Category: Osaka

Japan Lifts Entry Restrictions, Attracting Southeast Asian Tourists

As the Japanese government eases travel restrictions, tourists from Hong Kong, Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam, Southeast Asia, and other countries have increased. However, still subject to China’s “zero-COVID” policy, most Chinese still fail to travel abroad. Japan’s borders are now open to independent foreign travelers and Japan has reintroduced visa-free entry. Quarantine and on-arrival testing…


Osaka, Nadal Advance in Australia after Djokovic Flies Home

MELBOURNE, Australia—The first test of Naomi Osaka’s new approach to tennis might have been when she completely whiffed an overhead to give her opponent a break point on Day 1 of the no-Novak Djokovic Australian Open. Osaka didn’t throw her racket. She didn’t roll her eyes. She smiled. “There are situations where I previously would…


Osaka Tops Forbes List of Highest-Earning Female Athletes

Japan’s Naomi Osaka, a four-times Grand Slam tennis champion who has helped raise awareness of mental health issues in sport, is the world’s highest-paid female athlete, according to a list published by business magazine Forbes on Thursday. Osaka raked in $57.3 million in prize money and endorsements over the last year, nearly all of which…


Osaka Pulls out of Melbourne Semi-Final

MELBOURNE—Top-seeded Naomi Osaka pulled out of her Melbourne Summer Set 1 WTA event semi-final against Veronika Kudermetova on Saturday, citing the intensity of recent games as cause for her withdrawal. “Sad to withdraw due to injury from my match today, my body got a shock from playing back to back intense matches after the break…


Death Toll From Suspected Arson at Japanese Clinic Rises to 25: Media

TOKYO—The death toll from a suspected arson attack at a psychiatry clinic in Japan has risen to 25 with the death of a woman believed to be in her 20s, local media reported on Tuesday. A 61-year-old man suspected of starting the fire on Friday in the western city of Osaka and a woman who…


Osaka Arson Suspect Identified, Buildings to Be Checked

TOKYO—Japanese police on Sunday identified a 61-year-old man as a prime suspect behind a fire that engulfed a mental health clinic in an eight-story building where he was a patient, killing 24 people who were trapped inside. The government also announced plans to inspect tens of thousands of similar buildings nationwide. Authorities believe the massive…


Japan Police Search House of Man Linked to Deadly Osaka Fire

OSAKA, Japan—Japanese police on Saturday searched the house of one of the patients at a mental clinic where a fire gutted an entire floor in an eight-story building, killing 24 people trapped inside. An Osaka police investigator told The Associated Press that the man is a possible suspect. A small fire broke out about half…


Japan’s Police Probe Suspected Arson in Osaka That Killed 24 People

Japanese police are investigating a building fire in the city of Osaka’s commercial district for a suspected arson attack, which has killed at least 24 people, with 4 others injured. The local fire department received a report at around 10.20 a.m. on Friday that the fire broke out on the fourth floor of an eight-story…


State Media Release Attributed to Peng Raises WTA Concerns

BEIJING—The head of the women’s professional tennis tour questioned the legitimacy of what Chinese state media said was a retraction by a Grand Slam doubles champion who has accused a former top government official of sexual assault. WTA Chairman and CEO Steve Simon said Wednesday that a statement attributed to Peng Shuai and tweeted out by…


Osaka Reaches 3rd Round of US Open After Opponent Withdraws

NEW YORK—Defending champion Naomi Osaka returned to the third round of the U.S. Open on Wednesday when her opponent withdrew because of illness. Osaka had been scheduled to face Olga Danilovic of Serbia in the first match of the day at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Instead, the U.S. Tennis Association moved the match between women’s No….