Japan

National Basketball League commissioner Rick Burton is in China for talks about establishing an annual competition, perhaps as early as April.

The future of the Pan Pacific championships has been cast into doubt, with the event in danger of losing its relevance, according to Swimming Australia.

New Zealand Rugby Union chairman Jock Hobbs has confirmed that the Union has had talks with their Japanese counterparts about co-hosting the 2011 IRB Rugby World Cup.

The Oceania Nations Cup, which determines the top team in FIFA's smallest and least powerful region, could be shelved in favour of a four-nation tournament designed to attract top Asian, European and South American teams.

Japan will have a professional basketball league next year, hoping to draw on the sport's strong following in the country.

The International Rugby Board (IRB) has unveiled an investment plan worth more than £30million for the next three years.

Wimbledon champion Maria Sharapova’s latest sponsorship deal is with camera-copier manufacturer Canon Inc., the Tokyo-based producer of cameras, copiers and computer printers.

Russell Wolff has been promoted to executive vice president and managing director, ESPN International.

Japan's biggest online shopping mall operator, Rakuten Inc., has won a hotly contested battle for the country's first new baseball franchise in 50 years.

Next year's World Cup of Golf will be staged at the Victoria Clube de Golfe Course at Vilamoura in Portugal, the European Tour has announced.

Editorial director Kevin Roberts reviews the issues of the past week

UEFA says the public invitation to tender for TV rights to soccer’s European Championship 2008 will begin from October 18.

The South African government has refused to back a bid to host the 2011 Rugby World Cup, despite the International Rugby Board (IRB) announcing that the country had joined New Zealand and Japan as official bidders.

A pair of heavyweights are set to challenge Japan's hopes of hosting the 2011 Rugby World Cup.

Japan wants to stage the Rugby World Cup in 2011 according to the secretary of the Japanese RFU.

Japan's baseball players are likely to decide not to strike again with club representatives set to accept their demand to allow a new league team from next season.