<p>As they celebrated Naomi Osaka's victory in the final of the US Open in Flushing Meadows on Saturday, Tokyoites were eager to embrace their heroines' stand against racial injustice.</p>.<p>Osaka, who won her third Grand Slam title with victory over Victoria Azarenka, has used her platform to support the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, wearing a mask bearing the name of a different Black American before each of her seven matches in the championship.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/us-open-osaka-beats-azarenka-to-win-third-grand-slam-title-886724.html" target="_blank">US Open: Osaka beats Azarenka to win third Grand Slam title</a></strong></p>.<p>Osaka, who has a Japanese mother and Haitian father, has become the face of a changing Japan coming to terms with challenges to its self-image as a racially homogenous society.</p>.<p>Her efforts on and off the court in New York were welcomed by Tokyoites on Sunday.</p>.<p>"I jumped for joy (at her win)," said Kazuyoshi Hosoya, who was looking to buy an edition of a newspaper celebrating Osaka's win.</p>.<p>"I know she is protesting and I have heard on TV that she was doing her best to use all the seven face masks (by reaching the final)."</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/tennis/naomi-osaka-harnesses-us-open-spotlight-to-fight-for-racial-justice-886748.html" target="_blank">Naomi Osaka harnesses US Open spotlight to fight for racial justice</a></strong></p>.<p>"I think this is amazing that she actually accomplished using all the seven masks."</p>.<p>Osaka's strident views on social media have made her an icon for many young Japanese.</p>.<p>"I am very happy that Naomi, who is an influential person, said 'Black Lives Matter' in a public place," said 16-year-old Mari Maeda.</p>.<p>"I am happy that her message was received not only in the US but also the world, including Japan."</p>.<p>A report in Japanese newspaper Mainichi on Friday cited unnamed sources at one of her sponsors as criticising her BLM stance, saying they would prefer her to concentrate on tennis.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/tennis/full-list-of-us-open-womens-singles-champions-886747.html" target="_blank">Full list of US Open women's singles champions</a></strong></p>.<p>With her win in New York, Osaka cannot be accused of letting her activism become a distraction and going by the comments of those in Tokyo on Sunday, the sponsor may have misjudged public sentiment.</p>.<p>"Including myself, I think there are many people who are not interested in a topic like racism," said office worker Masateru Tanimoto.</p>.<p>"But (Osaka) has created an opportunity to open the topic...</p>.<p>"Although people may agree or disagree, I think it is a good thing that the issue has become a topic of discussion."</p>
<p>As they celebrated Naomi Osaka's victory in the final of the US Open in Flushing Meadows on Saturday, Tokyoites were eager to embrace their heroines' stand against racial injustice.</p>.<p>Osaka, who won her third Grand Slam title with victory over Victoria Azarenka, has used her platform to support the Black Lives Matter (BLM) movement, wearing a mask bearing the name of a different Black American before each of her seven matches in the championship.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/us-open-osaka-beats-azarenka-to-win-third-grand-slam-title-886724.html" target="_blank">US Open: Osaka beats Azarenka to win third Grand Slam title</a></strong></p>.<p>Osaka, who has a Japanese mother and Haitian father, has become the face of a changing Japan coming to terms with challenges to its self-image as a racially homogenous society.</p>.<p>Her efforts on and off the court in New York were welcomed by Tokyoites on Sunday.</p>.<p>"I jumped for joy (at her win)," said Kazuyoshi Hosoya, who was looking to buy an edition of a newspaper celebrating Osaka's win.</p>.<p>"I know she is protesting and I have heard on TV that she was doing her best to use all the seven face masks (by reaching the final)."</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/tennis/naomi-osaka-harnesses-us-open-spotlight-to-fight-for-racial-justice-886748.html" target="_blank">Naomi Osaka harnesses US Open spotlight to fight for racial justice</a></strong></p>.<p>"I think this is amazing that she actually accomplished using all the seven masks."</p>.<p>Osaka's strident views on social media have made her an icon for many young Japanese.</p>.<p>"I am very happy that Naomi, who is an influential person, said 'Black Lives Matter' in a public place," said 16-year-old Mari Maeda.</p>.<p>"I am happy that her message was received not only in the US but also the world, including Japan."</p>.<p>A report in Japanese newspaper Mainichi on Friday cited unnamed sources at one of her sponsors as criticising her BLM stance, saying they would prefer her to concentrate on tennis.</p>.<p><strong><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/sports/tennis/full-list-of-us-open-womens-singles-champions-886747.html" target="_blank">Full list of US Open women's singles champions</a></strong></p>.<p>With her win in New York, Osaka cannot be accused of letting her activism become a distraction and going by the comments of those in Tokyo on Sunday, the sponsor may have misjudged public sentiment.</p>.<p>"Including myself, I think there are many people who are not interested in a topic like racism," said office worker Masateru Tanimoto.</p>.<p>"But (Osaka) has created an opportunity to open the topic...</p>.<p>"Although people may agree or disagree, I think it is a good thing that the issue has become a topic of discussion."</p>