Japan's real-life 'Hoosiers': Pro hoops team turns to farming

More athletes eye dual careers for life after sports while filling labor gap

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Players for a three-on-three basketball team balance practice with farming while providing a boost to the local community. (Photo by Hiroshi Tanda)

HIROSHI TANDA

CHIBA, Japan -- A new trend is developing in Japan's sports world where professional and amateur athletes embrace farming, aiming for a dual career that leverages their physical strength and popularity to offer a future after sports and a boon to struggling rural areas.

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