Ichiro Suzuki, Shohei Ohtani and Kohei Uchimura are among the names on the sports media giant's global list of best pro athletes since 2000.
With sustained excellence on the global stage and Olympic glory, the women played a prominent role in elevating the sport’s profile in Japan.
With their gold medals, Risako, 26, and Yukako, 23, become the first Japanese sisters to have both won gold in the Olympics.
Sisters Risako and Yukako Kawai will be among those looking to carry on Japan's winning tradition in the ring.
Four sports ー gymnastics, judo, swimming and wrestling ー have provided the vast majority of the nation’s top-three finishes in Olympic competitions.
