<figure id="attachment_451359" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-451359" style="width: 2500px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="3ffb44fb"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/12/d8f97644ab75c788a32894bc59fd8162.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-451359" class="wp-caption-text">In the locker room, Doan took the initiative in calling out to the players. Japan&#8217;s aggressive pressing, modeled on the comeback at the last World Cup and dubbed &#8220;Tactical Qatar,&#8221; led to a successful comeback.</figcaption></figure>
<h3> Japan National Soccer Team <br>
October 14: Historic Victory over Brazil in International Friendly Match</h3>
<h4> Defeat of the &#8220;Kingdom of Soccer&#8221; gives Japan a big boost for the World Cup in North and Central America!</h4>
<p><span class="strongInContent"><span class="strong-in-content"> Japan&#8217;s national team won a friendly against Brazil, a team they had never beaten in the past, by coming from 0-2 down to win the match. I felt that the Japanese soccer world has advanced to another higher stage.</span></span></p>
<p> Tsuneyasu Miyamoto, 48, president of the Japan Football Association, reflected on the historic first victory.</p>
<p> After defeating the Brazilians 3-2 in the Kirin Challenge Cup in October, Moriyasu Japan went into the second half with a two-goal deficit and began an &#8220;offensive press&#8221; from the front line. Takumi Minamino (30) scored a goal in the 7th minute, and Takumi Nakamura (25) and Kisei Ueda (27) scored in quick succession.</p>
<p> Ace player Ritsu Doan (27), who played a key role in both goals, expressed his confidence after the match, saying, &#8220;It was definitely a big step forward. Chairman Miyamoto also hopes for a breakthrough at the North and Central American World Cup, which opens in June 2014.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"><span class="strong-in-content"> I can feel the ambition of the players to accomplish great things. I hope they will give it their all for the best view.</span></span></p>
<p> The team is ready to surprise the world.</p>
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<h3> Loco Solare <br>
September 13: Japan&#8217;s national curling team lost in tears in the final match to determine the national team.</h3>
<h4> Japan&#8217;s dream of making the Olympics for the third consecutive time was shattered.</h4>
<p><a href="#" data-ident_hash="88137a46"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/12/0507c137a7665739d8f5eafdd45d69e7.jpg" alt=""></a></p>
<p> At the moment of defeat, skip Itsuki Fujisawa (34, photo left) shed tears.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"><span class="strong-in-content"> After the game, the tears didn&#8217;t stop when she came to the interview zone, and Fujisawa shared a box of tissues with Chinami Yoshida (34, pictured right). <br>
She commented, &#8216;The road to the Olympics has been closed. I need to sort out my feelings,&#8217; commented Fujisawa, but she has resumed training to compete in the World Championships in March &#8217;26,&#8221; said Soichiro Takeda, a sports writer.</span></span></p>
<p> I want to see Loco Solare&#8217;s smiling face again.</p>
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<h3> Nakajima Yuki Joseph (23) <br>
September 18, &#8220;Tokyo 2025 World Championships&#8221;, 400m final, a great achievement!</h3>
<h4> Set a new Japanese record!</h4>
<p><a href="#" data-ident_hash="f0fc9032"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/12/b6b2e3b7ecd4b3fa72b3e016134f1522.jpg" alt=""></a></p>
<p> Nakajima Yuki Joseph (23) set a new Japanese record of 44.44 seconds in the 400m preliminary round of the &#8220;Tokyo 2025 World Championships in Athletics&#8221; held in September &#8217;25. In the final, he placed 6th, his best ever finish, surpassing the 7th place of Susumu Takano (64), who competed in Tokyo in 1991. In an interview immediately after the race, he said, &#8220;I was happy to be able to run in the finals in my hometown Tokyo, which had been my goal. But I still wanted to win a medal.</p>
<p> He hopes for revenge at the next race in two years.</p>
<div data-friday-nextpage-lead=" Young athletes with high expectations for the future"></div>
<h2>A memorable first win</h2>
<h3> Ami Nakai (17) <br>
October 18: First appearance and first win in the Senior GP Series</h3>
<h4> Triple Axel and &#8220;another weapon&#8221; behind her feat</h4>
<figure id="attachment_451396" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-451396" style="width: 2500px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="5993019e"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/12/c411b3c7f6d2f42fe551c6cb2453ad5a.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-451396" class="wp-caption-text"> Her weapon is the triple axel, but &#8220;I think she has the aerial ability to jump quadruple eventually,&#8221; said Mura.</figcaption></figure>
<p> First appearance and first win in the GP Series. Former figure skater Takahito Mura described the accomplishment of 17-year-old Ami Nakai as &#8220;shocking.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"><span class="strong-in-content"> Her triple axel, which is her big weapon, was brilliant in this competition. I wondered how far she could go, but she finished 3rd in the second round, too. To do so in the first year of his senior season is nothing short of amazing.</span></span></p>
<p> Mr. Mura praised Nakai&#8217;s &#8220;mental strength.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"><span class="strong-in-content"> I felt his strong attitude throughout the season,&#8221; he said. In the finals, where only the six winners are allowed to compete, even the world champion, Kaori Sakamoto (25), made a mistake. Even on such an extreme stage, she can attack. She can give what she has. We have a terrific player on the rise.</span></span></p>
<p> A young queen is born.</p>
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<h3> Forever Young <br>
November 1: First Japanese-trained horse to win the BC Classic</h3>
<h4> Winning the top race in the &#8220;home of dirt racing,&#8221; Forever Young is on her way to the top of the world!</h4>
<figure id="attachment_451399" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-451399" style="width: 2500px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="e971f44f"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2025/12/a8da8bcf8159e72825c5e9c06d1be115.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-451399" class="wp-caption-text"> Sakai responds to the cheers of the crowd after winning the BC Classic. He is currently undefeated in Japan, with 10 wins from 13 races. We want to see him run in the Prix de l&#8217;Arc de Triomphe!</figcaption></figure>
<p> On November 2, Forever Young (gelding #4) reached the pinnacle of the &#8220;Breeders&#8217; Cup Classic,&#8221; the pride of the United States and the world&#8217;s most prestigious horse racing event.</p>
<p> Forever Young is now the world champion, but he did not show glimpses of a monster from the start. Rusei Sakai, 28, the horse&#8217;s saddle rider, recalls, &#8220;Before his debut, he was a really ordinary horse.</p>
<p><span class="strongInContent"><span class="strong-in-content"> Before his debut, he was just an ordinary horse with no special characteristics. But by the second or third race, I felt that he could do well overseas. I felt that he had become a really great horse by being able to compete in the highest level of racing with such confidence this time. Now that I have become the best dirt horse in the world, I want to win every race I enter from now on. I want to be a jockey worthy of this horse.</span></span></p>
<p> This is the story of Forever Young and a young master jockey who is regarded as one of JRA&#8217;s most &#8220;intelligent&#8221; jockeys. We look forward to the second chapter of this story.</p>
<p> From the January 2, 9, and 16, 2026 issue of FRIDAY</p>
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 Afro (Nakajima) Kyodo News (Forever Young)

 Special Program! Japan national soccer team's victory over Brazil in a friendly match, Loco Solare's tearful defeat, Yuki Nakajima setting a new Japanese record, Ami Nakai winning her first race, and the first Japanese-trained horse winning the BC Classic...

Japan’s victory over Brazil, Loco Solare’s tearful defeat… “Decisive Sports Moments of Reiwa 2025” once again!

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