The organizing committee of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics says it expects the total cost of the Games to be 1.453 trillion yen, or about 12.7 billion dollars. That's about 200 billion yen, or about 1.75 billion dollars, lower than the budget, as operations were simplified amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The estimated cost at this point was reported at a meeting of the committee's executive board on Wednesday.

The Yomiuri Giants Japanese professional baseball club says it is forming a women's team.

The club introduced the new team's first four players on Wednesday. The four appeared in uniform before fans in an event held in Tokyo. The Giants manager, Hara Tatsunori, put caps on their head.

Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio says the government would make its own decisions in relation to the Beijing Olympics and Paralympics.

Speaking to reporters in Tokyo on Tuesday, Kishida said he was aware of the US government's announcement of a diplomatic boycott of the 2022 Games.

The city of Sapporo in Japan's northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido has outlined a new plan, with reduced cost estimates, to bid for the 2030 Winter Olympic and Paralympics.

The original plan announced in 2019 called for spending up to 370 billion yen, or 3.26 billion dollars.

In table tennis, Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist Ito Mima appears set to face her Chinese rival Sun Yingsha in the semifinals of a global competition should both players remain in good form.

Lots were drawn on Sunday to decide on the order of play in the World Table Tennis Championships, which are to kick off in Houston, Texas, on Tuesday.

Japanese figure skating star Hanyu Yuzuru will not compete in the upcoming Grand Prix event in Russia due to a right ankle ligament injury.

The Japan Skating Federation made the announcement on Wednesday, citing his slow recovery from the injury.

Ahead of the 2022 soccer World Cup, Japan's men on Tuesday defeated Oman by the only goal of the game in the final Asian qualifying round. The win lifts the Samurai Blue to second place in Group B.

The two top teams in the group are guaranteed a place at next year's finals in Qatar.

Sumo Yokozuna Grand Champion Hakuho has submitted his retirement notice to the sport's governing body.

The Japan Sumo Association made the announcement on Wednesday. His retirement is expected to be approved on Thursday.

Informed sources have told NHK that sumo Yokozuna Grand Champion Hakuho intends to retire.

The sources say Hakuho decided he would not be able to compete as a yokozuna for the entire 15 days of a grand tournament mostly due to injuries, such as to his right knee.

The organizers of the Tokyo Paralympics have said that a Paralympian from overseas has been hospitalized since Tuesday after having tested positive for the coronavirus.

The Tokyo Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games said on Thursday that this is the first case of COVID-19 hospitalization among athletes involved either in the Tokyo Olympics or Paralympics.

Japanese wheelchair tennis player Kunieda Shingo has advanced to the semifinals in men's singles. The 37-year-old is now just two wins away from his third gold medal in the event.

Kunieda faced off against his longtime rival, France's Stephane Houdet. The two have played more than 60 times so far, including in the final of the 2012 London Games, which Kunieda won.

Hossain Rasouli, one of two Afghan athletes competing in the Tokyo Paralympics, took part in the men's long jump event on Tuesday.

The two athletes at one point gave up hope of competing in Tokyo, after the local Paralympic committee announced that there was no safe way to travel.

An official at the International Paralympic Committee says two Afghan athletes are grateful to be taking part in the Tokyo Games and the IPC will support them.

IPC Chief Brand & Communications Officer Craig Spence spoke at a news conference on Sunday.

The International Paralympic Committee said two Afghan athletes who were due to compete in the Tokyo Games arrived in Japan on Saturday. They once gave up their participation following the Taliban's takeover.

The two are a male track athlete, Hossain Rasouli, and a female taekwondo athlete, Zakia Khudadadi.