"popularity since the founding of the Japan Professional Football League in 1992. Other popular sports include figure skating, rugby union, golf and racing, especially auto racing. Sumo shows an important side of traditional Japanese sport, a religious occasion as well as a sporting event. Many sumo rituals are closely associated with Shinto belief. It is believed that some ancient sumo matches were purely religious events with predetermined outcomes as an offering to kami, with some matches regarded as divination - e.g. if a well-liked fisherman competed and won, a good catch was predicted for the year. The Kamakura period was"
"The country gained the hosting rights for the official Women's Volleyball World Championship on five occasions (1967, 1998, 2006, 2010, 2018), more than any other nation. Japan is the most successful Asian Rugby Union country, winning the Asian Five Nations a record 6 times and winning the newly formed IRB Pacific Nations Cup in 2011. Japan will host the 2019 IRB Rugby World Cup. Baseball is currently the most popular spectator sport in the country. Japan's top professional league, now known as Nippon Professional Baseball, was established in 1936 and is widely considered to be the highest level of professional"
"sports in the country at grassroots level. Currently the Japan Cricket Association is popularising the game with the help of the popularity of baseball, which has significant similarities to cricket. It is an associate member of the International Cricket Council. Ice hockey is a minor sport but growing in popularity. Currently, 4 Japanese teams compete in the Asia League Ice Hockey. Rugby union is a moderately popular sport in Japan. The Japanese national rugby union team, controlled by the Japan Rugby Football Union, has been to every Rugby World Cup since 1987. The country will host the Rugby World Cup"
"Kyoto, and Hadaka in Okayama. Traditionally, sumo is considered Japan's national sport. Japanese martial arts such as judo, karate and kendo are also widely practiced and enjoyed by spectators in the country. After the Meiji Restoration, many Western sports were introduced in Japan and began to spread through the education system. Japan hosted the Summer Olympics in Tokyo in 1964 and the Winter Olympics in Sapporo in 1972 and Nagano in 1998. Further, the country hosted the official 2006 Basketball World Championship. Tokyo will host the 2020 Summer Olympics, making Tokyo the first Asian city to host the Olympics twice."
"National Sports Festival of Japan The is the national premier sports event of Japan. It consists of three stages. The skating and ice hockey stage takes place in January, the skiing stage takes place in February, and the main Autumn tournament takes place in September and October. Its name is often abbreviated to Kokutai (国体). The predecessor to the tournament was the Meiji Shrine tournament held from 1924 until 1943, a period including the Pacific War. Since then there was a Summer tournament that focused on swimming, and an Autumn tournament that focused on track-and-field; however from the 61st tournament"
"a women's league, with more than 500 registered players around the country competing in league competition and other games. Some 83 per cent of the registered players are Japanese nationals. The governing body for the sport in Japan is AFL Japan The national team is the Samurai Australian rules football in Japan Australian rules football in Japan is a growing team sport which dates back to 1910, but found its roots in the late 1980s mainly due to the influence of Australian Football appearing on Japanese television. Japan competes regularly at international level and Japan's national team has defeated amateur"
"Japan national football team The represents Japan in association football and is operated by the Japan Football Association (JFA), the governing body for football in Japan. The current head coach is former footballer and current coach of the Japan national under-23 football team: Hajime Moriyasu. Japan is one of the most successful teams in Asia, having qualified for the last six consecutive FIFA World Cups with second round advancements in 2002, 2010, and 2018, and having won the AFC Asian Cup a record four times, in 1992, 2000, 2004 and 2011. The team has also finished second in the 2001"
"Japan national basketball team The Japanese national basketball team is administered by the Japan Basketball Association (JBA). (Japanese: 日本バスケットボール協会) A 1936 founding member of FIBA Asia, Japan has one of Asia's longest basketball traditions. Japan has one of the most successful basketball teams in Asia. It has won the Asian Basketball Championships twice and is the second leading nation in qualifications to the event. The team qualified for the Olympic Games six times and for the FIBA World Cup four times. Japan has traditionally brought forth several of Asia's elite basketball players who competed in the NBA and in Europe."
"national team has enjoyed major success at the World Cup, winning the 2011 edition in Germany and finishing as runner-up in the 2015 edition in Canada. The national team's colors are blue and white, Japan's main colors in most international sporting competitions. Especially since the emergence of Yuta Tabuse and Takuya Kawamura, basketball has received a recent revival and become a popular sport in Japan. The Japan national basketball team won the FIBA Asia Championship twice and has qualified for the event 25 out of 26 times. Japan was host to the 2006 FIBA World Championship which was played in"
"is also one of the four main forms of amateur competitive wrestling practiced internationally today. Keirin racing has also become an Olympic Games event since the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Motorsport has become quite popular in Japan especially during the latter third of the 20th century. Japanese car manufacturers use the many a relatively new form of motorsport that is distinctly Japanese and is now being exported abroad. The most popular professional sports in Japan are baseball, Association football, golf, tennis and sumo wrestling. Note that most practitioners in the martial arts are not professional, but played by amateurs."
"the 1930s, the Japan national football team was organized and drew 3-3 with China to win their first title at the Far Eastern Championship Games. The Japan national team also competed in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, the team had a first victory in an Olympic game with a 3 - 2 win over powerful Sweden. The Japanese national football team is very successful at an international level, and has competed in the 1998, 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014, and 2018 FIFA World Cups. Their best result was Round 2 in 2002, 2010 and 2018. The Japanese national team has also"
"resounding defeats to the Republic of China and the Philippines. Nevertheless, the game was promoted in Japanese schools in the 1920s. The Japan Football Association was formed in 1921, and Japan joined FIFA in May 1929. Japan's first ""true"" national team (as opposed to a university team chosen to represent the country) was fielded at the 1930 Far Eastern Championship Games, and drew with China for the championship title. Shigeyoshi Suzuki coached the national team to its first Olympic appearance at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin. Japan was an entrant for the 1938 FIFA World Cup qualification, but withdrew"
"and ping pong are the most popular sports in Japan. Association football gained prominence in Japan after the J League (Japan Professional Football League) was established in 1991. Japan also co-hosted the 2002 FIFA World Cup. In addition, there are many semi-professional organizations, which are sponsored by private companies: for example, volleyball, basketball, rugby union, table tennis, and so on. Japanese popular culture not only reflects the attitudes and concerns of the present day, but also provides a link to the past. Popular films, television programs, manga, music, anime and video games all developed from older artistic and literary traditions,"
"""As of 27 August 2016"" Japan men's national ice hockey team The Japanese national ice hockey team ( ""Aisuhokkē Danshi Nippon Daihyō"") is the national men's ice hockey of Japan. They are controlled by the Japan Ice Hockey Federation and a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). Japan is currently ranked 23rd in the rankings and currently compete in the IIHF World Championship Division I. They have competed in eight Olympic Games competitions. ""Note: Years in Bold denote participation in the top-level tournament"" Roster for the 2018 IIHF World Championship Division I Group B. Head coach: Yuji Iwamoto"
"universities and high schools especially in Tokyo. In 1930, the Japan national association football team was organized and had a 3–3 tie with China for their first title at the Far Eastern Championship Games. Japan national team also participated in the 1936 Berlin Olympic Games, the team had a first victory in an Olympic game with a 3–2 win over powerful Sweden. Aside from the national cup, the Emperor's Cup established in 1921, there had been several attempts at creating a senior-level national championship. The first was the All Japan Works Football Championship (AJWFC), established in 1948 and open only"
"All Japan Ice hockey Championship has been held, in which four teams compete. It has been held annually since the 1930s and is one of the oldest sporting competitions in the country. A women’s counterpart has been held since 1982. Japan has men’s, women’s and junior national teams. The Japan women's national team qualified for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi and the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea. Ice hockey in Japan Ice hockey is a minor sport that is gaining popularity in Japan. Baseball and football (soccer) have dominated Japanese sports for decades, but ice hockey has"
"Japan women's national football team The Japan women's national football team, or Nadeshiko Japan (なでしこジャパン), represents Japan in association football and is run by the Japan Football Association (JFA). It is the most successful women's national team from the Asian Football Confederation. Its highest ranking in the FIFA Women's World Rankings is 3rd (December 2011). The team were champions in the 2008 and 2010 EAFF Women's Football Championships, and won the gold medal in the 2010 Asian Games. Japan defeated the United States in the 2011 FIFA Women's World Cup Final, thus claiming their first FIFA Women's World Cup title,"
"Ice hockey in Japan Ice hockey is a minor sport that is gaining popularity in Japan. Baseball and football (soccer) have dominated Japanese sports for decades, but ice hockey has been less popular in Japan since its founding in the 1920s. It is governed by the Japan Ice Hockey Federation The Japan Ice Hockey League (JIHL) was the national league in the country from 1966-2004, when it folded in favor of the international Asia League. Only Japanese teams were allowed to compete, and there were only six teams at any time in the league. Since 1933, a cup competition, the"
"of kit providers for the Japan national volleyball team. Primary sponsors include: main sponsors like Shiseido other sponsors: Japanet, Molten, All Nippon Airways, Suntory, JTEKT, Nisshin Steel, Nippon Life, Marudai, Mizuno, Meiji Seika, Descente, Mikasa and Hisamitsu Pharmaceutical. Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium and Yoyogi National Gymnasium Japan national team training and hosting venues. Japan's matches and friendlies are currently televised by Nippon TV, GAORA and NHK. Japan men's national volleyball team The Japan men's national volleyball team represents Japan in international volleyball competitions and friendly matches. Japan won a bronze medal at the Tokyo 1964 Olympic Games, followed by silver at"
"major international competition, the 1936 Summer Olympics. When Japan was coached by Kenzo Yokoyama (1988–1992) the kits were red and white, matching the colors of Japan's national flag. After failures at 1990 FIFA World Cup and 1992 Summer Olympics qualifications, the red shirt was scrapped. In the 2013 Confederations Cup and the 2015 AFC Asian Cup, Japan temporarily switched the colour of the numbers from white to gold. Japan's kit is provided by German company Adidas, the team's exclusive kit supplier since April 1999. Before that, Asics and Puma had been the team's official apparel sponsor alongside Adidas. The current"
"of Racing (NAR). Between them they conduct more than 21,000 horse races a year. The JRA is responsible for 'Chuo Keiba' (meaning 'central horse racing'), taking place on the ten main Japanese tracks. The NAR, meanwhile, is responsible for 'Chihou Keiba' (meaning 'local horse racing'). Racing in Japan is mainly flat racing, but Japan also has jump racing and a sled-pulling race known as Ban'ei (also called Draft Racing). Japan's top stakes races are run in the spring, autumn, and winter. These include the country's most prominent race - the Grade 1 Japan Cup, a 2,400 m (about 1½ mile)"
"Football in Japan Association football is the second most popular sport in Japan, after Baseball. Its nationwide organization, Japan Football Association, administers the professional football league, J. League, which is the most successful association football league in Asia. Although the official English name of the Japan Football Association uses the term ""football"", the term ""sakkā"" (サッカー), derived from ""soccer"", is much more commonly used than ""futtobōru"" (フットボール). The JFA's Japanese name is ""Nippon Sakkā Kyōkai"". Before World War II the term in general use was ""shūkyū"" (蹴球, ""kick-ball""), a Sino-Japanese term. With previously exclusive Japanese terms replaced by American influence"
"Japan women's national softball team The Japan women's national softball team is the national team of Japan in international softball competitions. It is governed by the Japan Softball Association. They are currently ranked #1 in the world by the International Softball Federation. In four Olympic Games, since 1996 until 2008, Japan has won one gold medal, a silver medal and a bronze medal. In the top four nations at the Olympics, Japan is the second most successful national team (winning three medals), following the United States (four medals, three gold and a silver), and beating out Australia (also four medals"
"Japan national Australian rules football team The Japanese national Australian rules football team represent Japan in Australian rules football. The team represents the best Japanese-born players and is selected by AFL Japan from domestic competitions which have been running since 1987. Since its inception, the team has been nicknamed the ""Samurai"". The team wears the national colours of Japan: red, white and also black; however there has been several design variations in the team's jumper, including a clash strip used when playing teams like Canada. For the 2005 International Cup, the side wore the colours in a vertical pattern (similar"
"psychology and presentation are significantly different. Matches in Japan are treated as legitimate fights, with stories based on a fighter's spirit and perseverance. Also, because many Japanese wrestlers have legitimate backgrounds in one or more martial arts disciplines, full contact striking and shoot submission holds are commonplace. Japan men's national volleyball team and Japan women's national volleyball team. In the 2009–10 season all four reigning World Champion singles skaters were from Japan. Figure skating events in Japan are well attended and TV broadcasts attract a large audience. The major surge in its popularity has come mainly within the past decade"
"of which play at Ajinomoto Stadium in Chōfu. Tokyo hosted the 1964 Summer Olympics. National Stadium, also known as Olympic Stadium, Tokyo is host to a number of international sporting events. With a number of world-class sports venues, Tokyo often hosts national and international sporting events such as tennis tournaments, swim meets, marathons, American futbol exhibition games, judo, and karate. In 2013, Tokyo was announced as the host of the 2020 Summer Olympics. Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium, in Sendagaya, Shibuya, is a large sports complex that includes pools, training rooms, and a large indoor arena. Tokyo hosted the official 1967 Women's"
"the host cities of Hamamatsu, Hiroshima, Saitama, Sapporo and Sendai and on 09 December 2017, Japan was announced as co-host the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup with Philippines and Indonesia some matches will be in host city of Okinawa City. The prime basketball league in the country is the B.League. In 2010 the Japan Basketball Association recognized Takehiko Inoue, the creator of Slam Dunk, for the series' role in popularizing the sport in Japan as part of its 80th anniversary celebrations. The Japanese national handball teams are controlled by the Japan Handball Association. Cricket is one of the fastest growing"
"Japan national cricket team The Japan national cricket team is the team that represents the country of Japan in international cricket. The team is organised by the Japan Cricket Association (JCA), which has been a member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) since 1989. Japan made its international debut at the 1996 ACC Trophy in Malaysia. Most of the team's matches come in regional competitions, generally against other teams in the ICC East Asia-Pacific development region. Between 2008 and 2012, Japan participated in the World Cricket League (WCL), reaching WCL Division Five at one point. In April 2018, the ICC"
"the host nation. Japan women's volleyball team automatically qualified for the Olympics as the host nation. Japan men's water polo team automatically qualified for the Olympics as the host nation. Japan women's water polo team automatically qualified for the Olympics as the host nation. Japan at the 2020 Summer Olympics Japan will be the host nation of the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo from 24 July to 9 August 2020. Since the nation's official debut in 1912, Japanese athletes had appeared at every Summer Olympic Games in the modern era, except for two editions; they were not invited to the"
"half that included 2 interceptions and 29-yd field goal block eventually lost to the United States 18-43. In their 2nd match, Japan defeated Mexico 35-7 with a strong effort on offense and defense. The win ensured the Japanese a rematch with the United States for the Gold Medal. Team Japan would lose to the United States 12-59 in what is the national team's largest loss in history. Japan national American football team The Japan national American football team represents Japan in international American football competitions. The team is controlled by the Japan American Football Association, and has been one of"
"Japan men's national ice hockey team The Japanese national ice hockey team ( ""Aisuhokkē Danshi Nippon Daihyō"") is the national men's ice hockey of Japan. They are controlled by the Japan Ice Hockey Federation and a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF). Japan is currently ranked 23rd in the rankings and currently compete in the IIHF World Championship Division I. They have competed in eight Olympic Games competitions. ""Note: Years in Bold denote participation in the top-level tournament"" Roster for the 2018 IIHF World Championship Division I Group B. Head coach: Yuji Iwamoto ""As of November 12, 2017"""
"Japan national rugby league team The Japan national rugby league team, nicknamed the Samurais, represents Japan in rugby league football. Japan have played some international competition since 1994. A regular domestic amateur competition has not been held in Japan for several years (the first domestic competition kicked off in 1998). Rugby league was founded in Japan in 1993 by former Australian first grade player, Max Mannix, who had played for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and the Illawarra Steelers in Australia. While living in Japan, Mannix contacted the Australian Rugby League and requested entry into the 1994 Rugby League World Sevens, which"
"Japan national rugby union team The Japan national rugby union team (often known as the Cherry Blossoms and more recently The Brave Blossoms) represent Japan in international rugby union. Japan is traditionally the strongest rugby union power in Asia and has enjoyed and endured mixed results against non-Asian teams over the years. Rugby union in Japan is administered by the Japan Rugby Football Union (JRFU), which was founded in 1926. They compete annually in the Pacific Nations Cup and the Asia Rugby Championship. They have also participated in every Rugby World Cup since the tournament began in 1987. Rugby was"