Bad Girls on the Block | Fashion | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
They're cute, they're sexy, and they toy with men's hearts. They're koakuma ("little devils") and they represent a female archetype that has been around for as long as there have been men's hearts to toy with.

Music That Comes When You Call | Science and Technology | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
There is now a robot that will come over to you and play music with just the push of a button on a remote control.

Girls Want Curls | Fashion | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Curly hair is back in style. Women from their teens through thirties are styling their tresses in big, soft waves an effort to duplicate the cute, feminine hairdos currently featured in the fashion magazines, including on popular model Ebihara Yuri.

Dream Matchup | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
A number of Japanese baseball players have used the posting system this off-season to go to the Major Leagues. This coming baseball season in the United States will allow fans to see some dream match-ups among Japanese stars.

Ice Dreams | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
The National Hockey League now has its first-ever Japanese player. Goalie Fukufuji Yutaka, 24, who was promoted to the flagship team by the Los Angeles Kings organization, made his debut during a game against the St. Louis Blues.

Born To Run | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
On February 18, 2007, the inaugural Tokyo Marathon was held, with the course taking runners past such famous landmarks as the Imperial Palace, Ginza, and Asakusa. This was a major event that attracted nearly 30,000 participants.

Valentine's Victory | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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."

Skating into the Record Books | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Sumo's Answer To Beckham | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

Let the Games Begin! | Sports | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
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.

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.