Japanese Sports Briefs

Jan 8, 2009 - 5:55 PM (Courtesy of Kyodo News Service) TOKYO, Jan. 8 Kyodo ---------- Tennis: Japan's Nishikori knocked out of Brisbane International BRISBANE, Australia - Japan's Kei Nishikori bowed out of the Brisbane International after a straight-sets defeat to Paul-Henri Mathieu of France in the quarterfinals of the men's singles on Thursday. The up-and-coming 19-year-old looked sluggish and struggled with his serve before going down 6-3, 6-4 to world No. 31 Mathieu on a day when compatriot Ai Sugiyama also tasted defeat in the women's doubles. ---------- Sumo: Asashoryu set to make comeback at New Year tourney TOKYO - Injury-weary Mongolian grand champion Asashoryu is set to make his return to the raised ring at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament kicking off in Tokyo this weekend, his stablemaster Takasago said Thursday. Asashoryu missed the entire Kyushu meet with an elbow injury and pulled out midway in the previous two basho, meaning he will be fighting with his career on the line when the 15-day meet opens at Ryogoku Kokugikan on Sunday. ---------- Baseball: Major league outfielder Johnson to join BayStars TOKYO - The Yokohama BayStars said Thursday they have acquired major league outfielder Dan Johnson on a one-year contract carrying a salary of $1.2 million. Johnson hit two homers batting .200 in 10 games with the Tampa Bay Rays last season and belted 25 home runs hitting .307 with Triple-A Durham. ---------- Tokyo education board to dispatch Olympians to schools as lecturers TOKYO - The Tokyo board of education said Thursday it will dispatch former Japanese Olympians, including softball gold medalist Yukiko Ueno, and their coaches to schools in the metropolitan area as special lecturers or coaches for club activities starting late January. The move is aimed at providing opportunities for students attending elementary, junior high and senior high schools as well as schools for those with special needs to familiarize themselves further with sports and to improve their techniques through exchanges with top athletes, officials of the Tokyo metropolitan government's school board said. ---------- Snowboarding: Takeuchi places 2nd again in World Cup KREISCHBERG, Austria - Japanese snowboarder Tomoka Takeuchi made her second straight podium finish coming in second in the women's parallel slalom at a World Cup meet on Wednesday. ''I am happy that I could place second for two days but I wanted to win today,'' said Takeuchi, after following up Tuesday's runner-up finish in the giant slalom at the meet in Kreischberg, Austria.