Japan Sports

YOKOHAMA -- Twelve members of Kanto Gakuin University's rugby club inhaled marijuana in addition to two players who are under indictment for growing dope plants at the club dormitory here, police said.

The 12, including a regular member of the team, admitted to the allegations during questioning. The two who are under indictment have already been expelled from the club.

"If it's true, it'd be indeed regrettable, as we told students to follow the law," a university spokesman said.

Kanagawa Prefectural Police are set to send investigation reports to prosecutors, accusing the 12 of possessing or receiving marijuana, as the Cannabis Control Law has no specific clause providing for punishment of those who use marijuana.

The 12 inhaled marijuana at the club dormitory in Kanazawa-ku, Yokohama, and at a hotel in Nagano Prefecture where they stayed during the club's summer camp between July and August, investigators said.

The marijuana they smoked was grown by Keiji Umeno, 21, and Taiki Nakamura, 21, under indictment for violating the Cannabis Control Law.

SAN JOSE, California (AP) -- Japanese teen star Kei Nishikori won his 10th straight ATP match in beating Argentina's Diego Hartfield 7-5, 6-3 to advance to the second round of the SAP Open on Wednesday.

The 18-year-old Nishikori, 131st in the world rankings following his victory over James Blake on Sunday in Delray Beach, Florida, will face the winner of a late match between top-seeded Andy Roddick and Chris Guccione.

Nishikori, the first Japanese player to win an ATP title since Shuzo Matsuoka in Seoul in 1992, was looking forward to a match against Roddick.

"I think I'm ready," Nishikori said. "I'll be facing another top-10 player. His serve is a big thing. He'll be the highest ranked player I've ever played."

Midway through the first set, Nishikori saw Roddick watching from the stands.

"When I was down 4-3, I saw him in the stands," Nishikori said. "I got really nervous. He was sitting next to my coach. I wanted to play Roddick. That's why I won."

In second-round matches, fourth-seeded Radek Stepanek of the Czech Republic hit 16 aces to edge Bobby Reynolds of the United States 7-5, 7-6 (5); Robby Ginepri upset eighth-seeded Kristof Vliegen of Belgium 6-2, 6-3; and Guillermo Garcia-Lopez of Spain withstood 16 aces from Benjamin Becker to beat the German 3-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4.

Three sumo wrestlers who allegedly assaulted a junior wrestler during a training session last year will refrain from participating in the January Grand Sumo Tournament, which will start on Sunday.

It is the second time that the three wrestlers, who belong to the Tokitsukaze stable, have withdrawn from a tournament after they were absent from the November Grand Sumo Tournament last year.

Stablemaster Tokitsukaze filed reports of their absence to the Japan Sumo Association on Friday.

Tokitsukaze said he talked with the three wrestlers on Thursday and quoted one of them as telling him, "If we participate in the tournament, we will cause you trouble."

The three were reportedly involved in the assault of junior wrestler Takashi Saito, who later died.

The 36 teams that will participate in the 80th National High School Baseball Invitational Tournament have been selected, officials said on Friday.

The selection committee for the annual baseball tournament, familiarly called "Senbatsu," met at the Osaka headquarters of the Mainichi Newspapers in Osaka's Kita-ku on Friday to select the 36 schools that will join the 13-day tournament starting on March 22.

Four of the 36 schools were selected to fill special quotas -- Awa High School in Chiba Prefecture, Seisho High School in Aichi Prefecture, Karyo High School in Yamaguchi Prefecture and Ichinoseki Gakuin Senior High School in Iwate Prefecture.

The spring baseball tournament is sponsored by the Mainichi Newspapers and the Japan High School Baseball Federation.

FORT MYERS, Florida (AP) -- The media frenzy is finished. The interest in the gyroball is missing. The curiosity about the brilliant Japanese pitcher is gone.

Daisuke Matsuzaka is no longer a rookie in U.S. Major League Baseball. This spring training is already much calmer than his first one with the Red Sox.

"I know where everything is," he said through a translator. "I know the layout of the facilities and things like that, so it's been a lot easier being back this year."

Only about 20 reporters spoke with Matsuzaka after his second day at camp Monday. Last year, at his first official news conference of spring training, there were about 100 media members plus nine satellite trucks.

That event was televised live to Japan, where it was 7 a.m. -- must-see TV after Boston paid $51.1 million for the right to negotiate with him and another $52 million for his six-year contract.

Most of that pressure has disappeared. The burden of making up for the absence of Curt Schilling has been added.

Dice-K threw 41 pitches Monday, ignored by most of the media. The blogger at 38pitches.com, Schilling, is the team's big story now.

"I think at the end of the season last year, I had already decided that I'd put a lot of pressure on myself this year to perform really well," Matsuzaka said Monday. "So that was decided before I knew about Curt's injury. But now that I do know, I'd like to do my best to fill whatever holes I can."

Matsuzaka had a legitimate chance to become No. 2 pitcher in the starting rotation, behind Josh Beckett, even before it was disclosed last week that rehabilitation of a shoulder injury would sideline Schilling at least until the MLB All-Star break.

Matsuzaka will be in that spot at the first official workout for pitchers and catchers Saturday, two days after they're scheduled to report. Four-fifths of the projected rotation -- Beckett, Matsuzaka, Jon Lester and Clay Buchholz -- already are in camp. Only Tim Wakefield didn't work out there Monday.

Matsuzaka lived up to his billing as perhaps Japan's best pitcher from the start of last season, even though he playfully refused to say whether he had brought his perhaps mythical gyroball pitch with him.

In his first game with Boston, he allowed one run and struck out 10 in seven innings of a 4-1 win at Kansas City. In the first half of the season, he was 10-6 with a 3.84 ERA with 123 strikeouts and 38 walks.

Then the long grind of the season took its toll. In the second half, he was 5-6 with a 5.19 ERA with just 78 strikeouts and 42 walks. His fatigue peaked at an unaccustomed time.

"In Japan, it usually comes around June or July," Matsuzaka said. That's "when I feel the most tired. I can build myself back up toward the end of the year and toward the playoffs.

"But what happened last year was I couldn't time it as well. So I just felt the fatigue just dragged on gradually all the way throughout September, so I wasn't able to readjust. But for me I felt like it was a little bit off even from the beginning of spring training."

Overall, he was 15-12 with a 4.40 ERA and was sixth in the American League with 201 strikeouts.

His problems continued in the playoffs when he failed to get out of the fifth inning in his first two starts before earning the win in the seventh game of the AL championship series in Cleveland when he gave up two runs in five innings.

And in Game 3 of Boston's sweep of Colorado in the World Series, he came through again,. allowing two runs in 5 1-3 innings of a 10-5 win.

Then his first U.S. season was over. He returned to Japan as part of a championship team. His journey from star in his native country to rookie in the United States was over.

His second American spring training is under way. His regular season begins in Tokyo where the Red Sox will face the Oakland Athletics on March 25 and 26.

Matsuzaka's participation is uncertain because his wife is due to give birth about that time. He declined to talk about that on Monday.

He had no qualms about discussing baseball, especially since he can go about his business without having videocameras trailing him around camp. On Monday, few reporters watched him wrap up his workout with some short sprints.

"Compared to last year," Matsuzaka said, "things are going to be a lot more comfortable, a lot more familiar. So, in that sense, there's going to be a lot less stress. So, hopefully, I can take some of that energy and really focus it on baseball.

"As for high expectations, I think I'm the one that has the highest expectations for myself."

YOKOHAMA (AP) -- AC Milan captain Paolo Maldini wants the Italian giants to exact some revenge upon Argentina's Boca Juniors at the FIFA Club World Cup.

Milan lost to Boca on penalties in the 2003 Toyota Cup, the forerunner of the Club World Cup, and the European and South American champions are favorites to meet again in the Dec. 16 final in Yokohama.

"It's not pleasant to think about matches we have lost in the past," Maldini said Friday. "But we lost to Boca and that's the team I think about the most."

The Dec. 7-16 Club World Cup features the champions of FIFA's continental club competitions. African champion Etoile Sahel of Tunisia, CONCACAF champion CF Pachuca of Mexico, Asian winners Urawa Reds, Oceania winner Waitekere United of New Zealand and Asian runner-up Sepahan of Iran are the other clubs participating.

Brazil's Internacional beat European powerhouse Barcelona 1-0 in last year's final.

Milan and Boca join the competition at the semifinal phase, with the Italians playing on Thursday against either Japan's Urawa or the winner of Friday's playoff between Sepahan and Waitekere.

Milan vice president Adriano Galliani said winning the tournament will mean as much as the 2-1 victory over Liverpool in May's Champions League final.

"We have to put in all our energy to win the trophy," said Galliani. "It's a major objective to take this trophy home."

Maldini won the Toyota Cup with Milan in 1989 and 1990, but has been on the losing side in Japan in 1993, 1994 and 2003.

Coach Carlo Ancelotti said he is concerned about the physical repercussions the tournament will have on his team, which is in eighth place in Serie A and trailing city rival and league leader Inter Milan by 16 points.

"There are three matches waiting for us at home right after this tournament and we have to recondition ourselves immediately so we are at our best." said Ancelotti.

The 39-year-old Maldini, retiring at the end of the season after spending his entire career with Milan, gave Ancelotti a boost when he confirmed he will not stop playing before then.

"I have a contract till August 2008 and I am feeling in top condition so I will not abandon my contract," said Maldini.

SENDAI, Japan (AP) -- World champion Miki Ando will try to secure a berth in the Grand Prix final in this weekend's NHK Trophy, the last of the International Skating Union's regular season series.

Ando captured the world title in Tokyo last year, taking the title away from American Kimmie Meissner who was fourth in 2007.

Meissner beat Ando at Skate America in October and has already clinched a spot in the GP final at the site of the 2006 Olympics in Turin, Italy, Dec. 14-15. Last year when Meissner was world champion, she failed to qualify and Ando is hoping to avoid the same fate.

Ando will take on the European gold and silver medalists, Carolina Kostner of Italy and Sarah Meier of Switzerland. However the Europeans have not been as brilliant as they were last season.

In the men's event, Daisuke Takahashi, coming off a victory at Skate America, needs to do well to clinch a spot in Turin, where the top six scorers of the six-event series in each of the four events will compete. Two Americans, Johnny Weir and Evan Lysacek, are already set for the men's event in the GP final.

In Sendai, Takahashi will meet Russian Andrei Griazev, who came in third in last week's Cup of Russia behind Weir. Stephen Carriere, who won the world junior title last year, is also entered and has an outside chance to make it three Americans in the GP final with a good finish in Japan.

The ice dance event has two couples that won their previous events. Isabelle Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder of France won at the Trophee Bompard despite problems in the free dance. Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir captured their home GP event, Skate Canada.

The pairs event has Aliona Savchenko and Robin Szolkowy of Germany as favorites although they cannot score any GP points because this is their third event. Americans Keauna McLaughlin and Rockne Brubaker, who dominated the junior circuit last year, are entered and also have a chance for the GP final.

PARIS (AP) -- Edging Kimmie Meissner in the short program wasn't enough to put a smile on Mao Asada's face.

The Japanese figure skater had a slight lead over the former world champion Friday at Trophee Bompard after both made mistakes in their jump combinations. But Asada, the reigning world silver medalist, was so upset she broke down in tears after the performance and had to be consoled.

"She enjoys her skating. That is what it is all about," said coach Rafael Arutunian, who coached Michelle Kwan. "She didn't care about the placement. She came in first but she was disappointed with her skating."

Asada leads Meissner 56.90 to 55.98 going into Saturday's free skate, but less than 3 1/2 points separate the top five skaters. Elena Glebova of Estonia completed the only triple-triple combination, but her presentation marks left her in third place. Sarah Meier of Switzerland was fourth and American Ashley Wagner was fifth.

In the men's event and ice dance, French skaters led the way.

Alban Preaubert made up for the absence of world champion and fellow Frenchman Brian Joubert, who is out with a virus, taking the lead over Canada's Patrick Chan and Kevin van der Perren of Belgium. Isabel Delobel and Olivier Schoenfelder, the European champions, won the dance compulsories.

Asada's jump combination in the short program has been giving her problems for months. She missed it at Skate Canada two weeks ago and was third after the short, but rallied to win. She also faltered on it at the world championships last March, rebounding with a strong free skate to claim the silver medal.

She put it in extra work on the combination during practice, but it still caused trouble Friday. Skating to a violin piece, she singled her loop after a triple flip. She also downgraded on another jump.

She barely spoke during the press conference, then broke down in tears. Arutunian and Japanese officials spent 10 minutes consoling her before she was composed enough to speak with Japanese reporters.

"In the short program I have not made the jump combination not even once this year, and so it is hanging" over me, Asada said.

Meissner, skating to Peter Gabriel's "The Feeling Begins," also missed the second part of her jump. But she was upbeat, happy she'd made the first jump in the combination, a triple lutz.

"The past few years here I always made a mistake on my lutz," said Meissner, the 2006 world champion. "Then I was so happy about making the lutz, I just didn't do the second part."

Joubert, the first Frenchman in 42 years to win the world title, won at Skate Canada and was the favorite at Trophee Bompard. But he hasn't felt well the last few days, and withdrew Thursday. Doctors have recommended he take at least 10 days off.

"I was really sad that Brian is not here because last year we had a very good Trophee Bompard as we came first and second," Preaubert said. "But I try not to think about that and just of my performance."

Preaubert scored 72.70 points and included a triple flip-triple toe loop in his program, to music from "The Addams Family" soundtrack. That was enough to put him ahead of Chan (70.89) and van der Perren (70.60).

Tomas Verner of the Czech Republic, who finished second to Joubert at last year's European championships, was eighth after botching several jumps.

"I did better in my jumps and spins," said Preaubert, who was fourth at Skate America last month. "I think I did it pretty well today and it was an improvement."

Delobel and Schoenfelder cruised to an easy lead after the compulsory dance, the Austrian waltz. They scored 39.51 points, more than 4施points ahead of Russia's Jana Kohkhlova and Sergei Novitski.

The Trophee Bompard is the fourth event in the International Skating Union's Grand Prix series. The top six scorers qualify for the Grand Prix final, next month in Turin, Italy.

TOKYO (AP) -- Yokozuna Asashoryu of Mongolia bounced back to defeat Tokitenku on Tuesday, the third day of the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.

Asashoryu came bursting out of the blocks and sent winless top maegashira Tokitenku out in a matter of seconds to improve to 2-1 in the 15-day tourney at Ryogoku Kokugikan.

Asashoryu, winner of 21 tournament titles, is coming off a two-tournament ban for playing a charity soccer game in Ulan Bator last summer while skipping an exhibition sumo tournament in Japan. He claimed he was injured.

Asashoryu won on opening day but lost to Kisenosato on Monday, raising concerns that he hasn't regained his form after a five-month layoff.

Tuesday's one-sided win over Tokitenku will silence his critics for at least 24 hours.

In the day's final bout, grand champion Hakuho of Mongolia improved to a perfect 3-0 when he got a hold of Toyonoshima's belt and calmly threw the No. 2 maegashira off the raised ring to stay tied for the lead with rank-and-filers Aminishiki, Futeno and Kyokutenho.

Hakuho won the Kyushu tourney in November and is Asashoryu's main rival in the New Year tourney.

In other major bouts, Bulgarian ozeki Kotooshu spun Mongolian Ama around at the faceoff and waltzed the sekiwake out to improve to 2-1. Ama dropped to 1-2.

Ozeki Chiyotaikai suffered his third straight loss when he was overpowered by komusubi Dejima, who improved to 1-2.

Veteran ozeki Kaio sent Miyabiyama off the raised ring with a series of arm thrusts to improve to 2-1. No. 2 maegashira Miyabiyama fell to 1-2.

No. 3 maegashira Goeido improved to 1-2 when he shoved out Kotomitsuki to upset the ozeki wrestler, who dropped to 2-1.

TOKYO (AP) -- Yokozuna Asashoryu crashed from the ring and from any hope of an all-win return at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament after a spectacular defeat at the hands of rank-and-filer Kisenosato on Monday.

The No. 1 maegashira grappled briefly with the Mongolian champion, who was competing for the first time in five months, before flipping him around and sending him hurtling out of the ring in the final bout at Ryogoku Kokugikan.

Asashoryu, winner of 21 tournament titles, was coming off a two-tournament ban for playing a charity soccer game in Ulan Bator last summer while skipping an exhibition sumo tournament in Japan. He claimed he was injured.

It was one of the harshest punishments ever meted out to a grand champion, and he will be looking to restore his tarnished image in the New Year meet.

Asashoryu's main rival, grand champion and compatriot Hakuho, picked up his second win. Hakuho just needed to take a quick step backward to send a surprised No. 1 maegashira Tokitenku sprawling.

Hakuho, who won the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament in November, is out to prove in this tournament that he can win the Emperor's Cup even with Asashoryu taking part.

In a difficult day for other top-rankers, No. 2 maegashira Miyabiyama used powerful shoves to thrust Chiyotaikai out of play, handing the ozeki his second loss of the tournament.

Komusubi Kotoshogiku bulldozed Kaio out of the ring, bringing the veteran ozeki down to 1-1.

Earlier, No. 2 maegashira Toyonoshima sent ozeki Kotooshu of Bulgaria tumbling to the dirt with a dramatic single-handed throw. Both wrestlers are at 1-1.

Kotooshu needs a winning record in this tourney to maintain his ozeki status for the next meet.

Kotomitsuki was the only ozeki to pick up a win, patiently fending off Dejima's shoves and then edging the komusubi over the ring's edge. Kotomitsuki improved to 2-0, while Dejima has yet to pick up a win at the tournament.

TOKYO (AP) -- Grand champion Asashoryu of Mongolia posted a hard-fought win over Toyonoshima on Thursday to improve to 4-1 at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.

Facing his toughest test so far, Asashoryu needed every ounce of strength to send No. 2 maegashira Toyonoshima sprawling to the dirt surface with an arm throw in the day's penultimate bout at Ryogoku Kokugikan.

Toyonoshima wasn't able to finish off Asashoryu and dropped to 2-3.

Asashoryu is coming off a two-tournament ban for playing a charity soccer game in Ulan Bator last summer while skipping an exhibition sumo tournament in Japan, and is looking to restore his image in the 15-day New Year meet.

Thursday's determined effort should help bolster his image, with every move being scrutinized by the local media and sumo fans.

Elsewhere, Asashoryu's main rival, compatriot Hakuho improved to 5-0 and moved into sole possession of the lead after using an arm throw to send No. 3 maegashira Goeido toppling off the raised ring. Goeido dropped to 1-4.

In other major bouts, Mongolian sekiwake Ama sent struggling ozeki Chiyotaikai to his fifth straight loss.

Ama fought off a series of face thrusts and then used a few of his own to send Chiyotaikai over the straw ridge while picking up his second win of the tournament.

Ozeki Kaio shoved out komusubi Dejima to improve to 3-2. Dejima fell to 2-3.

Ozeki Kotomitsuki overpowered No. 2 maegashira Miyabiyama to post his third win against a pair of losses. Miyabiyama fell to 2-3.

TOKYO (AP) -- Grand champion Asashoryu of Mongolia defeated Goeido on Wednesday to improve to 3-1 at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament.

Asashoryu took advantage of a superior faceoff before getting a right-hand grip on the belt of Goeido and shoving the No. 3 maegashira out in the day's final bout at Ryogoku Kokugikan. Goeido dropped to 1-3.

Asashoryu is coming off a two-tournament ban for playing a charity soccer game in Ulan Bator last summer while skipping an exhibition sumo tournament in Japan and is looking to restore his image in the 15-day New Year meet.

Grand champion Hakuho maintained his perfect record when he used a right-arm throw to knock No. 3 maegashira Tochinohana off balance.

Hakuho, who won the Kyushu tourney in November, improved to 4-0 and is tied for the lead with No. 12 maegashira Futeno, who beat 11th-ranked Kasugao in an earlier bout.

In other major bouts, No. 4 maegashira Wakanosato deployed a textbook arm throw at the center of the ring to send Bulgarian ozeki Kotooshu toppling to the dirt surface.

Wakanosato improved to 1-3 while Kotooshu fell to 2-2.

No. 2 maegashira Toyonoshima got both arms around Chiyotaikai at the faceoff and shoved the struggling ozeki out of the ring to improve to 2-2.

Chiyotaikai, who limped off the ring favoring his right leg, has yet to win a bout and dropped to 0-4.

Top maegashira Tokitenku shoved out Kaio to improve to 1-3 while Kaio dropped to 2-2.

Kisenosato, also a top maegashira, overpowered ozeki Kotomitsuki to pick up his third win against one loss. Kotomitsuki dropped to 2-2.

Sumo Yokozuna Asashoryu on Friday appeared at a training session at the Takasago stable for the first time since his two-tournament suspension, stating that he wanted to participate in the New Year tournament next month.

After spending about one hour working up a sweat, Asashoryu said, "I feel positive psychologically, and I want to participate in the tournament."

The top-ranked wrestler recently suffered an injury to his right ankle during a tour. Doctors at a hospital in Tokyo cited inflammation of his joints, saying that it would take about four weeks for him to fully recover. The 15-day January Grand Sumo Tournament begins on Jan. 13.

Asashoryu was hit with a two-tournament suspension earlier this year for playing soccer in his home country of Mongolia after he skipped a tour, saying he needed to recover from injuries.

OSAKA (AP) -- Grand champions Asashoryu and Hakuho both won Monday on the road to a likely showdown in the Spring Grand Sumo Tournament.

Mongolian Asashoryu, who has won 21 Emperor's Cups, improved to 2-0 by hoisting his countryman Kakuryu out of the ring in the day's final bout at Osaka Prefectural Gymnasium.

Meanwhile, Hakuho, who is bidding for his fourth straight Emperor's Cup, earned a second win by shoving fellow Mongolian Asasekiryu down into the dirt after a hard fight in the penultimate bout.

Hakuho defeated Asashoryu on the final day of the New Year tourney and the two rivals are expected to be in contention down to the final bout once again.

In other major bouts, komusubi Kisenosato used a belt grip to work a surprisingly listless ozeki Kotomitsuki out of the ring in seconds.

Ozeki Kaio muscled out longtime rank-and-filer Miyabiyama to even up his record at 1-1.

Veteran ozeki Chiyotaikai earned his second win by shoving Aminishiki out with a steady barrage of thrusts, while Bulgarian ozeki Kotooshu shouldered out komusubi Takekaze to score his first.

TOKYO (AP) -- Japan could become the home of a new team in rugby's Super 14 competition, the head of the Australian Rugby Union said Wednesday.

ARU chief executive John O'Neill was in Tokyo on Wednesday discussing ways to develop the sport in Asia, including a possible expansion of the Super 14 competition _ currently played between 14 provincial representative sides of Australia, New Zealand and South Africa.

"The Super 14 could be expanded again in the next few years," said O'Neill, adding that the talks were still in the preliminary stages. "We could possibly base a team in Tokyo."

O'Neill said the team would likely be half Japanese and half foreign.

O'Neill was visiting Japan to back the country's bid to stage the 2015 World Cup.

Rugby officials have long been eager to tap into the lucrative Asian market. Another possibility being discussed is a visit to Japan by the Wallabies and All Blacks.

The Australia and New Zealand rugby unions made a joint announcement Monday, confirming a fourth match in this season's Bledisloe Cup test series between the two nations would be staged on Nov. 1 at Hong Kong Stadium.

O'Neill said Wednesday that Japan could also host a Bledisloe Cup match in 2009.

BEIJING (AP) -- The young women practice posture by balancing books on their heads while squeezing a sheet of paper between the knees. A perfect smile is one that reveals six to eight white teeth, honed by hours in front of a mirror with a chopstick clasped between the canines.

Training for potential Olympic medal ceremony hostesses seems plucked from a 1950s charm school, but that's part of Beijing's meticulous planning for the highly anticipated Summer Games that even includes breeding flowers that will bloom in the oppressive August heat.

In their search for photogenic hostesses versed in international etiquette, organizers turned to the government-run programs that train teenage girls to become airline stewardesses.

Chubby-faced Yang Tiantian, 16, is a student at the Changping Vocational School on the outskirts of the Chinese capital, where she and her classmates learn "standing, walking, presenting, smiling."

Dressed in matching red airline uniforms featuring colorful neck scarves, slim skirts and black pumps, they are drilled military-style on skills such as walking in a line -- smiling pleasantly, of course -- while carrying trays with a magazine and two bottles of water.

"The smile should be spontaneous. If it's a fake smile, then it doesn't look good," Yang said, her hands folded primly at the waist. "When we practice smiling, we hold a chopstick between our teeth and try to think about something happy."

Young women from Changping and similar schools served as medal ceremony hostesses for the Good Luck Beijing test events that began last year, held to make sure venues and operations are in good working order in time for the Games' Aug. 8 opening.

Some of those will likely be picked for the actual games, said Li Zhanjun, director of the Beijing Olympics media center. He would not reveal the women's names, how many would be chosen in total, or what criteria was used to pick presenters.

Regardless of whether they were picked, the 32 students in Yang's class said they were thrilled just by the possibility of being a part of the Olympics, an event China's communist government intends to use to show the world that it is a modern, thriving country, ready to take its place among the ranks of great nations.

"We want (visitors) to think that China is a polite country that really lives up to its name," said 17-year-old Feng Jiale, who wore a Communist Youth League pin on her airline uniform.

"I want them to know that the Chinese people are refined, that we really are confident about our country," said 16-year-old Feng Shuo.

Beijing Olympics organizers' pickiness in choosing hostesses illustrates the inordinate amount of planning that has gone into the upcoming games. Four years ago, the laid-back Greeks selected hostesses from among the general pool of volunteers following brief interviews, a former Athens games official said.

By going to the state-run stewardess schools, organizers are picking from among a group selected for their physical attributes and ability to make a good impression.

At Changping, stewardess students must stand between 168 and 172 centimeters (between 5-foot-6 and 5-foot-8) in height and weigh 50 to 55 kilograms (110 to 120 pounds). They learn English, French, German, Japanese and Korean. Classes in applying makeup are also part of the curriculum.

A class of young women, ages 16 to 18, gave a demonstration in the school gymnasium on Wednesday to show off skills like holding a proper posture ("A good posture shows that a person is cultured," the moderator said) and walking with a tray ("The forearms and upper arms must form a 90 degree angle," the teacher reminded them).

They practiced bows of 15, 30 and 45 degrees, holding the poses that appeared rather uncomfortable.

"Show six to eight teeth when you smile. The smile must be spontaneous," the teacher said. "Remember to keep a sweet smile on your face. Walk in a straight line!"

Then they placed their English textbook, "Everybody Speaks English," on their heads and gripped a sheet of white paper between their slim knees.

"Because when you're standing, you have to keep your legs straight. And not just straight, you have to keep the legs close together because otherwise it looks bad," Yang said.

Every day at the beginning of class, the women spend five minutes practicing posture and smiling, said 18-year-old Li Hongbei.

English skills seemed a tad wanting, however.

When asked what she would say to an athlete who won an Olympic medal, Li responded in Chinese with "Congratulations."

Pushed to give her response in English, she pursed her perfectly glossed lips for several moments, then said "Good luck."

TOKYO -- Boston reliever Hideki Okajima is looking forward to starting the 2008 season on home soil -- even though he'll be thousands of miles from Fenway Park.

Okajima was in Tokyo on Wednesday promoting Boston's season-opening series with Oakland at Tokyo Dome on March 25-26.

Okajima is no stranger to Tokyo Dome. He pitched there over 12 seasons in Japan professional baseball with the Yomiuri Giants and the Nippon Ham Fighters before leaving for the majors last year when he helped the Red Sox win the 2007 World Series.

"It's great that Japanese fans will get to see the No. 1 team in the world," said Okajima. "It will be a great experience for me and the other players as well."

Lefty Okajima may be the lone Japanese pitcher for the Red Sox in the two-game series. Pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka might miss the series because his wife is expecting to deliver their second baby around that time.

The Red Sox and A's also will play exhibition games against the two most popular teams in the Japan -- the Hanshin Tigers and the Yomiuri Giants -- on March 22-23 also at Tokyo Dome.

Boston and Oakland will be the third set of teams to open the regular season at the Tokyo Dome, following the New York Mets and Chicago Cubs (2000), and the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay (2004). A scheduled 2003 series between Oakland and Seattle at the Tokyo Dome was canceled because of the threat of war in Iraq.

Okajima was a pleasant surprise for the Red Sox in 2007, posting a 3-2 record with five saves and 2.22 ERA in his first season in the majors. He was added to the American League All-Star roster as the winner of an Internet vote by fans.

Okajima did have a late-season meltdown in which he allowed nine runs in seven outings. The MLB schedule is longer than the season in Japan, and Okajima found that tough in his first season.

"It was a long season with few holidays and a lot of travel," said Okajima. "But the biggest problem for me in the first year was the communication problems and getting used to the food."

Okajima's major league career got off to a rough start. With his first pitch, he gave up a home run to Kansas City's John Buck on April 2.

"After that ball went out, I said to myself 'Oh no!' said Okajima. "My mind went blank. I went back to my hotel room that night and that's when I realized the major leagues are no piece of cake."

TOKYO (AP) -- The Orix Buffaloes of Japan's Pacific League have reached an agreement with Alex Cabrera, a player whose name appeared in the Mitchell Report.

Cabrera agreed to a one-year deal worth US$2.2 million to play for the Buffaloes, who are managed by American Terry Collins.

The deal, which is expected to be finalized in the next few days, comes with the condition that Cabrera must pass a doping test when he arrives in Japan in February.

Cabrera, who played for the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2000, denied ever using steroids after his name appeared in the report published by former Sen. George Mitchell on the use of performance-enhancing substances by players who have played in the major leagues.

Since playing for the Diamondbacks, Cabrera has spent seven seasons in Japanese baseball -- all with the Seibu Lions. In 2002, he tied the Japanese single-season home run record of 55 homers.

He has a career .306 batting average with 273 homers and 686 RBIs in Japan. Last season, Cabrera hit .295 with 27 homers and 81 RBIs.

FUKUOKA, Japan (AP) -- Ozeki Chiyotaikai overpowered Kakuryu on Saturday to remain in sole possession of the lead at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.

Chiyotaikai used a series of arm thrusts to send the No. 3 maegashira off the raised ring while improving to a perfect 7-0. Kakuryu dropped to 1-6.

In other major bouts, grand champion Hakuho of Mongolia forced out Tokitenku in the day's final bout at Fukuoka Kokusai Center to stay one win back at 6-1. No. 3 maegashira Tokitenku fell to 4-3.

Ozeki Kotomitsuki stayed one win off the pace at 6-1 when he forced out Mongolian Kyokutenho, a No. 4 maegashira who dropped to 2-5 in the 15-day tourney.

Local favorite ozeki Kaio posted a hard-fought win over sekiwake Asasekiryu to improve to 4-3. Asasekiryu fell to 3-4.

Bulgarian ozeki Kotooshu dropped to 2-5 after forfeiting a bout to sekiwake Aminishiki, who improved to 4-3.

Kotooshu withdrew from the tournament earlier Saturday because of an injured right knee.

Kotooshu was nursing the knee injury before the tournament but could no longer wrestle through the pain after suffering a fourth defeat to Tokitenku on Friday.

Mongolian Komusubi Ama improved to 4-3 when he got a hold of Homasho's arm and flung the winless top maegashira down to the dirt surface.

FUKUOKA, Japan (AP) -- Ozeki Chiyotaikai shoved out Aminishiki on Friday to stay undefeated and move into sole possession of the lead at the Kyushu Grand Sumo Tournament.

Chiyotaikai used a barrage of arm thrusts to send sekiwake Aminishiki off the raised ring in Friday's penultimate bout at Fukuoka Kokusai Center.

Chiyotaikai improved to 6-0 while Aminishiki dropped to 3-3.

In other major bouts, grand champion Hakuho of Mongolia used an arm throw at the edge of the ring to throw down Kakuryu and improve to 5-1. No. 3 maegashira Kakuryu dropped to 1-5.

Elsewhere, ozeki Kotomitsuki forced out Homasho to improve to 5-1. Top maegashira Homasho has yet to post a win.

In an earlier bout, No. 16 maegashira Baruto was handed his first loss by fourteenth-ranked Kakizoe to fall to 5-1. Kakizoe stands at 4-2.

No. 2 maegashira Dejima overpowered local favorite ozeki Kaio to pick up his fourth win against two losses. Kaio has a record of 3-3.

No. 3 maegashira Tokitenku overpowered Bulgarian ozeki Kotooshu to improve to 4-2. Kotooshu dropped to 2-4.

PEORIA, Arizona (AP) -- Ichiro Suzuki got a good look at the newest sensation from Japan.

The Seattle Mariners star and franchise cornerstone watched, smiled and reminisced as Kosuke Fukudome made a running catch on the warning track in right field. Fukudome then wheeled and almost doubled the unsuspecting Brad Wilkerson off first base with a strong throw in the second inning of the Chicago Cubs' 6-5 victory on Monday.

"I thought the umpire should have called him out on the difficulty of the play alone," Cubs manager Lou Piniella said, chuckling.

Fukudome also kept Seattle's Mark Kiger from getting to third base on a shallow fly ball he caught in the third, firing another long strike.

Before the game, Suzuki greeted his countryman on the field. As the two exchanged greetings, Suzuki couldn't help but notice the throng of nearly two dozen Japanese media members and photographers an arm's distance away.

"I had the same feelings I had when I was a rookie," said Suzuki, who seven years ago went from spring training curiosity to American League MVP. "Except there were way more cameras there for me."

The Cubs signed the 30-year-old Fukudome to a $48 million, four-year contract this winter and expect him to follow the standards set by Suzuki and Hideki Matsui in Major League Baseball.

Fukudome played with Suzuki last spring for Japan in the inaugural World Classic. He said, while swarmed by two dozen Japanese media members after he left the game early, that Suzuki had this word for him when they met again on Monday:

"Hi."

No advice from perennial All-Star and Gold Glove outfielder Suzuki to the first-year countryman learning the league?

"No. I'm not a coach," Suzuki said through an interpreter, smiling.

For now, Fukudome is a guy who's defense is ahead of his hitting. His 0-for-2 day left him with one hit in seven at-bats this spring.

Lou Piniella said he thinks it may be time to move him out of the No. 3 place in the batting order to second, so Fukudome can move the leadoff batter along the bases to get himself going.

"Yeah, we need him to swing it," Piniella said of the 2006 MVP of Japan's Central League with Chunichi.

Fukudome's season last year ended in August with elbow surgery. He had a bulbous ice wrap on his right elbow after playing on Monday -- he called it a precaution.

TOKYO (Jan. 28) -- Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters pitcher Yu Darvish and yokozuna Hakuho have been selected as the top Japanese and foreign sportsmen for 2007 in voting by the Foreign Sportswriters Association of Japan.

Darvish, who led the Fighters to the Japan Series for the second straight season, took first place in balloting by members of the FSAJ in the Japanese category, outpolling figure skating world champion Miki Ando, who finished second, and golfer Momoko Ueda, who came in third, for the honor.

Hakuho, who won four tournaments in 2007, claimed the award in the foreign category over former Fighters manager Trey Hillman, who placed second, and Urawa Reds manager Holger Osieck, who was third.

The FSAJ honors one top foreign and Japanese sports figure, based on their performances in Japan or representing Japan, on an annual basis.

This is the fourth year the awards have been handed out by the group, which is composed of foreign members of the sports media in Japan and Japanese sports media working at English-language media outlets.

The winners for 2006 were figure skater Shizuka Arakawa and Hillman.

Disgraced boxer Daiki Kameda apologized for the first time in public on Friday for his dirty tactics during a title fight last month.

Kameda, 18, appeared at a press conference on Friday before resuming his first training session in 2 1/2 months at the Kyoei Gym. The Japan Boxing Commission suspended Kameda's boxing license for one year in the wake of his foul play in a fight against WBC world flyweight champion Daisuke Naito.

During the press conference, Kameda bowed his head and said, "I am sorry for all the fuss I have caused everyone." Kameda had directly apologized to Naito earlier, but it was the first time that he made an apology in public.

During the fight, Kameda picked up and wrestled Naito to the ground repeatedly, and was docked three penalty points. He also insulted the world champion, calling him such things as a "cockroach."

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Now that the Los Angeles Dodgers have Andruw Jones and Jeff Kent in the lineup next season, they can turn their attention to finding a starting pitcher.

Their first choice appears to be free-agent Japanese right-hander Hiroki Kuroda.

Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti made clear his desire to land the 32-year-old Kuroda at a Dodger Stadium news conference where Jones was introduced Wednesday, a week after the sides agreed to a $36.2 million, two-year contract.

Several teams have expressed interest in Kuroda, who has a 103-89 record with a 3.69 ERA in 11 seasons with the Hiroshima Carp of the Central League.

"We've had conversations," Colletti said, acknowledging an offer has been made but refusing to elaborate. "I would love to meet with Mr. Kuroda. I would love to meet with him as soon as I can."

Kuroda was 12-8 in 26 starts for the Carp last season. He led the Central League with 15 victories in 2005, and had a league-best 1.85 ERA in 2006.

The Dodgers are thought to be a leading contender for Kuroda's services, but Colletti said: "I don't have a feel for what their thought process is. I think we're probably hopeful. I expect to hear from the agent."

Kuroda is friends with Dodgers closer Takashi Saito, and the two are represented in Japan by the same sports agency.

"I'm sure that Takashi said hello once or twice," Colletti said with a smile.

Colletti said he's never seen Kuroda pitch in person, adding: "But the right people have seen him. What do I like about him? He's a good pitcher. He has some of the great attributes we admire in a pitcher."

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Wearing a Los Angeles Dodgers jersey over his dress shirt and tie, Hiroki Kuroda took the Dodger Stadium mound for the first time on a sunny Sunday.

The conditions were appropriate considering the free-agent Japanese right-hander said moments earlier at an introductory news conference that weather was a factor in his decision to sign with the Dodgers.

While it was nothing more than a photo opportunity, Kuroda seemed to enjoy the feeling of his new ballpark.

"You can tell it's going to be a great setting to play," he said through a translator, mentioning the tradition as well.

For the Dodgers, it was a vision they've awaited for a long time.

"We've been thinking about this for well over a year," general manager Ned Colletti said a day after Kuroda agreed to a three-year, $35.3 million contract. "Our expectation is he's going to be a real solid pitcher for us, make a lot of starts, pitches a lot of innings."

Kuroda, who turns 33 in February, receives a $7.3 million signing bonus and will be paid a salary of $5 million next season, $10 million in 2009 and $13 million in 2010.

"I haven't even pitched over here yet. For a team to value me that highly, it's certainly because of the players who have come over here (from Japan) and succeeded," Kuroda said. "I'm very thankful for that. In Japanese terms, it's an unbelievable contract."

Kuroda acknowledged that with the kind of money he'll earn, there will be some pressure. But, he added: "The only thing I'm thinking about is going out and pitching my game, doing the best I can."

Assistant GM Logan White, who scouted Kuroda several times, believes the pitcher's game will be difficult for the opposition to solve.

"He's got a loose, easy delivery, nice arm action," White said. "He throws strikes, he's around the zone. His basic fastball is going to be in the 89, 95 (mph) range. He locates the fastball well, he's got a hard, late-breaking slider, it's sharp and crisp. He's got a forkball that dives straight down."

Kuroda spent the past 11 seasons with the Hiroshima Toyo Carp of the Japanese Central League, where he had a 103-89 record and 3.69 ERA in 271 games. He went 12-8 with a 3.56 ERA in 26 games last season, working seven complete games, and was a Japanese All-Star each of the past three years.

The Seattle Mariners, Arizona Diamondbacks and Kansas City Royals were among the teams bidding for Kuroda's services. Steve Hilliard, Kuroda's San Diego-based agent, said his client could have made more money by signing elsewhere.

"In the end, the driving force behind Hiroki's decision was what city and what organization he and his family were going to feel the most comfortable with," Hilliard said. "You hear this a lot, the cliche that it wasn't about the money. In this case, that was very true. There were more lucrative offers he turned down because he felt the most comfortable in Los Angeles."

Kuroda should join right-handers Brad Penny, Derek Lowe and Chad Billingsley in the Los Angeles starting rotation. Right-handers Jason Schmidt and Esteban Loaiza will be competing for jobs as well. Schmidt, who signed a three-year, $47 million contract last winter, made only six starts before undergoing season-ending shoulder surgery in June, and Loaiza, claimed off waivers from Oakland on Aug. 29, is under contract for $6.5 million next year.

"We'll let (manager) Joe Torre and (pitching coach) Rick Honeycutt decide that," Colletti replied when asked where Kuroda would fit in the rotation.

Colletti said throughout the offseason that adding a starting pitcher was a top priority. By signing a free agent instead of making a trade, the Dodgers didn't have to give up any of their highly regarded young players.

"I'm quite confident that with the moves we made this offseason, we will compete," Dodgers owner Frank McCourt said. "We went into this offseason with the objective of making our team better and not trading our young players who have so much promise. I would like to congratulate Ned Colletti for achieving that objective."

Besides hiring Torre as manager, the Dodgers signed 10-time Gold Glove center fielder Andruw Jones to a two-year, $36.2 million contract. The addition of Jones means Juan Pierre will move to left field and Matt Kemp and Andre Ethier, two of the highly touted young players to whom McCourt referred, will compete for time in right field.

"I'd still like to add another player, a reliever or two," Colletti said. "We've got some other things we need to accomplish. Pitching's always going to be the key component."

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed right-handed Asia University pitcher Robert Boothe to a minor league contract, according to a press release by the club.

Boothe, 21, was sought by several teams in the recent Japanese Professional Baseball draft but wanted to play in the U.S. He was a member of the All-Japan College All-Star Team that played in the Netherlands this summer.

"We feel Robert has a good chance to become an effective Major League pitcher," said Dodger General Manager Ned Colletti. "Our scouting department has followed Robert for a couple of years and his signing reaffirms our commitment to reaching out worldwide to find players. It is difficult to sign amateur players out of Japan and we are excited at this signing's historical significance."

The six-foot, two-inch pitcher was born to an American father and a Japanese mother.

TOKYO (AP) -- Data storage provider EMC Corp. announced Wednesday that it will be an official sponsor of Major League Baseball Japan in support of the 2008 season-opening series between the Boston Red Sox and the Oakland Athletics in Japan.

Hopkinton, Massachusetts-based EMC, a leader in information infrastructure solutions, has had a relationship with the Red Sox for several years and is looking to build its brand in Japan.

"We are happy to welcome EMC to the Major League Baseball family and are pleased that we are able to launch the partnership on such a grand stage in Tokyo," Paul Archey, senior vice president of MLB International, said in a statement.

The Red Sox and the A's will open the 2008 regular season with a two-game series on March 25-26 at Tokyo Dome. The two teams will tune-up for the series with exhibition games against the two most popular teams in Japan -- the Hanshin Tigers and the Yomiuri Giants -- on March 22-23, also at Tokyo Dome.

As part of the agreement, the Red Sox will wear sleeve patches featuring the EMC and "Japan 2008" logos for the four games in Japan.

MLB teams are not permitted to wear corporate logos on their uniforms but the rule will be lifted for the four games the Red Sox will play in Japan.

"EMC is the official information infrastructure provider of the Boston Red Sox and we are proud to have EMC on our uniforms during the games in Tokyo," said Red Sox president Larry Lucchino.

OSAKA (AP) -- England's Mara Yamauchi won the Osaka International Women's Marathon on Sunday, finishing 24 seconds ahead of Japan's Tomo Morimoto.

Yamauchi clocked a personal-best time of 2 hours, 25 minutes, 10 seconds, three seconds faster than her previous best.

Morimoto finished with a time of 2:25:34 while Kenya's Julia Mumbi was third in 2:26:00.

Yamauchi, who has a Japanese husband, finished fifth in Tokyo in 2005 and had back-to-back sixth-place finishes in London in 2006 and 2007.

Epoch Co. has released a new version of its famous baseball game in time for the company's 50th anniversary next year, with the current version capable of customization for corporate promotions, representatives of the toymaker said.

Epoch's baseball game continues to be popular even today, selling about 200,000 units a year.

The newest version of the game allows for companies or clubs to stick their own logos on the advertising space on the game's fences and scoreboards, making it a popular choice for companies or ball clubs looking to promote their organizations.

"People now in position to plan such promotions have grown up playing our game," an Epoch spokesman said.

Epoch said it has already received about 150 inquiries about the new version of the game and expects it to become a hit.

NAGOYA -- A former sumo stablemaster and three wrestlers belonging to his stable were indicted Friday for fatally assaulting a junior wrestler, prosecutors said.

Former stablemaster Tokitsukaze, 58, whose real name is Junichi Yamamoto, and the there wrestlers were charged with inflicting bodily injury result