Sumo wrestler Asanoyama has been promoted to Ozeki, the sport's second highest rank.

The Japan Sumo Association made the decision on Wednesday. Representatives of the association visited the wrestler and his stable master at their lodging house in Osaka City to tell them about the promotion.

After weeks of speculation, Japan's Prime Minister says the Tokyo Olympics will be postponed because of the growing coronavirus pandemic.

Shinzo Abe says: "We agreed that we will hold the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics no later than the summer of 2021. We are committed to holding the Games in a complete form when we can prove that human beings have overcome illness caused by the new coronavirus."

NHK has learned that the Tokyo 2020 organizing committee has decided not to hold a torch relay, but will instead use a lantern to carry the Olympic flame across Japan.

Officials close to the matter say the committee decided that the torch relay won't come until it reaches a final conclusion with the International Olympic Committee on whether or not to postpone the Games.

The International Olympic Committee has decided to start discussions with Japanese organizers about the future of the Tokyo Games, including the possibility of a postponement. The IOC plans to reach a decision within four weeks.

But the sources say the Olympic torch relay will start in Fukushima Prefecture next Thursday as scheduled.

Suzuki is launching the updated Swift Sport in Europe with the company's latest mild-hybrid technology, which promises not only better efficiency but also improved driveability for the small warm hatch.

The Olympic flame for the Tokyo 2020 Games has arrived in Japan from Greece.

A special transport plane carrying the flame landed at the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force's Matsushima Base in Miyagi Prefecture, northeastern Japan, shortly after 9:30 a.m. on Friday, 90 minutes earlier than scheduled.

The Olympic flame has been handed over to Tokyo at a ceremony in Athens. The flame will leave for Japan on a special flight on Thursday.

The event was held at the ancient Panathenaic Stadium in Athens around noon on Thursday.

The head of the French Olympic Committee says the coronavirus pandemic must have reached its peak by the end of May for the Tokyo Olympics to be held on schedule.

Denis Masseglia made the remark in a telephone interview with the Reuters news agency on Monday.

Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga says the country will continue preparations to host the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games as scheduled this summer.

Suga was speaking to reporters on Tuesday morning after the Group of Seven leaders held an extraordinary video conference to coordinate their response to the new coronavirus outbreak.

The organizers of Japan's annual spring invitational high school baseball tournament have canceled this year's event amid the spread of the new coronavirus.

The organizers planned to hold the popular event at Koshien Stadium in Hyogo Prefecture, western Japan, without spectators in response to the outbreak.

NHK has learned that arrangements are under way for International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach to watch the 2020 Olympics' first baseball game, which will take place in Fukushima Prefecture.

An underlying theme of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics is recovery from the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that hit northeastern Japan and triggered a nuclear accident in Fukushima.

Japan's professional baseball season will start later than scheduled amid fears of the new coronavirus outbreak. The season was due to open on March 20.

Representatives of 12 pro baseball clubs met in Tokyo on Monday and unanimously decided to delay the start of the season and aim to open in April.

A panel of experts says Japan's professional baseball and J-League soccer should postpone the start of their official seasons scheduled for next week due to the spread of the new coronavirus.

A liaison task force of the two sports groups held a second meeting behind closed doors on Monday to work together in responding to the outbreak.

The Spring Grand Sumo Tournament opened on Sunday in Osaka, western Japan, without spectators as part of measures to prevent the spread of the new coronavirus.

Wrestlers and stable masters arrived at the gymnasium by car or taxi. They were told to refrain from using trains, buses and other public transportation to avoid catching the virus.