![[JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] Koji Murofushi Steps Into Top Job at Japan Sports Agency](http://two4hours.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/09/Koji-Murofushi-003-1024x716.jpg)
Koji Murofushi, the departing sports activities director for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics, has acquired huge duties as the brand new head of the Japan Sports activities Company, the nation’s governing physique for sports activities.
The nationwide authorities on Friday, September 11, appointed Murofushi 45, to function the JSA’s subsequent commissioner. He replaces ex-swimmer Daichi Suzuki, who held the place for the previous 5 years.
Suzuki’s contract concludes on the finish of September.
Whereas Murofushi’s Tokyo 2020 job is ending, a brand new problem awaits.
“I do know that Mr. Murofushi will show a reliable companion on the helm of Japanese sports activities administration as we work collectively towards the success of the Tokyo 2020 Video games,” Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori stated in a press release.
Murofushi is a well known determine within the Japanese sports activities world from a household of athletes. He’s a four-time Olympian hammer thrower who nabbed the 2004 Athens Video games gold, and the bronze on the 2012 London Video games.
In recent times, Murofushi, who has a PhD in sports activities biomechanics, has labored as a professor and chief of the Sports activities Science Heart at Tokyo Medical and Dental College, whereas additionally serving on the Japanese Olympic Committee board.
The Japan Sports activities Company beforehand existed as a smaller operation. It was often called the Sports activities and Youth Bureau beneath the Ministry of Training, Tradition, Sports activities, Science and Know-how’s organizational cost earlier than being rebranded as a separate authorities entity in October 2015.
Certainly, Murofushi is kind of accustomed to the management panorama of Japanese sports activities. Making ready for the Tokyo Video games—earlier than and after the delayed begin in July 2021—he’s been round and part of huge selections.
Briefly, he seems to be Suzuki’s logical successor.
Baseball
Hara Surpasses Kawakami as Giants’ All-Time Winningest Supervisor
The title-chasing Yomiuri Giants chalked up one other victory on Friday, September 11, and supervisor Tatsunori Hara recorded one other milestone because the dugout boss.
The Giants’ 2-1 victory over the Tokyo Yakult Swallows was Hara’s 1,067th regular-season win on the helm, giving him yet one more than legendary skipper Tetsuharu Kawakami, who led the crew from 1961-74. Ex-teammate Sadaharu Oh, baseball’s all-time home-run king, appeared on a congratulatory video after the sport.
Hara is in his third stint in command of NPB’s most storied franchise, having returned to the high-pressure job earlier than the 2019 season.
Kawakami guided the Giants to 11 Japan Collection titles, together with 9 straight from 1965-73.
This 12 months’s Giants have the document document in NPB (43 wins, 22 losses, 4 ties) by means of September 11.
Akiyama Adjusts to MLB Pitchers
Cincinnati Reds outfielder Shogo Akiyama is paid to get hits and to get on base as usually as potential.
On-base proportion is one statistic that offers a fairly good indication of a hitter’s tendencies, together with if he attracts walks—that’s, will get on base persistently by making a pitcher pay for throwing too many balls.
By way of September 10, Akiyama had a strong .483 on-base proportion in his previous 10 video games. This included eight hits and 5 walks in 29 plate appearances.
Akiyama, who’s in his first season with the Reds after a protracted, productive profession with NPB’s Saitama Seibu Lions, had a pair of hits in back-to-back video games earlier this week in opposition to the Chicago Cubs.
In a 3-0 loss on Tuesday, September 8, he went 2-for-4 with a stroll. A day later, he completed with two hits in 4 at-bats in a 3-0 victory.
In analyzing his hitting this season, the Cincinnati Enquirer famous that the 32-year-old “labored on bettering in opposition to fastballs on the high of the strike zone. That was a weak point for him at the beginning of the season.”
Akiyama elaborated on that time in feedback revealed by the Ohio newspaper.
“I’m actually specializing in not attempting to floor out each time, however within the first half of the season, I used to be getting beat and swinging-and-missing on excessive fastballs,” Akiyama was quoted as saying. “I used to be attempting to swing from the highest a little bit bit, however, due to that, it was simpler to hit the ball into the bottom.”
He continued: “I didn’t actually know if swinging and lacking on excessive balls was on account of my bat pace, or not with the ability to perceive the highest of the strike zone.”
RELATED COVERAGE: [JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK] MLB Rookie Shogo Akiyama Prepares for Season Despite Unknown
Darvish Win Streak Ends
Chicago Cubs hurler Yu Darvish’s seven-game profitable streak got here to an finish on Wednesday, September 9.
Darvish (7-2) allowed a three-run homer to Mike Moustakas with two outs within the first inning of a 3-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds at Wrigley Subject. He pitched six innings, placing out 9 and strolling three.
NPB Batting Leaders
Masataka Yoshida of the Orix Buffaloes leads NPB in batting with a .363 common by means of September 11, with 93 hits in 256 at-bats.
Amongst Central League batters, Yokohama DeNA BayStars standout Keita Sano is No. 1, hitting at a .350 clip (97-for-277).
Boxing
Inoue-Maloney Title Struggle Set for October 31
Bantamweight champion Naoya Inoue is scheduled to defend his IBF and WBA titles in opposition to Australian Jason Moloney on October 31 in Las Vegas, it was introduced on Wednesday, September 9.
Inoue (19-0, 16 knockouts) will probably be making his U.S. debut on the MGM Grand Convention Heart on Halloween. The extremely anticipated bout will probably be held behind closed doorways.
The favored 27-year-old fighter, who’s often called “The Monster,” beforehand captured the WBC mild flyweight and WBO tremendous flyweight titles.
In a web based information convention on the day that the battle was introduced, Inoue stated he desires to entertain boxing followers who watch the battle away from the venue.
“I need to placed on a battle that will get the folks watching on video pumped up,” Inoue informed reporters, in line with Kyodo Information. “The catch is there received’t be a crowd. Whether or not I finish it decisively or not, I need to battle with nice expectations.”
Moloney, who’s 21-1 with 18 KOs as a professional, stated he’s assured that he can defeat Inoue.
“I feel Inoue is a good fighter and proper now the No. 1 bantamweight on this planet and doubtless pound-for-pound high 5,” the 29-year-old Moloney was quoted as saying by BoxingScene.com.
He’s very explosive and has plenty of energy, however I additionally see him as one other man with two arms and two legs.
I feel each fighter has weaknesses and each fighter could be overwhelmed. I imagine that I’ve what it takes to beat Inoue and that is my huge alternative to show it.
Inoue expects punching energy to be a key issue within the battle’s outcomes.
“Moloney has stamina, and if we get tousled within the second half of the battle it’s going to show right into a psychological battle,” Inoue stated.
However he stated he’ll be able to rumble.
“I’ll be in excellent situation (for the battle),” he predicted.
Soccer
Ladies’s World Cup Winner Nagasato Joins Males’s Novice Staff
Veteran ahead Yuki Nagasato, who competed for Nadeshiko Japan on the 2011 Ladies’s World Cup, has finalized a deal to play for the Kanagawa Prefecture League’s Hayabusa Eleven, a males’s novice crew.
The deal, which was introduced on Thursday, September 10, has generated consideration inside the world soccer group. In any case, it’s not a typical contractual signing.
Nagasato, 33, has performed for the Chicago Purple Stars of the Nationwide Ladies’s Soccer League since 2017. She earned 132 caps and scored 58 objectives for Japan from 2004-16.
“My efficiency and situation are bettering as I grow old,” stated Nagasato, who glided by her married identify (Ogimi) from 2012-16 earlier than getting divorced, stated at a press convention. “I’m trying ahead to taking up the problem.”
“Actually talking, I don’t know the way nicely I will play on the lads’s crew, however I’ll do my greatest to benefit from my expertise,” she added, in line with The Related Press. “My efficiency and conditioning are getting higher as I get extra skilled.”
ESPN’s Graham Hays famous that Nagasato wouldn’t be the primary girl aiming to play on a males’s semi-pro or professional squad.
“Earlier this 12 months,” he wrote, “the Netherlands FA introduced 19-year-old Ellen Fokkema can be allowed to play for VV Foarut within the home ladder’s ninth tier as a part of a pilot program. Ladies have been beforehand barred from taking part in for Class A groups past the under-19 age group. Present North Carolina Braveness and Canada goalkeeper Stephanie Labbe additionally tried to play for a males’s crew, Calgary Foothills FC, in 2018. She went by means of coaching with the crew however was finally prohibited from persevering with by league guidelines concerning gender.”
Swimming
ISL Reveals New Staff Will Be Known as Tokyo Frog Kings
The Worldwide Swimming League, an upstart circuit with franchise-based groups on three continents, is making preparations for the 2021 season.
The ISL’s second season is slated to begin on October 16 with 10 groups.
The Toronto Titans are one in all two new growth groups.
The opposite? The Tokyo Frog Kings, whose moniker is a tribute to basic supervisor Kosuke Kitajima. He was often called the “Frog King” throughout his ultra-successful swimming profession, which included 4 Olympic breaststroke gold medals.
The Frog Kings have employed longtime former College of Southern California swimming coach Dave Salo to serve in that function.
Sumo
Coronavirus Forces Tamanoi Secure to Skip Autumn Basho
After 19 wrestlers from Tamanoi secure lately examined optimistic for COVID-19, the Japan Sumo Affiliation confirmed on Thursday, September 9 that the secure is not going to take part within the upcoming Autumn Grand Sumo Event.
The secure’s cluster an infection additionally affected juryo wrestler second-division Fujiazuma, the JSA reported.
The 15-day occasion begins on September 12 at Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo.
In associated information, yokozuna rivals Hakuho and Kakuryu, as anticipated, have each withdrawn from the Autumn Basho on account of accidents. The 2 Mongolians additionally pulled out of the July Grand Sumo Event on account of knee and elbow accidents, respectively.
Which suggests ozeki Asanoyama and Takakeisho are anticipated to be the highest title contenders at Ryogoku Kokugikan.
Rugby
Matsushima Seems in French 14 Season Opener
Kotaro Matsushima, a fan favourite on the 2019 Rugby World Cup, introduced his high-speed model of the sport to France for the just-underway season.
In Clermont’s 33-30 victory over defending French High 14 champion Toulouse on September 6, Matsushima displayed his vitality and athleticism within the early going earlier than sustaining a proper thigh damage within the sixteenth minute.
“I had a short while on the bottom at the moment however I performed nicely and placed on a very good present,” Matsushima, who scored 5 tries within the 2019 RWC, informed reporters after the match. “The followers have been cheering like loopy and it’s been plenty of enjoyable taking part in right here,” stated Matsushima, who was instrumental in serving to the Courageous Blossoms attain the Rugby World Cup quarterfinals for the primary time final 12 months.
“I got here into the match in actually good kind. I felt like I performed completely till I received damage,” he added, in line with Kyodo Information.
Basketball
Yudai Baba Travels to Australia, Begins Quarantine Interval
Taking pictures guard Yudai Baba, who has signed a contract to play for Melbourne United, departed Japan on Monday, September 7 to start a 14-day quarantine interval in Australia, LivOn World Sports activities Administration, which represents him, introduced on the identical day.
Baba spent the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons with the Alvark Tokyo. The Toyama native was named MVP of the B. League championship sport in his second season with the squad, then competed for the NBA G League’s Texas Legends in 2019-20.
Australia’s Nationwide Basketball League is tentatively set to start its season in December.
RELATED COVERAGE:
BASKETBALL | Yudai Baba Signs Deal with NBL’s Melbourne United
[ODDS and EVENS] Yudai Baba Plays Waiting Game as Melbourne United Copes With COVID-19 Crisis
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