Trainer to the Champs | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

The Arakawa Effect | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Dreaming of Germany | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Keeping Mountains Clean | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
A climbing team led by alpinist Noguchi Ken recently completed a one-month cleaning expedition on Nepal's Mt. Manaslu (elevation 8,163 meters).

Grappling for the Top Spot | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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).

600 Million Yen Baby | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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).

Capital Bid | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Tokyo has won the race to become Japan's candidate to host the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. Tokyo will now be vying with other candidate cities around the world in the hope of hosting the Olympics for the second time, following the highly successful 1964 Summer Games.

Clothes that Keep You Fit | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Strength In Numbers | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

League Without Borders | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Good news for ice hockey fans in Asia: A full-fledged Asian ice hockey league has been inaugurated for the current hockey season. Eight participating teams from four Far Eastern countries - Japan, China, South Korea, and Russia - will battle against one another atop the ice.

Dreaming of J. League Glory | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
The J. League, Japan's professional soccer league, will expand to 30 clubs for its 2005 season, a three-fold increase from the 10 clubs that began the inaugural 1993 season.

Queens of Golf | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
The first Women's World Cup golf tournament, an international team event, was won by the Japanese duo of Miyazato Ai, 19, and Kitada Rui, 23.

Taking Baseball to Africa | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Several Japanese pioneers are fostering international exchange with African countries through the medium of baseball.

Playing Host Again | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Three Cheers for the Champions! | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
In April a Japanese cheer and dance team won the Chick-fil-A Cheer & Dance Collegiate Championship in the United States.

Big in China | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Germany, Here We Come! | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Saying Yes to Yoga | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Walking to Fitness | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Pelvic Exercise | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.