Sport in Japan sports in the country at grassroots level. Currently the Japan Cricket Association is popularising the game with the help of the popularity of baseball, which has significant similarities to cricket. It is an associate member of the International Cricket Council. Ice hockey is a minor sport but growing in popularity. Currently, 4 Japanese teams compete in the Asia League Ice Hockey. Rugby union is a moderately popular sport in Japan. The Japanese national rugby union team, controlled by the Japan Rugby Football Union, has been to every Rugby World Cup since 1987. The country will host the Rugby World Cup
Whitewash (sport) Whitewash (sport) In sport, a whitewash is a game or series in which the losing person or team fails to score. A whitewash may be in a single game where the loser fails to score any points or goals, or in a series where the loser fails to win a game. In North America the two are differentiated, with the former called a shutout and the latter a sweep. It is not typically used for games such as football where a failure to score is very common; the winning team's goalkeeper is said to keep a clean sheet if they