What are the most popular sports in Japan? Our Sports section is the place to look!
• Are there any good soccer players in Japan? Recently soccer has become very popular in Japan, and more and more young Japanese are playing soccer at school and with local clubs. Japan’s most famous soccer player is Hidetoshi Nakata, a midfielder who plays for Parma in Italy. He is one of the biggest sports stars in Japan and is also very popular in Italy. Other stars include Shoji Jo, Hiroshi Nanami, and Shinji Ono. • Could we have some information on the Japanese team going to the 2000 Sydney Olympics? There will be 260 Japanese athletes competing at the Sydney Olympics. Among those hotly tipped for medals are the judoka, including Ryoko Tamura. She has won four consecutive world championships. Japan also has a good chance of gold in the women’s marathon, with Naoko Takahashi leading a strong trio of runners. Japan’s baseball team will be vying for a medal with the help of some pro players, including superstar pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka.
