkins, Adam Beard, Will Rowlands, Henry Thomas, Ellis Mee, Gareth Anscombe, Max Llewellyn, Nick Tompkins, James Botham, Evan Lloyd and Morgan Morse, who are missing due to a combination of injuries, being rested and Nicky Smith, Gareth Thomas, Garyn Phillips, Keiron Assiratti, Chris Coleman, Archie Griffin, Dewi Lake (capt), Liam Belcher, Elliot Dee, Ben Carter, Teddy Williams, Freddie Thomas, James Ratti, Taine Plumtree, Aaron Wainwright, Alex Mann, Taulupe Faletau, Tommy Reffell, Josh Kieran Hardy, Reuben Morgan-Williams, Rhodri Williams, Sam Costelow, Dan Edwards, Ben Thomas, Johnny Williams, Joe Roberts, Macs Page, Josh Adams, Tom Rogers, Blair Murray, Keelan Giles, Cameron Winnett. Who are the coaches? Wales are still searching for a permanent successor to Warren Gatland, who left his role as head coach in February after a Six Nations defeat to coach Sherratt was asked to take charge for the final three games of that tournament and was then given the caretaker role for backroom staff will feature his Cardiff defence coach Gethin Jenkins, Harlequins duo Danny Wilson (forwards) and Adam Jones (scrum) and Gloucester's Rhys Thomas (assistant forwards coach).Wilson and Jenkins are new additions just for this trip before they return to their clubs, while former full-back Leigh Halfpenny has taken what the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) describe as a skills coach will include responsibility for kicking with the senior squad, a role occupied by Neil Jenkins for almost 20 coaches who were part of Gatland's backroom staff, including Jonathan Humphreys, Mike Forshaw, Alex King and Rob Howley, will - like Jenkins - not be involved in Japan. What about the opposition? Wales have won 13 of their 14 matches against Japan since they first met in solitary victory came in 2013, with a 23-8 win in Tokyo masterminded by Australian Jones, who is now back in charge of the Cherry return to Japan came in the wake of the 2023 World Cup, where he was in charge of an Australia side who were dumped out in the group disappointing display in that tournament included a 40-6 hammering by Gatland's Wales in have won four games and lost seven since Jones' re-appointment, and were beaten by 40 points or more by New Zealand, France and England last have not played a game since November 2024 but face a Maori All Blacks side from New Zealand on Saturday, 28 June in named a 37-strong training squad that included university student Jingo Takenoshita as one of 16 uncapped players. There was just one player with more than 50 caps in the training camp, with 87-cap back-row Michael Leitch - a veteran of four World Cups with the Brave Blossoms – likely to be a familiar face to Welsh hopes the heat and humidity in Kitakyushu and Kobe could give Japan an advantage over Wales, who have been preparing for the brutal conditions with intense fitness sessions in a heat chamber at their training base in the Vale and Glamorgan hotel. Wales v Japan head-to-head Non-capped TestsWales 62-14 Japan, Cardiff, 6 October 1973Japan 12-56 Wales, Osaka, 21 September 1975Japan 6-82 Wales, Tokyo, 24 September 1975Wales 29-24 Japan, Cardiff, 22 October TestsWales 55-5 Japan, Cardiff, 16 October 1993Wales 57-10 Japan, Bloemfontein, 27 May 1995 Wales 64-15 Japan, Cardiff, 9 October1999Japan 10-64 Wales, Osaka, 10 June 2001Japan 30-53 Wales, Tokyo, 17 June 2001Wales 98-0 Japan, Cardiff, 26 November 2004Wales 72-18 Japan, Cardiff, 20 September 2007Japan 18-22 Wales, Osaka, 8 June 2013Japan 23-8 Wales, Tokyo, 15 June 2013Wales 33-30 Japan, Cardiff, 19 November 2016.
Japan Times
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Japan Times
Eddie Jones hoping for sweltering conditions when Japan faces wounded Wales
Eddie Jones said Thursday he wants Japan to "run Wales off their feet" in two tests next month while conceding he had made mistakes in an underwhelming return to coaching the Brave Blossoms. A wounded Wales heads to Japan having lost its last 17 tests — a record for a Tier One country in the professional era — including a humiliating 68-14 thrashing by England in Cardiff. The pugnacious Australian Jones is also looking for a morale-boosting win after mixed results since returning to lead Japan at the start of last year. The former Wallabies and England head coach said it was "a good time and a bad time" to face Wales, which will be missing Tomos Williams and Jac Morgan, who are on British and Irish Lions duty. "Obviously having 17 losses in a row dents the confidence of the team and as a result they've only got two Lions players," Jones said after announcing his squad for a training camp ahead of the games. "Normally on a tour like this you'd expect eight or nine players to be out, so they'll be basically full-strength." Wales will again be led by caretaker coach Matt Sherratt, who took over midway through the Six Nations following Warren Gatland's unsuccessful second stint in charge. Jones predicted that the "law of averages" meant Wales' losing streak would end soon. But he said the heat and humidity in Kitakyushu and Kobe could give Japan an advantage. "We're hoping that it's a nice hot day, the sun comes out, and we can really run Wales off their feet," said Jones, who first led Japan from 2012 to 2015. Japan has won four games and lost seven since Jones came back, and was beaten by 40 points or more by New Zealand, France and England last year. The 65-year-old admitted he had made mistakes. "Coming back to Japan, I didn't understand how much Japanese rugby had changed, how the players' thinking had changed," he said. "Did I coach well last year? No, I don't think I coached very well last year, 100%. So I've taken that on board."
Japan Times
30-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
Nippon Steel to invest in electric furnaces with government support
Nippon Steel said Friday that it will invest ¥868.7 billion in introducing electric furnaces at its domestic steel plants, with support from the industry ministry. The ministry announced that it will provide up to ¥251.4 billion in aid for the company's changeover from blast furnaces. Since the steel-making process produces a large amount of carbon emissions, steelmakers are now taking measures to decarbonize, including replacing blast furnaces, which use coal and other substances to make steel, with electric furnaces. Nippon Steel aims to cut its carbon dioxide emissions by 30% in 2030 compared with levels in 2013, and realize net-zero emissions in 2050. The company is set to spend ¥630.2 billion in installing one electric furnace at its Kyushu Works' Yawata Area in Kitakyushu, ¥140 billion for adding one electric furnace at the Hirohata Area of its Setouchi Works in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, and ¥98.5 billion in renovating and restarting one existing electric furnace at its Yamaguchi Works in the city of Shunan, Yamaguchi Prefecture. After starting steel production by the second half of fiscal 2029, the three electric furnaces are expected to have a total annual output of 2.9 million tons.
Japan Times
21-05-2025
- Japan Times
Company boss held on suspicion of abandoning father's body at storage site
Police have arrested the president of a construction firm for allegedly abandoning the body of his father at a materials storage yard in the city of Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture. Ryuma Hanayama, 46, was taken into custody on Wednesday on suspicion of abandoning a corpse. 'I didn't do it,' he reportedly told investigators, denying the allegations. According to police, Hanayama is suspected of burying the body of his 87-year-old father, Ryuichi, sometime between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m. on April 18 at a storage site owned by the civil engineering and construction company he runs in the city's Kokuraminami Ward. The older man had been missing since April 17. He lived alone and was last seen returning home in his own car at around 3 p.m. that day. A relative filed a missing person's report with the Fukuoka Prefectural Police on April 18. Using surveillance footage, investigators later identified a suspicious vehicle — believed to have been used to transport Ryuichi Hanayama — that traveled from near his home to the storage site. Police searched the storage site on Tuesday and discovered his body buried underground, wrapped in what appeared to be a plastic sheet. A preliminary examination found no obvious external injuries on the body. Authorities plan to conduct an autopsy to determine the cause of death. Police noted there had been prior disputes between the suspect and his father, and they are investigating the case to determine whether murder was involved. Translated by The Japan Times
