Shinzo Abe
FILE - Haruyuki Takahashi, executive board member of the Tokyo Organizing Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games attends the Tokyo 2020 Executive Board Meeting in Tokyo on March 30, 2020. Criminal allegations against a former Tokyo Olympic organizing committee board member widened Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022, as Japanese prosecutors “re-arrested” Takahashi in suspected payments from a publisher that became a sponsor for the Games. (Issei Kato/Pool Photo via AP, File)
Tokyo Olympics bribery arrests widens to third Japan sponsor

By Yuri Kageyama Sep. 27, 2022 04:30 AM EDT

FILE - Then Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appears as the Nintendo game character Super Mario during the closing ceremony at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on Aug. 21, 2016. Despite his fame as a Japan's longest serving prime minister, Shinzo Abe might have had enjoyed his biggest moment at the closing ceremony of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro. (Yu Nakajima/Kyodo News via AP, File)
Abe impersonated 'Super Mario' to promote Tokyo Olympics

By Stephen Wade Jul. 09, 2022 01:07 AM EDT

In this image taken from video provided by UN Web TV, Suga Yoshihide, Prime Minister of Japan, remotely addresses the 76th session of the United Nations General Assembly in a pre-recorded message, Friday Sept. 24, 2021, at UN headquarters. (UN Web TV via AP)
Japan's leader says Olympics were 'symbol of global unity'

By Jennifer Peltz Sep. 24, 2021 04:08 PM EDT

The flag of the United States enters the stadium during the closing ceremony for the 2020 Paralympics at the National Stadium in Tokyo, Sunday, Sept. 5, 2021. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Paralympic closing marks end of Tokyo's 8-year Olympic saga

By Stephen Wade Sep. 05, 2021 08:31 AM EDT

A man wearing a protective mask to help curb the spread of the coronavirus walks at pre-opened Main Press Center (MPC) for Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Tokyo Big Site Friday, July 2, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Report: Serbian arriving for Tokyo Olympics tests positive

By Stephen Wade Jul. 04, 2021 03:23 AM EDT

FILE - In this May 9, 2021, file photo, a general view of National Stadium during an athletics test event for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games in Tokyo. IOC officials say the Tokyo Olympics will open on July 23 and almost nothing now can stop the games from going forward. (AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama, File)
Yes. Tokyo Olympics are 'a go' despite opposition, pandemic

By Stephen Wade Jun. 01, 2021 11:04 PM EDT

FILE - In this March 3, 2020, file photo, the New National Stadium, a venue for the opening and closing ceremonies at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, is seen from Shibuya Sky observation deck in Tokyo. Organizers and the International Olympic Committee are pushing on despite COVID-19 risks, myriad scandals, and overwhelming public opposition in Japan to holding the games. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
100 Days: Tokyo Olympics marked by footnotes and asterisks

By Stephen Wade Apr. 13, 2021 09:35 PM EDT

People walk by signage to promote the Olympic Games, in Tokyo, Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2021. The Olympics are scheduled to open on July 23 but recent polls show about 80% of the Japanese public want the Olympics canceled or postponed. (AP Photo/Koji Sasahara)
Tokyo Olympics to pick Mori replacement; is a woman likely?

By Stephen Wade Feb. 16, 2021 01:22 AM EST

Yoshiro Mori, the president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee, closes his eyes during a news conference in Tokyo Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021. (Kim Kyung-hoon/Pool Photo via AP)
Reports: Mori to resign Tokyo Olympics over sexist remarks

By Stephen Wade Feb. 10, 2021 10:56 PM EST

Yoshiro Mori, the president of the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee, speaks at a news conference in Tokyo Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021. (Kim Kyung-hoon/Pool Photo via AP)
Tokyo Olympics face another problem because of its president

By Stephen Wade Feb. 08, 2021 09:31 PM EST

Former Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, left, and Thomas Bach, President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), bump elbows after a ceremony to present the Olympic Order to Abe at Japan Olympic Museum in Tokyo Monday, Nov. 16, 2020. (Kim Kyung-hoon/Pool Photo via AP)
Bach: Tokyo Olympic 'participants' encouraged to get vaccine

By Stephen Wade Nov. 16, 2020 12:59 AM EST

International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach arrives at a hotel in Tokyo Sunday, Nov. 15, 2020. IOC President Bach is beginning a visit to Tokyo to convince politicians and the Japanese public that the postponed Olympics will open in just over eight months.(Kyodo News via AP)
Bach comes to Tokyo as cheerleader for next year's Olympics

By Stephen Wade Nov. 14, 2020 09:46 PM EST

A lantern containing the Olympic Flame is shown prior to public display Monday, Aug. 31, 2020, in Tokyo. The Olympic flame is going on display in Tokyo, just a short walk from the new National Stadium where it was supposed to be burning a month ago.(AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Olympic flame going on display in Japan Olympic Museum

By Stephen Wade Aug. 31, 2020 03:32 AM EDT

FILE - In this Aug. 21, 2016, file photo, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe appears as the Nintendo game character Super Mario during the closing ceremony at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Abe was a star of the closing ceremony of the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, parading before a 70,000 sellout at the Maracana stadium as Nintendo game character Super Mario. It was Abe's humorous invitation to the next Olympics in Tokyo. (Yu Nakajima/Kyodo News via AP, File)
Shinzo Abe -- aka 'Super Mario' -- loses out on Olympics

By Stephen Wade Aug. 28, 2020 08:49 AM EDT

FILE - In this July 22, 2018, file photo, Tokyo 2020 Paralympic mascot "Someity" stands at stage during their debut event in Tokyo. The Tokyo 2020 Paralympic schedule remains essentially unchanged for the event postponed until next year, organizers said on Monday, Aug. 3, 2020. Tokyo organizers made the same announcement several weeks ago for the postponed Olympics. The Paralympics open on Aug. 24, 2021, and close on Sept. 5. The Olympics are to open on July 23. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)
Tokyo Paralympic competition schedule will be same next year

By Stephen Wade Aug. 02, 2020 11:19 PM EDT

Tokyo's newly reelected Gov. Yuriko Koike, right, meets Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori at Tokyo Metropolitan Government headquarters in Tokyo Monday, July 6, 2020. Koike assured Mori that she plans to continue working with him on achieving the games, and agreed to his proposal to set up a meeting among officials from the government, Tokyo and Olympic organizers to discuss COVID-19 countermeasures. (Kyodo News via AP)
Tokyo Olympics seek COVID-19 defenses, but what exactly?

By Stephen Wade Jul. 06, 2020 09:46 AM EDT

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike, left, talks with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe at the prime minister's office in Tokyo Monday, July 6, 2020. Gov. Koike, who won her second term to head the Japanese capital in Sunday's election, met with her political rival, Prime Minister Abe and agreed to cooperate in their effort to fight against the coronavirus and to safely achieve the Olympics next year. (Yoshitaka Sugawara/Kyodo News via AP)
Tokyo governor, Abe say they'll cooperate on virus, Olympics

By Mari Yamaguchi Jul. 06, 2020 01:56 AM EDT

FILE - In this March 4, 2020, file photo, people wearing masks walk past the Olympic rings near the New National Stadium in Tokyo. It's been 2 1/2 months since the Tokyo Olympics were postponed until next year because of the COVID-19 pandemic. So where do the games stand? So far, many ideas about how the Olympic can take place are being floated by the International Olympic Committee, Japanese officials and politicians, and in unsourced Japanese newspaper articles coming from local organizers and politicians. The focus is on soaring costs, fans, or no fans, possible quarantines for athletes, and cutting back to only “the essentials." (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)
Q&A: State of Tokyo Olympics 2 1/2 months after postponement

By Stephen Wade Jun. 08, 2020 10:32 PM EDT

FILE - In this Dec 22, 2015, file photo, Toshiaki Endo, center, minister in charge of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, speaks with media after a meeting of Cabinet ministers including Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, at Abe's official residence in Tokyo. Former Olympic minister Endo said at a meeting of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party on Friday, June 5, 2020, that a decision of whether to hold the Games should be made around March, which is a crucial time to finalize participating athletes, NHK said. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko, File)
Former Olympic minister says March is deadline for Tokyo

By Stephen Wade Jun. 05, 2020 07:48 AM EDT

FILE - This May 27, 2015, file photo shows the center court at Roland Garros stadium, in Paris, France, as France's Gael Monfils plays his second round match against Argentina's Diego Schwarztman during the French Open tennis tournament. (AP Photo/David Vincent, File)
The Latest: NWSL moves to allow training in small groups

By The Associated Press May. 25, 2020 04:32 AM EDT