Sports 2005-2006 | Archives | Trends in Japan

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Sports 2005-2006

Strength In Numbers

(December 22, 2006)
It is the golden age of Japanese women's figure skating. Asada Mao of Chukyo High School won the ladies' division of the NHK Trophy, held from November 30 to December 3, 2006, in Nagano.

Clothes that Keep You Fit

(December 7, 2006)
Consumers are giving a big thumbs-up to new types of clothing that can tighten muscles and change the shape of a person's body just by wearing them, all while that person goes about his or her daily routine.

600 Million Yen Baby

(August 21, 2006)
The Select Sale 2006 auction of major top-breed racehorses was held on July 11 in Tomakomai city, Hokkaido, where To The Victory 2006, a foal born this spring, was sold for a record fee of ¥600 million ($5.2 million at ¥115 to the dollar).

Grappling for the Top Spot

(July 13, 2006)
At the sumo tournament scheduled for July in Nagoya, ozeki (the second-highest rank) Hakuho is looking to do well enough to earn a promotion to yokozuna (highest rank).

Keeping Mountains Clean

(June 21, 2006)
A climbing team led by alpinist Noguchi Ken recently completed a one-month cleaning expedition on Nepal's Mt. Manaslu (elevation 8,163 meters).

Dreaming of Germany

(May 12, 2006)
The 2006 FIFA World Cup Germany begins on June 9, and Japan's 23-man squad for the event will be announced on May 15. A rising star by the same of Sato Hisato (Sanfrecce Hiroshima) has shot into contention with a prolific run of goal scoring.

The Arakawa Effect

(April 21, 2006)
The image of Arakawa Shizuka winning the gold medal in the women's figure skating at the Torino Winter Olympics is still fresh in the memory.

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Trainer to the Champs

(March 22, 2006)
There is a Japanese female trainer employed by an American pro football team in the NFL. Her name is Iso Ariko. It is rare enough to have a female trainer looking after the physical condition of the athletes who compete at America's most popular sport, but being Japanese makes Iso doubly unique.

Let the Games Begin!

(February 6, 2006)
The twentieth Winter Olympics get underway on February 10 in Torino, Italy. As the world's eyes and ears turn to this grand stage, hopes are high for Japan's athletes. This is particularly true in women's figure skating.

Sumo's Answer To Beckham

(January 11, 2006)
A new star was born at the 2005 Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament. Bulgarian wrestler Kotooshu was promoted to the rank of ozeki after compiling an 11-4 record in the tournament and a combined 36-9 record in his last three tournaments.

Skating into the Record Books

(December 26, 2005)
Twenty-year-old Kato Joji is a focus of Japanese hopes for the upcoming Winter Olympics, which will take place in the Italian city of Torino in February 2006.

Valentine's Victory

(December 19, 2005)
This season, American manager Bobby Valentine led the Chiba Lotte Marines to their first Japan Series baseball title in 31 years. Valentine's management style and skillful use of players was dubbed "Bobby Magic."

Marines Claim Asian Baseball Crown

(December 6, 2005)
The Chiba Lotte Marines have won the Konami Cup Asia Series to clinch the first regional professional baseball championship in Asia.

Pelvic Exercise

(November 30, 2005)
Exercise that focuses on the movement of the pelvis has been quietly taking hold in Japan. Correcting and relieving tension in the muscles of the pelvic area can result in enhanced posture, a more shapely figure, and improved general well-being.

Walking to Fitness

(October 18, 2005)
Walking is enjoying newfound popularity, particularly among people in their forties and over, as a way of staying fit or losing weight that costs nothing and is easy to do.

Saying Yes to Yoga

(August 29, 2005)
Yoga, which eases fatigue and is useful for maintaining physical and mental health, is enjoying renewed popularity in Japan, particularly among young women. Yoga studios are cropping up all over the country, and manufacturers specializing in yoga attire have emerged. According to the Dai-ichi Life Research Institute Inc., the number of yoga enthusiasts in Japan is now over 200,000.

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Germany, Here We Come!

(July 20, 2005)
Japan has become the first team in the world to qualify for the 2006 FIFA World Cup, which will be held next June and July in Germany. Many Japanese were glued to their TVs on June 8 for the decisive qualifying game, and there was widespread joy at the team's achievement.

Big in China

(June 24, 2005)
On June 5, 2005, Japanese table tennis prodigy Fukuhara Ai, 16, made her debut in China's Super League, where the sport's elite players compete.

Three Cheers for the Champions!

(May 30, 2005)
In April a Japanese cheer and dance team won the Chick-fil-A Cheer & Dance Collegiate Championship in the United States.

Playing Host Again

(May 12, 2005)
Japan is in the running to host the seventh Rugby World Cup in 2011. Having formed a bid committee in October 2004, the Japan Rugby Football Union submitted a notification of official candidacy to the International Rugby Board in January 2005.