Kyodo sports news summary

---------- Swimming: Nakamura, Nakanishi break short-course world records

TOKYO - Reiko Nakamura and Yuko Nakanishi both set world records while Kosuke Kitajima was one of several swimmers to set new Japanese marks at the national short-course championships in Tokyo on Saturday.

Nakamura clocked 2 minutes, 3.24 seconds at Tokyo Tatsumi International Swimming Center in the 200-meter backstroke final to shave 38 seconds off the previous short-course world record held by American Natalie Coughlin since 2001.

---------- Soccer: Draw not enough as Japan miss out on E. Asian c'ship title

CHONGQING, China - It was close, but there was no cigar for Takeshi Okada as Japan missed out on the East Asian Championship title after a 1-1 draw with archrivals South Korea on Saturday.

A fabulous second-half strike from Koji Yamase canceled out Yeom Ki Hun's acrobatic opener for the South Koreans but a draw was not enough for Japan to claim regional bragging rights for the first time at the four-team tournament.

---------- Soccer: E. Asian c'ship organizing body fines China for rough play

CHONGQING, China - The East Asian Football Federation decided Saturday to fine hosts China $4,500 for their rough play in the ongoing East Asian championship in Chongqing.

The decision came at a board meeting after Chinese players were warned five times in a 3-2 loss to South Korea on Feb. 17 and four times in a 1-0 defeat to Japan three days later.

---------- Snowboarding: Fujita wins World Cup halfpipe event

GUJO, Japan - Japanese teenage snowboard rider Kazuumi Fujita earned the highest mark on his second run to win his first career World Cup halfpipe event on Saturday.

The 17-year-old Fujita received 42.2 points to outscore Jeff Batchelor of Canada by 1.1 while Gregory Bretz of the United States followed in third at Takasu Snow Park in Gifu Prefecture.

---------- Baseball: Imaoka 2 RBIs as Hanshin downs Orix in preseason opener

AKI, Japan - Makoto Imaoka hit a two-run double and lefty Minoru Iwata pitched three shutout innings on four-hit ball as the Hanshin Tigers beat the Orix Buffaloes 5-3 to kick off the Japanese baseball preseason on Saturday.

Imaoka ignited the offense with a bases-loaded double to right-center, driving home two runs with none out in a four-run fourth at Aki municipal stadium in Kochi Prefecture.

---------- Baseball: Japanese catcher Ishibashi inks minor league deal

TOKYO - The Los Angeles Dodgers have signed a minor league contract with Japanese catcher Fumimasa Ishibashi, the team announced Friday.

The 24-year-old Ishibashi, who played in the independent leagues after attending Los Angeles Pierce College, passed a tryout for the Dodgers on Tuesday.

---------- Judo: Nomura loses in final at Super World Cup meet

HAMBURG - Tadahiro Nomura, who is aiming to capture his fourth straight gold at the Beijing Olympics this August, was defeated in the men's 60-kilogram final Friday by Ludwig Paischer of Austria at a Super World Cup meet in Germany.

Nomura, who made a comeback after 10 months from a knee injury, won four straight matches by ippon until he was toppled by Paischer with a foot technique in the final.

---------- Speed skating: Japan's Kato 2nd again in World Cup 500 meters

HEERENVEEN, Netherlands - Japanese speed skater Joji Kato came second in a World Cup 500-meter race for the second straight day on Saturday.

Kato finished runner-up to Canadian Jeremy Wotherspoon for the second time in as many days with a time of 35.07 seconds. Wotherspoon clocked 34.92 in claiming his ninth World Cup win of the season and Russia's Dmitry Lobkov took third in 35.12.

---------- Speed skating: Kato comes 2nd in World Cup meet

HEERENVEEN, Netherlands - Japanese speed skater Joji Kato placed second in the men's 500 meters on Friday to make his second podium finish in a week at a World Cup event.

Kato clocked a time of 34.84 seconds to finish behind world record holder Jeremy Wotherspoon of Canada, who came first in 34.82 to win his eighth title this season. South Korea's Lee Kyou Hyuk was third in 34.99.