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UK: Japanese Emperor And Empress Visit Oxford University 2

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako visited the University of Oxford, where they both studied, on Friday, June 28, before returning from their state visit to Britain.

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UK: Japanese Emperor And Empress Visit Oxford University

Japan's Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako visited the University of Oxford, where they both studied, on Friday, June 28, before returning from their state visit to Britain.

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Judo champion Tani to run in election on DPJ ticket

TOKYO, Japan - Two-time Olympic judo champion Ryoko Tani announces she will run in the House of Councillors election in the summer on the ruling Democratic Party of Japan ticket at a press conference in Tokyo on May 10, 2010. Tani, whose maiden name was Tamura, said she will continue her judo career.

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Athens gold medallist Tani gets congratulations at Toyota

TOYODA, Japan - Japanese judoka Ryoko Tani, who won the gold medal at the Athens Olympics, and Toyota Motor Corp. President Fujio Cho (R) pose for pictures at the company headquarters in Toyoda, Aichi Prefecture, on Sept. 3. Tamura is an employ of Toyota.

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Tani shooting for judo gold at Athens despite bad injury

TOKYO, Japan - Ryoko Tani, Sydney Olympic champion in women's 48-kilogram judo, speaks at a press conference at Tokyo's Kodokan Hall on Aug. 4. Tamura, whose left foot injury sustained during training in mid-July was worse than first thought, said she will compete in Athens to defend her title.

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Tani receives 6th honorary sports award

FUKUOKA, Japan - Ryoko Tani (R), who captured her sixth consecutive title in the 48-kilogram weight division at the World Championships last September, receives a Fukuoka City honorary sports award from Fukuoka Mayor Hirotaro Yamazaki at the city office on March 10. Tani, formerly known as Ryoko Tamura before her marriage to Orix BlueWave outfielder Yoshitomo Tani, received the accolade for a record sixth time.

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Japanese women's judo team begins training

HONOLULU, United States - Ryoko Tani (C) begins training with other Japan judo team members in Honolulu on Jan. 6. The Sydney Olympics 48-kilogram judo gold medalist changed her last name from Tamura after marrying Orix BlueWave outfielder Yoshitomo Tani last December.

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Tamura, Tani hold wedding party in Tokyo

TOKYO, Japan - Sydney Olympic 48-kilogram judo gold medalist Ryoko Tamura (R) and Orix BlueWave outfielder Yoshitomo Tani speak to reporters at a hotel in Tokyo on Dec. 20 before their wedding party there. Tamura and Tani held a wedding ceremony at an American church in Paris on Dec. 11.

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Tani gets big salary boost from Orix BlueWave

KOBE, Japan - Newly wed Yoshitomo Tani is all smiles at a news conference after getting a 70 million yen salary boost in re-signing with the Orix BlueWave for an eighth season. Tani, who recently got married to six-time world champion judoka Ryoko Tamura in Paris, will be making a maximum 310 million yen in 2004

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Tamura, Tani return to Japan after wedding events

OSAKA, Japan - Sydney Olympics 48-kilogram judo gold medalist Ryoko Tamura (R) and Orix BlueWave outfielder Yoshitomo Tani show their wedding rings on arriving at Kansai international airport on Dec. 15 after their wedding ceremony in Paris and honeymoon.

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Tamura, Tani hold wedding ceremony in Paris

PARIS, France - Sydney Olympics 48-kilogram judo gold medalist Ryoko Tamura (R) and Orix BlueWave outfielder Yoshitomo Tani hold a wedding ceremony at an American church in Paris on Dec. 11. Only family members and relatives attended the ceremony. (Pool photo)

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Tani, Tamura leave for Paris

OSAKA, Japan - Sydney Olympic gold medalist Ryoko Tamura and Orix BlueWave outfielder Yoshitomo Tani leave Kansai International Airport on Dec. 3 for Paris, where they will hold a wedding ceremony on Dec. 11. They filed for their marriage license at the Nishinomiya City Office in Hyogo Prefecture on Dec. 1.

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Tamura, Tani file for marriage license

NISHINOMIYA, Japan - Sydney Olympic judo gold medalist Ryoko Tamura (R) and Orix BlueWave outfielder Yoshitomo Tani (L) smile after filing for their marriage license on Dec. 1 at the Nishinomiya City Office in Hyogo Prefecture. The couple will hold a wedding ceremony with only family members in attendance in Paris on Dec. 11, and will honeymoon in Italy and other spots in Europe. They will have a large wedding reception in Tokyo on Dec. 20.

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(2)Koizumi cheers top athletes

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi congratulates Ryoko Tamura, the winner of the gold medal in the women's 48-kg weight class at the 2003 World Judo Championships, during his meeting with top Japanese athletes at his office on Sept. 16.

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Tamura wins 6th gold in a row at world judo meet

OSAKA, Japan - Japan's Ryoko Tamura raises the gold medal after her victory in the women's 48-kilogram final to win an unprecedented sixth straight title at the World Judo Championships in Osaka on Sept. 14. She earned a ''yusei'' decision over Frederique Jossinet of France.

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'Yawara-chan' fetes her 28th birthday with determination

OSAKA, Japan - Ryoko Tamura, bidding for an unprecedented sixth straight world title in the upcoming world judo championships in Osaka, smiles behind her birthday cake at an Osaka hotel on Sept. 6. Tamura, who turned 28 on this day, said the coming one year will be crucial for her.

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(2)Japan's judo team to world championships meets the press

TOKYO, Japan - Japan's ace judoka Ryoko Tamura speaks about her competition at the world judo championships in Osaka in September at a news conference at a Tokyo hotel on May 1. Tamura will aim to become the first judoka to win six straight titles at the worlds.

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Tamura captures 12th title at weight-category judo c'ships

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Sydney Olympics gold medalist Ryoko Tamura holds up her medal at Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium in Yokohama on April 13 after winning the 48-kilogram class of the women's weight-category national championships.

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Judoka Tamura, ballplayer Tani discuss engagement

FUKUOKA, Japan - Olympic and world judo champion Ryoko Tamura shows off her engagement ring at a press conference at a hotel in Fukuoka on Jan. 26 as fiancee ballplayer Yoshitomo Tani of the Orix BlueWave looks on. They will marry after the baseball season ends in the fall.

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Tamura suffering from suspected finger fracture

FUKUOKA, Japan - Olympic and world judo champion Ryoko Tamura said Dec. 9 in Fukuoka she is suffering from a suspected fracture in the third finger of her right hand. Tamura claimed the previous day her 12th victory in the 48-kilogram final at the Fukuoka women's international meet.

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Gold medalist Tamura triumphant in Fukuoka

FUKUOKA, Japan - Olympic and world judo champion Ryoko Tamura reacts after beating outclassed Asian Games winner Kayo Kitada in the 48-kilogram final at Fukuoka Kokusai Center on Dec. 8 to claim her 12th victory at the Fukuoka women's international meet.

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Judoka Tamura reportedly set to announce engagement

FUKUOKA, Japan - Judoka Ryoko Tamura answers reporters' questions in Fukuoka on Dec. 6 after training for the upcoming Fukuoka international women's judo tournament. Sources close to the Olympic and world champion said the same day she is set to announce her engagement to baseball player Yoshitomo Tani of the Orix BlueWave.

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Tamura speaks of her first loss in 12 years

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Olympic gold medalist Ryoko Tamura speaks with the media of her loss at the women's judo weight-category championships in Yokohama on April 14. Tamura fell to high school national champion Tomoko Fukumi for her first loss in Japan in 12 years. ''More than feeling sad (about the loss), I have the strong feeling that I haven't had enough practice,'' she said.

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Olympic champ Tamura falls to high school student

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Olympic champion Ryoko Tamura (R) was tripped up by 16-year-old high school student Tomoko Fukumi at the women's judo weight-category championships at Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium on April 14 and saw her 65-match winning streak, dating back to 1996, come to an end.

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Judo champ Tamura wants control of own image rights

FUKUOKA, Japan - Olympic and world judo champion Ryoko Tamura is looking to take control of her own image rights, judo sources said April 8. The Japanese Olympic Committee controls the income that almost all Japanese athletes can receive from commercial endorsements, but Tamura hopes to follow in the footsteps of Olympic marathon gold medalist Naoko Takahashi by opting out of the JOC's clutches.

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Tamura begins full training

FUKUOKA, Japan - Olympic and world champion judoka Ryoko Tamura talks with journalists in Fukuoka on March 13 after returning to training in preparation for the upcoming women's weight-category national championships after an eight-month layoff due to torn knee ligaments.

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Judoka Tamura to be sidelined indefinitely

TOKYO, Japan - Judo champion Ryoko Tamura said Nov. 27 in Tokyo that she will avoid competition indefinitely to regain full fitness for the 2003 world championships in Osaka and the Olympic Games in Athens the next year. Tamura said her injury prompted her to give up a bid for a 12th straight title at the Dec. 8-9 international women's judo championships in her native Fukuoka.

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Triumphant Tamura returns home

NARITA, Japan - With a Japanese national flag in hand, Ryoko Tamura who won an unprecedented fifth straight title at the world judo championships in Germany, smiles at supporters on arrival at Narita airport August 1.

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(1)Tamura wins 5th straight at world judo c'ships

MUNICH, Germany - Ryoko Tamura (L) edges North Korean challenger Ri Kyong Ok by the narrowest of margins -- a 2-1 referees' decision -- to win an unprecedented fifth straight title at the world judo championships on July 29. With some 200 Japanese supporters cheering from the stands, Tamura had enough strength in her shaky right knee to hoist Ri off the mat with an attempted uchimata throw at Munich's Olympic Hall -- which was just enough to convince the judges she deserved to win.

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(2)Tamura wins 5th straight at world judo c'ships

MUNICH, Germany - Ryoko Tamura kisses the gold medal she won at the world judo championships on July 29. ''I can't say anything at the moment, it was such a tough fight. But I do know that I want a sixth successive title as well,'' an exhausted Tamura said as she came off the mat. Tamura's five straight world titles in a single weight category -- 48 kg -- is unmatched by any judoka -- male or female -- since the world championships were first held in 1956.

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Tamura heads for world judo c'ships in Munich

NARITA, Japan - Olympic judo champion Ryoko Tamura leaves Narita airport July 21 for Munich, Germany, to take part in the world judo championships, seeking a record fifth consecutive title in the women's 48-kilogram class.

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1,900 celebrities, ambassadors attend emperor's party

TOKYO, Japan - Crown Prince Naruhito (L) chats with attendants at a spring garden party hosted by Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko at the Akasaka Palace in Tokyo on April 17. Crown Princess Masako, who is thought to be pregnant, was absent from the event. About 1,900 people, including Olympic judo gold medalist Ryoko Tamura and Nobel Chemistry Prize winner Hideki Shirakawa, attended the party.

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Tamura wins 11th straight judo national championship crown

YOKOHAMA, Japan - Olympic judo champion Ryoko Tamura waves at the audience at Yokohama Cultural Gymnasium on April 8 after winning in the 48-kilogram final to claim an unprecedented 11th straight title in the women's weight-category national championships.

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Tamura turns away challenger for 11th title in Fukuoka judo

FUKUOKA, Japan - Olympic gold medalist Ryoko Tamura waves to the cheering fans after overcoming the challenge of former sparring partner Chiho Hamano on Dec. 10 to win her 11th straight title at the Fukuoka international women's judo championships. Tamura earned a ''waza-ari'' decision in the 48-kilogram championship final at Fukuoka Kokusai Center. Hamano as the challenger was penalized for passivity three times during the highly charged match.

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Takahashi, Tamura featured in year-end 'hagoita'

TOKYO, Japan - The faces of Sydney Olympics gold medalists Naoko Takahashi and Ryoko Tamura are featured on traditional year-end battledores put on sale at a major doll store in Tokyo's Taito Ward on Dec. 6. The store's annual ''hagoita'' battledores depict people who have made news over the past 11 months. Among foreign newsmakers, South Korean President Kim Dae Jung and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, and U.S. presidential candidates George W. Bush and Al Gore made their hagoita debuts.

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Olympic gold medalist Tamura dating Orix outfielder

MIYAZAKI, Japan - Sydney Olympic judo gold medalist Ryoko Tamura flashes a smile for reporters as she reveals that she is dating Orix BlueWave outfielder Yoshitomo Tani in a press conference at Miyazaki airport on Nov. 11.

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Judoka Tamura commended

TOKYO, Japan - Judoka Ryoko Tamura (L) is awarded a silver shield by Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori at the premier's official residence Nov. 6. Tamura won a gold medal at the Sydney Olympics in September after two unsuccessful attempts at the 1992 and 1996 Games. Tamura was commended for ''achieving excellent results and contributing greatly to sports in Japan.''

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Schwarzenegger receives bouquet at Tokyo Int'l Film Festival

TOKYO, Japan - Film actor Arnold Schwarzenegger (L) receives a bouquet from Japanese judo gold medalist Ryoko Tamura (R), an avid fan of his, on Oct. 28 before the screening of ''The 6th Day.'' The screening marked the start of the 13th Tokyo International Film Festival, a nine-day event held in Tokyo's Shibuya district.

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Tamura throws first pitch in Game 2 of Japan Series

TOKYO, Japan - Sydney Olympics judo gold medalist Ryoko Tamura throws the first pitch in Game 2 of the best-of-seven Japan Series professional baseball championship at Tokyo Dome on Oct. 21. Central League champions Yomiuri Giants and Pacific League champions Daiei Hawks are battling it out in the series.

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Judo gold medalist Tamura visits Toyota head office

TOYOYA, Japan - Sydney Olympics judo champion Ryoko Tamura poses for photographers at the head office of Toyota Motor Corp. on Oct. 6, flanked by President Fujio Cho (L) and Honorary Chairman Shoichiro Toyoda (R). Tamura, a Toyota Motor employee, visited the company headquarters in the city of Toyota, Aichi Prefecture, to share her joy with company executives and her colleagues.

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Mori presents silver cups to Olympic gold medalists

TOKYO, Japan - Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori (C) chats with two of Japan's Olympic gold medalists -- marathon winner Naoko Takahashi (R) and judoist Ryoko Tamura (L) -- on Oct. 3 at the premier's official residence after a ceremony to award silver cups to Japan's five gold medalists. Mori also presented silver picture frames to silver and bronze medalists, as well as athletes who finished above eighth in their respective events.

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Tamura returns to Japan from Olympics

NARITA, Japan - Ryoko Tamura, who won the gold medal in the women's 48-kilogram judo competition at the Sydney Olympics, smiles at Narita airport Sept. 25 as she returns to Japan from Australia.

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Tamura wins gold medal for Japan at Sydney Olympics

SYDNEY, Australia - Japan's Ryoko Tamura (blue) reacts after throwing down Russia's Lioubov Brouletova (white) to claim the gold medal at the women's 48-kilogram class judo event Sept. 16 at the Sydney Olympics.

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Tamura jumps for joy after gaining Japan's 1st gold

SYDNEY, Australia - Women's judo world champion Ryoko Tamura, a two-time Olympic silver medalist, jumps for joy after ending her eight-year wait for a first gold medal in the women's 48-kilogram class judo event Sept. 16 at the Sydney Olympics. The gold was also the first for her country at the Millenium Games.

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(1)Japanese athletes full of pep

SYDNEY, Australia - Judo medal hopeful Ryoko Tamura in routine exercise.

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Tamura in Sydney

SYDNEY, Australia - Surrounded by smiling boys and girls, Japan's judo medal hopeful Ryoko Tamura pose for photographers after her exercise at the Sydney Exhibition Center on Sept. 12.

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Tamura finishes 1st judo training session in Sydney

SYDNEY, Australia - Ryoko Tamura, Japan's gold medal hope for women's 48-kilogram judo, answers reporters' questions Sept. 9 after finishing her first training session in a Sydney suburb. Tamura arrived in the city with other Japanese delegates to the 2000 Olympic Games earlier in the day.

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Japanese Olympic delegates arrive in Sydney

SYDNEY, Australia - Japanese judoka Ryoko Tamura waves to well-wishers at Sydney International Airport after arriving with the Japanese Olympic team on Sept. 9.

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Tamura, Japanese judoka head to Sydney Olympics

NARITA, Japan - Japanese sports fans give judoka Ryoko Tamura (C) and other Japanese athletes a big send-off at Narita international airport as the delegation departed Sept. 8 for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. The Games of the 27th Olympiad get under way Sept. 15 with gold medal hope Tamura taking to the mats the following day in the women's 48-kg competition.

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Tamura talks to reporters about bruised calf

AMAGASAKI, Japan - World champion judoka Ryoko Tamura speaks to reporters Aug. 17 after missing practice with a bruised calf suffered in the previous day's sparring session at the national team training camp in Hyogo Prefecture.