At just 19 years of age Tenshin Nasukawa has a very impressive fighting resume, before he had turned 18 he boasted an amateur record of 99-5 and since he turned pro he has a kickboxing record of 25 wins to 0 losses with an impressive 20 of those wins coming by way of knockout.

Also fighting under MMA (mixed martial arts) rules he has a 4-0 record.

People first began to take serious notice on Tenshin when he defeated Thai champion Wanchalong with a ‘knockout of the year’ spinning back kick.

Nasukawa is a southpaw fighter and his fighting style is the combination of kickboxing, Full Contact Karate and Muay Thai, all three of which he has learned and competed in since a very young age. He strikes fast with his knees and elbows from his Muay Thai training, and his karate background gives him the solid basic foundation and helps him execute his techniques suddenly and unpredictably such as his variety of hard flying kicks.

Check out the video below for his highlights and there are plenty of other videos on YouTube.

He is being touted as the next best thing and is very popular in Japan. His next fight will be at RIZIN 10 in Japan in a kickboxing bout against Yusaku Nakamura this coming Sunday.

I have watched all of his highlight reels and Tenshin is a very skilled and entertaining fighter and at just 19 years of age he is only going to get better so the sky is the limit for him. It would be great to see him make it to the top level and fight in the UFC or the Asian ONE Championship.

This week Arsene Wenger announced that he would be stepping down as Arsenal’s manager in the English Premier League after 21 years in charge. During his spell he won 3 league titles and 7 FA cups and produced some memorable moments including leading the ‘invincibles’ through an unbeaten season.

Before this however if you go back before this Mr Wenger had a 18 month spell in Japan managing Nagoya Grampus Eight from 1994-96.

After a 7 year stint managing in his homeland with Monaco he was dismissed after a poor run of form and was wanted by a number of top European clubs.

During work with FIFA, footballs governing body he made a speech to representatives of emerging footballing nations where he caught the eye of Japanese delegates, who had invested millions getting the new J League up and running to help with the World Cup bid in 2002.

Wenger was eventually approached by Toyota, a major shareholder of Grampus Eight and was offered the managerial role at the club. After 2 months of talks and advice from his friends and relatives he finally signed a 2 year deal worth around Y75m annually in December of 1994. Signing just after the legendary Gary Lineker retired at the club.

For Wenger this opportunity to challenge himself and hone his skills in a foreign environment was too good an opportunity to pass up on.

His first season in charge started in March 1995 which gave him chance to assemble his backroom staff and new squad members. The team had finished bottom of the table the previous season so he needed to work fast.

After a bad start to the season he started to find his managerial style and worked with the players and questioned their desire, all the while pushing them to think for themselves and work for each other. This tactic worked and the team went on a run of winning 17 of the following 27 games to finish as runners up in the league and Wenger picked up the manager of the year award for his achievement and Stojkovic, the player who Wenger helped improve the most picked up the leagues player of the season award.

In the following January the team won their first silverware beating Sanfrecce Horoshima 2-0 to win the Emperors Cup and just 2 months later they won the Super Cup beating Yokohama Marinos 2-0.

Nagoya’s status in Japan was on the up and Arsene Wenger’s stock was up as he received endless amounts of praise and idolisation in Japan and he was starting to get noticed in the rest of the world with European teams starting to look at the charismatic Frenchman.

He was eventually approached by Arsenal who had their eye on him since his Monaco days and he managed his final game in Japan in August 1996 where he addressed the Nagoya fans and said his farewells in Japanese. As we all know he went on for a very healthy long career at Arsenal and where he goes next, who knows? There have been rumours about the Japanese national job. Only time will tell.

Wenger still speaks fondly of his time in Japan and credits the country for improving his temperament and rediscovering his passion for the game. He said about his time in Japan – ‘‘I realized that football was what I enjoyed, the rest was just people’s opinions. So since I came back with Arsenal I take the same approach. I concentrate on football, on training the team. I can be happy doing that.’’

Good luck for the future Arsene Wenger. You are a legend of the game.

New Zealand and world rugby legend Dan Carter, 35, is set to Join Kobe Kobelco Steelers when his current 3 year contract with French outfit Racing 92 ends in June.

Carter hung up his international boots after winning the 2015 Rugby World Cup with the All Blacks and headed north to play for Racing 92, where he found more success, helping the club win the Top 14 competition in 2016.

The first-five played 112 tests for the All Blacks and is the highest point’s scorer in test match rugby history. He is considered as the best fly half of all time and was named world player of the year 3 times.

When the former All Blacks first-five moves to the Steelers, he will link up with another former New Zealand international Andy Ellis, who has been with the Japanese side for three years.

The number 10 confirmed his departure in a video interview with Racing, explaining that the move had not been an easy decision.

“It’s a little bit sad. The last couple of years here at Racing have been amazing,” Carter said in the video. “For once I have had to put my family first and it saddens me to think that I will be leaving Racing at the end of the season.

“It’s also an exciting opportunity for me, a completely new challenge in a new competition, as well as being able to spend more time in New Zealand with Japan being closer to home.”

Japan’s Cerezo Osaka celebrated their first-ever domestic title after a 2-0 victory over Kawasaki Frontale in the J.League Cup final on Saturday.

Japan striker Kenyu Sugimoto stunned Kawasaki with a clinical finish after just 47 seconds before Brazilian midfielder Souza put the result beyond doubt deep into injury time in Saitama.

“It’s a great feeling,” Cerezo manager Yoon Jong-Hwan told reporters.

“It hasn’t been easy to get to this point,” added the Korean after an unbeaten run to the season’s first major trophy.

“To do it without losing a single match is a tribute to the players, who have done a wonderful job.”

Cerezo’s forerunner Yanmar Diesel won the old Japan Soccer League four times between 1971 and 1980 and also captured three Emperor’s Cups.

But the club has struggled since the professional J.League was launched in the early nineties.

Kawasaki, meanwhile, finished as League Cup runners-up for a fourth time.

“It hurts,” said Frontale coach Toru Oniki. “I feel responsible. We gifted them an early goal and controlled the game but were just a little bit over-anxious.”

AKB48 have just become the best-selling female artists in Japanese history.

According to Oricon, their latest single #Sukinanda has sold over a million copies. Adding in the totals for their singles and albums since their debut gives us a grand total of 51,298,000 copies sold,

The former queen of the chart Hamasaki Ayumi had a total of 50,675,000 during her career, and she held the record for quite some time. With their latest single AKB48 has now overtaken her crown, pushing Ayumi to 2nd, and leaving the iconic Matsutoya Yumi in 3rd with 39,581,000.

They are still not the best-selling Japanese artist of all time, they have quite a few more singles and albums to sell to achieve that feat, and they are currently in at 3rd for that honour. The 2nd place is held by Mr. Children with 59,535,000, and the best-selling Japanese artists are still B’z with 82,339,000.

These sales are only for Japan and it’s good to note that Oricon does not have a system that sets artists and groups apart. This is why solo artists like Ayumi and Yumi are going against full groups, and technically Hamasaki Ayumi is still the best selling solo artist of all time in Japan, so everyone is still a winner.

The Samurai Blue have booked their spot in next year’s FIFA World cup tournament, hosted by Russia, with a well-earned 2-0 victory over Australia at the Saitama Stadium in front of 59,492 fans.

Goals from youngsters Takumo Asano and Yosuke Ideguchi gave Japan their first ever victory over Australia in the history of WC qualifying.  Both players repaid Coach Vahid Halilhodzic’s decision to include them in the starting eleven scoring either side of half time.

Asano volleyed home a Yuto Nagatomo cross to give Japan the lead in the 41st minute, before Ideguchi made the game safe with a scorching shot from the edge of the box with eight minutes left to play putting Japan into their 6^th consecutive World Cup.

Japan are now guaranteed top spot in Qualfying Group B with just one fixture remaining, an away trip to face Saudi Arabia in Jeddah on September 5^th. Two teams automatically qualify from the group with both Australia and Saudi Arabia fighting for the final spot going into the final round of games both locked on equal points.

Japan became the fourth team to qualify for Russia 2018 after the host nation, Brazil and Iran, and manager Vahid Halilhodzic was relieved to finish the job having started the final round of qualifiers with a home defeat to the United Arab Emirates.

“This is for all of Japan,” said the Bosnian, who took over from Javier Aguirre shortly before the qualifying campaign began. “Thank you for supporting us — you are fantastic. We are so proud of you.”

GO SAMURAI BLUE!

Italian superstar and Roma legend Francesco Totti who recently said a tearful and emotional farewell to his boyhood club after a staggering 25 year career in Serie A, is wanted by Japan’s Tokyo Verdy, officials claim

The J-League 2 side have made an audacious offer to the 40-year-old World Cup winner, although they face competition from Major League Soccer’s Miami FC among others for his signature.

“There has been interest from Totti’s side,” said Verdy spokesman Yuya Kurabayashi. “The club is looking at ways to raise the money needed to sign the player along with our sponsors.”

Verdy president Hideaki Hanyu has been quoted by Italian media as saying Totti had asked for a deal worth three million euros, but Verdy declined to confirm details of their offer.

“We are not as rich as (Vissel) Kobe or (Urawa) Reds so we can’t just go after any player on the market,” admitted Kurabayashi, adding that Miami — coached by Totti’s close friend Alessandro Nesta — could also out-muscle Verdy financially.

“It will be difficult but we are exploring options to get the deal done.”

Totti made 786 appearances and scored 307 goals for Roma in a glittering 25-year career, he made his debut as a 16 year old against Brescia in 1993. He one Serie A in 2001 and twice won the Coppa Italia. Not forgetting in 2006 he also became a World Cup winner with Italy.

Despite all the reported interest he may still retire and take up an executive role at Roma. Watch this space!

Japanese first division side Vissel recently bucked a trend of high-profile players moving to China when they signed German World Cup winner Lukas Podolski earlier this year.

Kobe’s swoop for the former Arsenal striker represented something of a coup for the J-League, which once attracted superstars such as Zico and Gary Lineker when it began in 1993 but has struggled to acquire big-name players in recent years.

Exciting news announced yesterday (31/5) for all you Studio Ghibli fans out there, which I know there are many, myself included.

A whole Ghibli Park has been announced, to open in 2020 in Aichi Prefecture where the current EXPO Park will be transformed. The news broke at a conference where Ghibli producer Toshio Suzuki and Aichi prefectural governor Hideaki Oomura agreed on a summary of the plans.

The park which is located in Nagakute City, just east of the prefecture’s capital Nagoya, was the site of the 2005 World EXPO. It sprawls over 200 hectares of land, and is rich with natural greenery and gardens.

While a lot of the facilities added for the World EXPO have been removed, there still remains a water park and swimming pool, ice skating rink, and a giant Ferris wheel.

The park currently already has a life sized recreation of Satsuki and Mei’s house from the popular movie My Neighbour Totoro so they have already got a start to the work.

The excitement is huge and I can’t wait to see what they add. There are so many well-loved and popular movies that I can see it being a very popular tourist attraction.

It will be great to visit places everyone knows from the movies.

The park already boasts many beautiful trees and natural plant-life which will remain as renovations and building works take place.

As more details are announced I will post. 3 years isn’t too long so it’s plenty of time to save for a holiday! Or if you can’t wait that long there is already the Ghibli Museum in Mitaka, Tokyo to give you a taster of what might be built at the new site.

Japanese driver Takuma Sato has become the first Japanese winner of the famous race winning the 101^st Indianapolis 500 race in the United States by just .2011 of a second.

The former Formula One driver hung on during the final laps to claim victory ahead of Helio Castroneves in second. It was a double victory for Japan as Sato’s Andretti Autosport car was powered with a Honda engine, which will come as good news to them after a lot of bad criticism and results during the last couple of years in the Formula One race series.

Sato is set to pocket around $2.5m (US) for his efforts of finishing number 1 out of the 33 cars in the race.

Sato, had only won one IndyCar race previously since joining the series in 2010. He had come close to winning the race in 2012, however, when he crashed out on the final lap as he battled Dario Franchitti for the lead. This time he held his nerve to give Andretti Autosport its third victory in four years at the Brickyard and shouted “Awesome!” into his radio as his win was confirmed.

Sato said: “Unbelievable feeling. It was a tough, tough race. Hopefully the crowd enjoyed. I can’t thank enough for everyone’s support.”

A joyful Sato dumped a bottle of 2 percent milk over his head, received a kiss from the Indy 500 Princess and raised his finger in the air. Michael Andretti ran down pit lane to reach Sato’s crew, then rushed to hug his driver.

‘’My name is Fukuzou Moguro, and people call me the Laughing Salesman. I am no ordinary salesman. The merchandise I sell is the human soul itself. Hooo-ho-ho-ho… All people in this world, young and old, male and female, are lonely. I am here to fill the emptiness in all of their souls. No, I won’t accept a single coin in return. As long as my customer is satisfied, that’s all the payment I need. Now, I wonder what sort of customer I’ll serve today… Hooo-ho-ho-ho-ho…’’

Warau Salesman is back in a new anime based on the original character first seen in the late 1960s as a manga then in a 103 episode anime running from October 17, 1989 to March 24, 1992 which was written by Yasuo Tanami.

In a society filled with people who do whatever with their lives, there are some who struggle with it or never achieved their goals. The story focuses on individuals who meet a shadowy and ominous salesman, Moguro Fukuzou, who promises them a better life if they follow his advice. He hands them a business card and often meets them later at a bar. However, the clients that Moguro meet often cheat and go against his advice, refuse to rely on his help, or worse – deny that they received assistance at all. When this invariably happens, Monguro punishes his clients by using their reliance on his aid against them……BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!

With their lives ruined, he is satisfied with his job and looks for more potential clients.

Each episode only runs for around 10 minutes and each one is an individual story. His clients are usually stressed out workers or people who are bored of their lives and he offers them a way out of their problems and a word of advice on what they must do to keep the happiness but greed takes over and bad things begin to happen.

It basically shows that people want something good but when they get it, they want more. It’s a comical way of looking at morals.

I find Moguro Fukuzou hilarious and the opening song by Nakamura Emi is very catchy so if you’re a fan of anime and want something different give it a go.