Latest news with #Koyama
29-07-2025
Senior JP Dragon Crime Ring Member Jailed for 42 Months
News from Japan Jul 29, 2025 17:17 (JST) Tokyo, July 29 (Jiji Press)--Tokyo District Court on Tuesday sentenced a senior member of the "JP Dragon" crime ring based in the Philippines to three years and six months in prison for fraud. Tomohiro Koyama, 51, is believed to be the third-highest-ranking member of the ring comprising Japanese nationals. He is a former member of another crime group led by Yuki Watanabe, 41, whose members used the pseudonym Luffy. Watanabe has been charged with robbery resulting in death. Koyama was detained by Philippine authorities and extradited to Japan in November 2024. Presiding Judge Yasushi Fuke said that Koyama's actions were "part of an organized and professional crime and very malicious." "He played an important role so that the whole organization could carry out crimes efficiently," the judge said, noting that Koyama managed ring members as a leader of a team tasked with making scam phone calls to victims. "It must be said that the criminal responsibility is heavy." [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.] Jiji Press
18-07-2025
- Business
How US tariffs on Japan could impact Americans playing Nintendo video games
TOKYO -- For Americans who were eagerly awaiting the release of the Nintendo Switch 2, the delay of U.S. pre-orders for the popular new gaming console this April was one indication of what's to come if President Donald Trump's planned 25% tariffs on all Japanese exports goes into effect on August 1, as he's said it will in his latest letter to the Japanese government on July 7. U.S. pre-orders of Nintendo's next generation gaming console were delayed from April 9 to April 24 because of the impact of potential tariffs from the U.S., the company said at the time. Nintendo moved forward with the planned June 5 launch date of the device in the U.S., selling 3.5 million consoles worldwide in the first four days on the market, but the delay for such a high-demand product suggests consumers could see greater impacts to products from the popular gaming company that are sold in the United States in the near future. 'There will be tariffs imposed on the devices, so definitely there will be impact,' Professor Yusuke Koyama who teaches economics and focuses his research on the gaming and animation industry at Shibaura Institute of Technology in Japan told ABC News. 'If the tariffs are fixed, and it's clear that it's going to be a long-term thing, they are definitely going to have to raise prices,' he on Japanese exports aren't the only issue Nintendo could face in the Trump tariff war, Koyama said. The Nintendo Switch 2 devices are primarily manufactured outside of the U.S. in China and other countries in Southeast Asia. Because of this, the devices will be impacted by the tariffs not only on Japan but on other Asian countries as well, he added. Nintendo previously had most of their devices made in China, but the company began shifting its production sites to other countries in Southeast Asia in 2019, during the first Trump administration, Koyama said. 'It is not an easy thing to move the production sites on the devices,' Koyama said. Japanese electronics companies may have to restructure once they start to feel the impact from the U.S. tariffs, chief economist at the Japanese Dai-ichi Life Research Institute Hideo Kumano told ABC News. 'At the moment, people don't really feel the impact, but recently some electronics companies announced their plans for restructuring,' Kumano told ABC News. 'If such plans are actually executed, then people lose jobs … Such a negative impact might be felt by summer or autumn onwards.' Nintendo has not announced any plans for restructuring publicly at this time, and Nintendo declined ABC News' request for an interview. If a Japanese company does business globally, it will be impacted by the coming tariffs, Kumano added. 'All companies that do business globally will be impacted one way or another,' he said. While Nintendo's gaming consoles and physical products will be impacted, the games consumers can download won't be subject to the new tariffs. While the U.S. consumer downloading ratio compared to purchasing of physical products is already high, Koyama said he could see this area of Nintendo's business expand if the tariffs do cause other prices to increase. 'In the U.S., it already has a high downloading ratio, so I think that trend may just get stronger with this,' Koyama said. 'In Japan, the packages are still more popular.' Despite potential price hikes, Koyama predicts consumers will still purchase Nintendo products and games, because their games are unique compared to their competitors. 'Nintendo is producing games that you cannot find in other PC games or PlayStation games, so that's why the games are very popular,' Koyama said. 'I think the consumers will still buy.' Japanese companies Kumano has spoken with said these tariffs are unlike anything they've seen before. 'I've actually had conversations with people from various companies, and they all say that things were changing so rapidly. This is the first experience for them to be involved in such rapid and dramatic change,' Kumano said.
Time of India
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
'Have not cried this much': One Piece episode 1136 leaves anime fans in tears as Kuma's backstory continues to shock
One Piece episode 1136: Episode 1136 of One Piece has left fans deeply moved, flooding social media with emotional reactions. By shedding more light on Bartholomew Kuma's tragic past, the episode has proven especially heartbreaking for viewers. Beyond the action, this chapter of the story showcases the series' remarkable skill at weaving intense emotion into its narrative. One Piece episode 1136 leaves anime fans in tears Taking to X, fans of the anime said that the makers have done a fantastic job with Kuma's backstory, making it so emotional that they couldn't help but cry. Almost everyone agrees that Kuma did not deserve what he went through. Reacting to the latest episode, fans also shared that they are impressed by how the arc has been executed. One wrote, 'One Piece Episode 1136… mandatory watch. I haven't cried this hard in a while. This episode destroyed me.' Another added, '#OnePiece1136 Amazing direction this episode and an amazing end to the backstory ofc.' A third went on to add, 'One piece #1136 is Unbelievable. Koyama is that guy when it comes to delivering emotional moments. One of my favorite One piece episodes.' One Piece Episode 1136… mandatory watch. I haven't cried this hard in awhile this episode destroyed meEasily Koyama's best work to date, I don't think the Kuma run sequence could've been done more perfectly100/10 cinema idk how he does it One Piece Episode 1136 - 10/10❤️This was able to evoke emotions in me that I didn't know I was capable of, I was crying my eyes out for half the episode and felt like I couldn't breathe, Koyama's direction and the OST was out of this world. I love Kuma and Bonney man 🥹 #onepiece1136Masterclass from Koyama and definitely the best episode of the Kuma Flashback , first half was good but a bit too fast for my liking but the 2nd half made it up for it especially the last 2 minutes. Overall its a great episode but not a perfect 9/10 #ONEPIECE1136 I'm not kidding when I say I cried throughout almost the entire episode, Kuma's thoughts here and his belief in Luffy move me so much 😭❤️❤️❤️❤️ What was One Piece episode 1136 about? In the latest episode, Kuma was shown returning to Egghead Island after visiting Windmill Village on the World Government's orders, ready to complete the last stage of his cyborg transformation. At the same time, Bonney, unable to resist the urge to see her father, embarked on a journey to find him, sailing under the Bonney Pirates' flag. Where to watch One Piece? You can watch One Piece on Crunchyroll. When did One Piece start? One Piece is a long-standing Japanese anime adapted from Eiichiro Oda's manga of the same title. Since its debut in October 1999, it has evolved into one of the world's most renowned and successful anime series.
Japan Forward
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Japan Forward
Steelers Clinch a Spot in the Japan Rugby League One Playoffs
Five of the six playoff berths for Japan's 12-team pro rugby league, which has an 18-round campaign, have been clinched. The regular season wraps up on May 11. Inoke Burua of the Kobelco Kobe Steelers scores a first-half try against the Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars on April 26, 2025, in Higashiosaka, Osaka Prefecture. (©KYODO) The Japan Rugby League One playoff picture is nearly complete. With a 59-33 triumph over the Mitsubishi Sagamihara Dynaboars on Saturday, April 26, the Kobelco Kobe Steelers (9-7) clinched a postseason berth, becoming the fifth team to secure a spot in the six-team playoffs. In the Steelers' high-scoring victory, head coach Dave Rennie's squad chalked up nine tries. Fijian Inoke Burua set the tone for the team with two tries in the early going, giving the Steelers a 12-0 lead in the 13th minute. The Dynaboars trailed 24-7 at halftime at Hanazono Rugby Stadium in Higashiosaka, Osaka Prefecture. The Steelers' Atsushi Hiwasa scores a second-half try. (KYODO) That 17-point cushion gave the Steelers a big boost, though they also outscored the Dynaboars 35-26 in the second half. The League One regular season wraps up on May 11. Before the playoffs kick off, Kobe faces the Yokohama Canon Eagles on Sunday, May 4 and the Shizuoka BlueRevs on May 10. Kobelco Kobe Steelers players wave to the cheering crowd after their playoff-clinching win on April 26 at Hanazono Rugby Stadium. (KYODO) Which teams have already secured spots in the League One playoffs? The Saitama Wild Knights, Kubota Spears and reigning champion Toshiba Brave Lupus Tokyo, all of whom have 13-1-2 records, are playoff-bound, as are the BlueRevs (11-0-4). That leaves one playoff berth still up for grabs. Tokyo Sungoliath (6-2-7, 31 points) and the Eagles (6-0-9, 30 points) are the leading candidates. Masaaki Koyama in a June 1966 file photo. (©SANKEI) Legendary pitcher Masaaki Koyama, a 2001 inductee into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame, passed away on April 18 from heart failure. He was 90. The Hanshin Tigers, for whom he played and coached across five decades, announced his death on Thursday, April 24. Koyama made his NPB debut in 1953 and he pitched his final game in '73. In between, he was one of the most accomplished pitchers in Japan, compiling an overall record of 320-232. (He's still third on NPB's all-time wins chart.) A 183-cm right-hander, Koyama pitched for the Osaka/Hanshin Tigers from 1953-63, making his pro debut at age 18. Masaaki Koyama in 1962. (©SANKEI) Koyama won 20 or more games seven times in his career. He did it three seasons in a row with the Tigers, going 24-12 with a 1.69 ERA in 1958, followed by 20-16 and 25-19 records in '59 and '60. In his final season with the Tigers as a pitcher ― he later served as a Hanshin coach from 1974-75, 1982-83 and 1998 ― Koyama had an outstanding campaign in 1962. He won the Eiji Sawamura Award, finishing with a 27-12 record and a 1.66 ERA in 352⅔ innings with 26 complete games and 13 shutouts and struck out an NPB-best 270 batters. In 1964, Koyama joined the Pacific League's Tokyo Orions (later known as the Lotte Orions during his playing days and now called the Chiba Lotte Marines). And he had a career-best year with his new team, posting a 30-12 record and leading the NPB in wins. He went 20-20 and 20-13 over the next two seasons. Koyama played for the Orions until the end of the 1972 season. In 1973, Koyama pitched in his final season, returning to the Central League and finishing with a 4-4 record in 15 appearances for the Taiyo Whales (now the Yokohama DeNA BayStars). He retired at age 39. Masaaki Koyama in 2012. (KYODO) In 856 NPB games, including 583 starts, Koyama logged 4,899 innings on the mound. He struck out 3,159 batters, which still places him third all-time in NPB. He issued only 978 walks. Based on his impressive command of his pitches, he was referred to as the "Pitching Precision Machine." "Koyama-san had amazing control," former Tigers teammate Gene Bacque said in Remembering Japanese Baseball: An Oral History of the Game (2005, Southern Illinois University Press). "He could pinpoint a ball. As a matter of fact, I enjoyed watching him and tried to imitate him to get more control." Added Bacque, "He won a lot of games and probably could have pitched in the majors." Chicago Cubs designated hitter Seiya Suzuki smacks a double in the third inning against the Philadelphia Phillies on April 25 at Wrigley Field. (KYODO) Chicago Cubs slugger Seiya Suzuki, now in his fourth season in the majors, drove in 74 runs in 2023 and 73 in '24 while appearing in 138 and 132 games, respectively. The former Hiroshima Carp star has played in 24 of the Cubs' first 28 games in the 2025 MLB season (through Saturday, April 26). And he's had a productive start on offense with a .292 batting average, six homers and 23 RBIs. He also has five doubles and a triple. Suzuki is well on pace to surpass his MLB career-high total in RBIs. After smacking 21 homers in 2024, he also looks poised to rewrite his personal MLB record in round-trippers this season. In Chicago's 4-0 home victory over the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday, Suzuki hit two doubles in five at-bats. He was 2-for-4 with three RBIs a day later in the Cubs' 10-4 loss. Although he was sidelined for a few days in mid-April with a right wrist injury, Suzuki returned to the lineup on April 16 and had at least one hit in five of his next six games. In early April, Cubs manager Craig Counsell praised Suzuki's ability as a game-changing presence on offense. "He has the power to hit home runs anywhere," Counsell told a news conference. MLB NOTES | Shota Imanaga Off to Impressive Start in 2025 Yokohama B-Corsairs head coach Lassi Tuovi watches his team play against the San-en NeoPhoenix on April 23 at Yokohama Buntai. ( After the Yokohama B-Corsairs' 82-77 defeat to the visiting San-en NeoPhoenix on Wednesday, April 23, B-Corsairs head coach Lassi Tuovi spoke about the turning point in the game. And the first-year bench boss said his team needs to improve in high-pressure situations. "When you give up 27 points to the other team in the fourth quarter, you don't feel happy," Tuovi said after his team fell to 23-33. The NeoPhoenix's 12-0 scoring run gave them a 77-65 advantage with 3:33 remaining en route to their 45th win in 55 games during the 2024-25 season. One of the keys to San-en's success this season, Tuovi observed, is that "[they] know that whatever happens, how to lock the game and come back. It's impressive, that's why they are one of the best teams." He continued: "But we need to learn from that. We were three times able to play for the win against [the NeoPhoenix], two times on the road (including a 95-92 loss on March 5) and today, but we couldn't win any. So we need to also be realistic that we are there, that we can challenge. But we need to develop a lot together to then one day win [against] these bigger teams." In other news, the Western Conference champion Ryukyu Golden Kings (44-13) extended their winning streak to 16 with a 97-82 decision over the Shimane Susanoo Magic on Saturday. Keve Aluma paced the Golden Kings with 20 points. ODDS and EVENS | Ryusei Sasaki Raises Game to Greater Heights After evening their NBA first-round (best-of-seven) series against the Minnesota Timberwolves at one win apiece on Tuesday, April 22, the Los Angeles Lakers dropped Game 3, losing 116-104 on Friday in Minneapolis. LeBron James led the Lakers with 38 points. Teammate Rui Hachimura scored eight and pulled down four rebounds in 38 minutes. Minnesota outscored LA 30-20 in the decisive fourth quarter. Mao Saigo hits a tee shot in the first round of The Chevron Championship in The Woodlands, Texas, on April 24. (Erik Williams/IMAGN IMAGES/via REUTERS) In The Woodlands, Texas, golfer Mao Saigo was tied for first after the third round of The Chevron Championship on Saturday, April 26. Saigo carded a 2-under 70 and then shot a 68 and a 69 in successive rounds. That gave her a 9-under 207. South Korea's Haeran Ryu also held a share of the lead heading into the final round of the LPGA Tour event. "Today I hit my shots really well," Saigo told reporters on Friday, "so I was able to put my ball on birdie chances." Stanford Cardinal first baseman Rintaro Sasaki in a February 2025 file photo. (Darren Yamashita/IMAGN IMAGES/via REUTERS) Heading into the series finale against Wake Forest on April 27, Stanford University freshman Rintaro Sasaki had played in all 39 of the team's games this season. Sasaki is batting .269 with five homers and 31 RBIs (he's third on the team in that category). The Cardinal (21-18) wrap up their regular season on May 17 at North Carolina State. ―Japan women's judo national team head coach Maki Tsukada on the team's outlook for the 2025 World Judo Championships (June 13-19) in Budapest, Kyodo News reported. 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 .
24-04-2025
- Sport
Masaaki Koyama, Pitching Precision Machine, Dies at 90
Tokyo, April 24 (Jiji Press)--Former Hanshin Tigers pitcher Masaaki Koyama, nicknamed "pitching precision machine" for his excellent ball control, died of heart failure on April 18 at the age of 90, the Japanese professional baseball team said Thursday. During his career through 1973, Koyama earned 320 wins, ranking third on record in Japan. No pitcher other than him won more than 100 games in both the Nippon Professional Baseball Organization's Central League and the Pacific League. After joining the Osaka Tigers, a predecessor of the Hanshin Tigers, as a trial player, Koyama clinched five wins in 1953, his first year as a professional, and 11 in 1954. He earned more than 20 wins for three years in a row from 1958. In 1962, Koyama contributed to the Tigers' first victory since the end of World War II, with 27 wins. He also set Central League records with five consecutive shutouts and 13 shutouts in a single season, and won the Eiji Sawamura Award. After the 1963 season ended, Koyama was traded to the Daimai Orions, currently the Chiba Lotte Marines. The trade of Koyama, who was the Hanshin Tigers' ace pitcher, and Kazuhiro Yamauchi, the cleanup hitter for the Daimai Orions, was dubbed "the trade of the century." [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]
