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JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK | World Judo Championships: Comprehensive Success for Japan
In Budapest, Japan judo squad members collected six gold medals, including Uta Abe's fourth world title. Five Japanese judoka won their first world titles.
Individual success and stellar across-the-board results highlighted Japan's overall performance at the 2025 World Judo Championships. The competition wrapped up on Friday, June 20, in Budapest.
Japan finished No 1 on the medal table with 15 (six gold, four silver, five bronze), collecting more medals than the second- and third-place teams combined. The International Judo Federation squad, composed of Russians, and Georgia had five medals apiece, with the former placing second with three gold medals and the latter winning two.
Russian judoka competed as International Judo Federation athletes due to continuing sanctions imposed on the country following its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
At the 2024 World Judo Championships, held in May, just weeks before the Paris Olympics, Japan amassed 10 medals, including four gold, in Dubai. A number of top judoka, including four-time world champion Hifumi Abe, skipped the tournament ― avoiding the risk of injury before the Olympics was one factor.
At the 2023 World Judo Championships, Japan claimed 11 medals (five gold, two silver and four bronze) in Doha.
Tone-Setting Performance for Japan
Japan's Ryuju Nagayama captured the world title in the men's 60-kg division on Friday, June 13, the opening day of the 2025 global meet.
The veteran judoka, who turned 29 in April, was a runner-up in the same weight class at the world championships in 2018 and '19.
This time, Nagayama won his first gold at the world championships. He went 5-0 en route to the title, capping off his impressive day with a convincing win by ippon over France's Romain Valadier-Picard.
"I finally became a champion," Nagayama was quoted as saying by Kyodo News before adding, "I wasn't in good form, but I managed to fight calmly."
Nagayama insisted he has bigger objectives after becoming the world champion.
"This isn't my goal," the Hokkaido Prefecture native said. "I only think about winning gold at the Los Angeles Olympics and will work hard toward the next tournament."
Other First-Time Winners at the World Judo Championships
Also collecting their first individual world titles for Japan at the Laszlo Papp Budapest Sports Arena were Takeshi Takeoka (men's 66-kg division), Sanshiro Murao (men's 90 kg), Haruka Kaju (women's 63 kg) and Shiho Tanaka (women's 70 kg).
Takeoka, who is 26, feels a sense of duty moving forward to be a strong competitor.
"Other athletes will be studying me because of this result, so I need to keep improving and not get complacent," Takeoka said, according to Kyodo News.
In the under 90-kg weight class final, Murao faced compatriot Goki Kajima, who entered the tourney as the defending world champ. The all-Japan final went into overtime, with Murao securing the win by capitalizing on Kajima's passivity (three shido penalty violations).
Murao, the 2024 Olympic silver medalist, shared his exhilaration in an Instagram post after winning the world title.
"Thank you so much for all your support and encouragement," wrote Murao. "I have achieved my goal since I was a little kid, and I feel happy that I have believed in myself and made it this far."
He added, "I will do my best again to reach even higher and stronger."
A Fifth World Title for Uta Abe
Uta Abe returned to the world championships for the first time in two years, and her performance concluded with a familiar sight. The Kobe native was awarded the gold medal in the women's 52-kg division for the fifth time on Saturday, June 14.
Abe defeated Kazakhstan's Distria Krasniqi, the 2024 Olympic silver medalist, by ippon in the final minute of their title match. Aggressive tactics paid off for Abe, who suffered a shock defeat in the second round at the Paris Games and fell short of her goal of defending her Olympic title in France.
"It took me a long time to want to be on the world championships stage," Uta Abe said, according to Jiji Press, describing her emotional state after losing in Paris. She called it "a very difficult year."
In Budapest, she lived up to the challenge and vanquished all of her foes.
"I was able to do it without feeling fear," Uta Abe told reporters.
Highlighting her focus in the title match, she added, "My plan today was to do my own judo and no matter who I would meet, the only goal was to win."
Hifumi Abe Loses Title Bid
Also on June 14, two-time Olympic gold medalist Hifumi Abe, Uta's older brother, was knocked out of title contention with an upset loss to Tajikistan's Obid Dzhebov in the 66-kg quarterfinals.
It was his first loss in an individual event against an international opponent since 2019. To his credit, Hifumi Abe bounced back with two wins to secure a bronze medal.
Like Nagayama, Hifumi Abe viewed the Budapest competition as a building block for a future marquee event.
"I think I get stronger by getting beaten," Abe said, according to Kyodo News. "Looking ahead to the Los Angeles Olympics, I don't want to waste this defeat."
The four-time world champion continued: "It was positive that I managed to compete at the worlds less than a year after the Paris Olympics."
Japan had to settle for bronze in the mixed team event after losing 4-2 to Georgia in the semifinals on Saturday, June 20. Then, in a third-place match, Japan swept Brazil, winning 4-0. Georgia outlasted South Korea to win the gold, and Germany triumphed over Italy for the other bronze.
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- [ODDS and EVENS] Judoka Uta Abe Excels in Comeback at the Baku Grand Slam
Baseball
Mariners Launch Fan Campaign to Honor Ichiro
The Seattle Mariners have started a social media campaign to collect baseball fans' stories about Ichiro Suzuki.
This initiative was launched just weeks before his induction into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York.
The Mariners, for whom Ichiro played during the majority of his 19-season MLB career, are collecting fans' insights about the legendary outfielder.
An announcement was made on the team's social media platforms on Thursday, June 19.
"Here's your chance to tell us what Ichiro means to you," the team posted on its Instagram account.
"We're inviting you to share your stories about Ichiro — send us a letter, leave a voicemail or submit video for the chance to be featured in a Mariners video."
Check out full details at Mariners.com/DearIchiro.
The Baseball Hall of Fame enshrinement ceremony will be held on July 27.
In other MLB news, Los Angeles Dodgers starter Roki Sasaki, was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Friday. He's sidelined with a right shoulder injury, though he resumed throwing from 60 to 90 feet during a team workout on Friday, The Associated Press reported.
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Fighters' Kitayama Loses No-Hit Bid in 9th
Hokkaido Nipponham Fighters right-hander Koki Kitayama took a no-hitter into the ninth inning against the Yomiuri Giants on Thursday, June 19.
The Giants' Takumi Oshiro slugged a solo home run to right, his third of the year, with one out in the ninth to spoil Kitayama's no-hit bid in the interleague game at Tokyo Dome. Oshiro connected on a 1-2 forkball.
Kitayama (5-2) then retired the final two batters to wrap up his complete-game effort, leading the Fighters to a 4-1 victory. He fanned five batters and walked one in his 122-pitch outing.
"It was a precious experience," Kitayama said after the game, according to Kyodo News. "Not managing to achieve it (a no-hitter) means I'm still weak in some aspects, and I'll keep setting the bar high to eventually accomplish it one day."
Basketball
B.League Announces All-Star Game Sites for 2027, 2028
The B.League's annual All-Star Game is set to be held at two of the newest basketball arenas in the nation in 2027 and '28.
Nagoya will host the 2027 event at IG Arena (which opens in July 2025), followed by Glion Arena Kobe (in Kobe, the venue opened this April) in 2028.
An announcement was made on Thursday, June 19.
Nagasaki's Happiness Arena is the site for the 2026 B.League All-Star Game.
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Handball
High-Profile Danish Mentor Named Japan's New Women's Coach
Well-traveled coach Morten Soubak has accepted an offer to lead the Japan women's handball national team.
The 60-year-old Dane was introduced as the team's new head coach on Wednesday, June 18 in Tokyo.
Soubak, whose new contract runs through the end of the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, has had handball coaching jobs in Denmark, Brazil, Austria, Angola, Romania and Saudi Arabia.
During his successful tenure as the Brazil women's national squad head coach (2009-16), the team won the 2013 Women's World Handball Championship title in Serbia.
Japan finished 12th among 24 teams in the women's tourney at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and placed 17th among 32 nations at the 2023 world championships.
In his new job, Soubak aims to help bolster Team Japan.
"First of all, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to the Japan Handball Association for the great trust you have placed in me," he told a news conference on Wednesday. "I am very proud to have been given the opportunity to lead Japan's women's national team, the best in the country. [And] I am looking forward to making this team stronger and better than ever."
Soubak then said, "I have often had the opportunity to compete against the Japanese national team in the past while leading the Brazilian and Angolan national teams. Especially in recent years, I have seen how the Japanese team fights, and I feel strongly that I want to be a part of this team."
Boxing
Norman KOs Sasaki in WBO Welterweight Title Bout
WBO welterweight champion Brian Norman Jr retained his title with a fifth-round knockout of Japanese challenger Jin Sasaki on Thursday, June 19 at Ota City General Gymnasium in Tokyo.
Norman (28-0, 22 knockouts) delivered the knockout blow with a devastating left hook.
The 23-year-old Sasaki fell to 19-2-1 with 17 KOs.
A native of Hachioji, a western suburb of Tokyo, Sasaki had won his previous seven bouts.
Attempting to become the first Japanese to win a world title in the welterweight division, Sasaki was dropped to the canvas twice in the opening round.
Norman's power punches dictated the fight.
"It was a wonderful fight," Norman told reporters after his second successful title defense. "I had a great opponent in front of me. You all seen he got heart. That boy is not a slouch at all. I give nothing but props to him."
The San Antonio native added, "I love ya'll over here in Japan, [and] I'd gladly come back."
Norman proudly declared that he was well prepared to face Sasaki.
"I knew whatever he was bringing to the table, I'm a champion for a reason," he said. "As you saw, I showed that."
Author: Ed Odeven
Find Ed on JAPAN Forward's dedicated website, SportsLook. Follow his [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.