In a groundbreaking move to address Japan's declining population, Tokyo's metropolitan government will implement a four-day workweek starting this April, reports Fortune. The initiative, led by one of the country's largest employers, aims to help working parents balance childcare responsibilities with their careers.

Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike announced the policy change during the Tokyo Metropolitan Assembly's regular session, as reported by the Japan Times. "We will continue to review work styles flexibly to ensure that women do not have to sacrifice their careers due to life events such as childbirth or child-rearing," Koike stated.

The decision comes as Japan faces an unprecedented demographic challenge. Government data shows that between January and June, the country recorded 350,074 births, marking a 5.7% decrease from the same period in 2023, according to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare.

Japan's total fertility rate – representing the number of children a woman has in her lifetime – stood at 1.2 in 2023, with Tokyo's rate even lower at 0.99. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) indicates that a rate of 2.1 is necessary to maintain a stable population. The Central Intelligence Agency reports that the median age of Japanese citizens is 49.9 years, compared to 38.9 years in the United States.

The new policy includes a "child care partial leave" provision, allowing eligible employees to reduce their daily work hours by two. This initiative builds upon Japan's decades-long efforts to boost birth rates, which began in the 1990s with mandatory parental leave policies, daycare subsidies, and direct cash payments to parents.

Despite these measures, government data shows the birth rate has continued to decline over the past eight years. The situation particularly affects working women in Japan, where the International Monetary Fund reports that women perform five times more unpaid work, including childcare and elder care, than men – one of the largest gender gaps among OECD countries.

Research suggests that four-day workweeks could help address this imbalance. According to a study by 4 Day Week Global, men reported spending 22% more time on childcare and 23% more time on housework during trial programs across six countries.

Peter Miscovich, global future of work leader at real-estate services company JLL, said that shorter workweeks have shown positive results: "The upside from all of that has been less stress, less burnout, better rest, better sleep, less cost to the employee, higher levels of focus and concentration during the working hours, and in some cases, greater commitment to the organization as a result."

However, Julia Hobsbawm, founder of workplace consultancy Workathon and author of "Working Assumptions: What We Thought We Knew About Work Before Covid and Generative AI – And What We Know Now," cautioned against viewing the four-day workweek as a universal solution. She emphasized, "I firmly believe that there is no one size fits all. In a time of increasing flexibility across working practices, both technological and human, you simply can't say that the one size that might fit one industry, in one country, for one purpose, of a four-day week, fits all."

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After studying the causes of household food waste, researchers Kohei Watanabe and Tomoko Okayama in Tokyo came up with a fridge organization techniques aimed to address most common problems.

The proposed techniques include using bright tape, transparent trays, and labels with 'I can't consume you' images to improve the visibility of soon-to-spoil foods and encourage mindful consumption and proper food storage.

A project implementing these techniques in a residential area in Tokyo resulted in a 20% reduction in food waste, with participants mainly using transparent trays.

Common causes for food waste at households include forgetting items, misinterpreting expiration dates, impulsive shopping, and lack of awareness on reducing food loss.

Opening a cluttered and disorganized refrigerator can trigger anxiety, making it difficult to decide what to consume first, leading to forgotten food items that eventually spoil and contribute to household food waste.

Misunderstanding of "best before" and "use by" dates, especially for fermented foods, contributes to food waste, with "best before" indicating peak flavor and "use by" indicating safety for consumption.

Japan faces increased pressure to find solutions for food waste because of a high percentage of imported food.

Sources: BBC, eldiariony, urgente24, dailymail, eldia, laopinion, 24horas, eldeber, elobservador, newsbytesapp, laprensagrafica, g4food, playtech, fanpage

This article was written in collaboration with Generative AI news company Alchemiq.

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Israeli swimmer Ami Dadaon, who won two golds and one silver medal at the 2020 Summer Paralympics in Tokyo this past August and early September, adorned the olive khakis of the IDF for the first time on Tuesday to begin his military service.

"It's very exciting to be a soldier, I'm happy to have reached this day," he told Israel Hayom.

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Some 140 new volunteers enlisted to the IDF in recent days, which now places the number of special needs volunteers in the IDF at more than 2,000 – the most ever.

Dadaon was one of the stars of the Israeli delegation at the Paralympics. The 20-year-old, who was born with cerebral palsy and is handicapped in all four limbs, set a world record in the 200-meter men's freestyle race.

"The moment I received the gold medal and heard [Israel's national anthem] 'Hatikvah' in Tokyo was the most thrilling of my life," Dadaon said.

Dadaon will do his mandatory service at an Israeli Air Force technical base in Haifa in northern Israel. He is designated as an outstanding athlete and as such is eligible to combine his army service with intensive athletic training.

"To put on the uniform is a dream of mine from a young age. I received an exemption from the army due to my situation, and I needed to go through a long process to serve in the IDF. I wanted to be part of Israeli society and the IDF – which protects our country," Dadaon added.

Asked whether he views himself as a role model, he said he would like to be.

"I don't know if I'm a role model. I hope I'm influencing people to step outside their comfort zones and do things for themselves and for the country. From my perspective, in sports and in the army I am shedding my handicap, the stigma. I'm not handicapped; rather a good athlete and soldier, and I hope this affects people – with and without handicaps," he said.

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On July 31, the Israeli national judo team won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. For one of the judoka – 23-year-old Raz Hershko – the medal also symbolized a private victory over the challenges she has had to overcome since childhood. 

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"When I was a child, I was sexually assaulted, like many women in Israel," she told Israel Hayom. "But besides that, I was made fun of in school, I had no confidence, and I struggled emotionally. I did not want to bother others by asking for help, so I hurt myself in 11th grade. It helped me release the emotions that were inside me, because it is much easier to deal with physical pain than emotional. 

"In 2016, I began my army service as an exceptional athlete. Not long after, my family went through a crisis, and I was drained. I only used to go to judo, and I could not bring myself to do anything else.

"In the beginning, my coaches thought I had a physical problem, but they understood very quickly that it was emotional. I was stuck in a cycle that I could not get out of. I was not myself. I was referred to a psychologist, who gave me the tools I needed to stop hurting myself and see the world differently.

"I worked together with her, and two years later, I was in a much better place, and we decided I no longer needed the sessions. Now, I am content with who I am, and I feel I have the right tools at my disposal to deal with life's challenges. I am an optimistic person, much more than I used to be. I love life, and I have plans for the future, andbut most importantly, I no longer feel that life is awful.

Q: What did you think of Simone Biles' decision to pull out of almost all Olympic events due to mental strain?

"I think it was a very brave decision. It's true that the Olympics is a major event and athletes need to be able to deal with that, but as someone who has also experienced anxiety, I can say that if Simone had to make a choice between pushing through and proving to the world that she is the best, or choosing her health, knowing well she might otherwise get to a point from which she could not recover, well then, kudos that she made the decision that was best for her.

"In the end, she did participate in the balance beam final and won a [bronze] medal, and that is an enormous success. There was a lot of criticism directed at her for her choices, but in the end, no one can judge or make decisions for you until they have walked in your shoes."

The Tokyo Games were the first Olympics for Hershko. She won her first match, against Saudi opponent Tahani Al-Qahtani, just after 42 seconds. She lost her second match to Japanese judoka Akira Sone a minute before the end of the game.

Q: Did you manage to get any sleep before the competition?

"I didn't sleep very well, I was too nervous. But in the morning, I said to myself that I was going to do my best, no matter who my opponent would be, or what challenge I had to face that day. I was ready for whatever was coming my way."

Q: Then you faced your opponent, the Saudi judoka. Many wondered whether she would appear at all.

"Yes. We were matched against each other two weeks earlier, and I had no idea if she would square off against me. Right at that time Fethi Nourine, the Algerian judo athlete, withdrew from the Games so as not to face [Israeli judoka] Tohar Butbul.

"Two days before the match, our coaches Miki Tanaka and Ido Bar told me that the Saudi opponent was indeed going to face off against me and that I needed to prepare. I was very glad that all political considerations were put aside that day.

"I won the match pretty fast, and it boosted my confidence. As my first event, it set me off on the right foot for the rest of the Games."

Q: The two of you shook hands after the game.

"Yes, it was very exciting. We shook hands instead of running away from each other. Politics stayed off the mat that day, and we showed true sportsmanship. We came to have a fair judo fight, and we did."

Q: Then you faced off against Japanese judoka, an Olympic favorite with a home-court advantage.

"Yes, she was one of the gold medal contenders, which she did win in the end. I did my best in the fight against her. When she threw me onto the ground, I cried. I wanted to stop, but couldn't.

"My coach [Hershko's uncle, Shani Hershko] gave me a hug and told me he was proud of me and that I did well, that I participated in the Games because I earned it, and I should focus on the future."

Q: Did you replay the game in your head afterward?

"Many times. I thought to myself all the time what I would have done differently. But that just shows that I still have a lot of work to do, and to improve, and next time I will win. I might not even need to wait another three years [until the 2024 Paris Olympics], maybe I will have my chance at the World Championship next year."

Q: Was the team disheartened after no one won a medal in the individual events?

"Each person felt differently. I think we are a good team, and we did not give up for a second. We fought to the end, and everyone did their utmost. But when it comes to competitive sports, it all depends on a given day, and maybe those weren't our best days.

"Our coaches encouraged and prepared us for the group competition, which was the first time the Olympics ever had one. The coaches wanted us to be as best prepared and focused as possible and to win a medal. They said that even though each one of us had had our disappointments, we could come together, as a team, and if each one did our best, we would make history."

That is exactly what happened. On July 31, the national judo team won Israel its second Olympic medal. As part of the group event, Hershko faced off against Italian judoka Alice Bellandi.

"The match was different than any I had done before," she recalled. "The Italian judoka was cautious and patient. She was familiar with my moves. She was also light, under 70 kilos, and I was not used to that.

"The fight was very close. She threw me to the ground twice [three times constitutes a victory.] I remember Shani screaming, 'You are not going to lose this fight! Go now! and as soon as I tried to throw her to the ground, she made a mistake, and I succeeded.

"As team members, we supported each other a lot. In practice, we were very focused. We really wanted to win, and we had our eyes set on the victory.

"When we won the bronze medal, we celebrated and screamed. We were speechless from the excitement, so we just screamed and jumped. Shani told us how proud he was of us, that we had accomplished something extraordinary. We proved to everyone that we are a strong and powerful team, and we will continue to accomplish great things."

Q: Is there anything you would have done differently?

"I gave my all at the games, I did not give up for one second. It was my first Olympics, and I have now tasted what it is like and have returned with a medal. It's not the same as winning one for an individual event, but it's still great.

"Participating in the Olympics was exciting. There were a lot of people in the [Olympics] village, and we met many other athletes. We all ate together in the dining hall.

"All of us, the judoka, were in one apartment, two people per room. I shared a room with Timan [Nilson Levy]."

Altogether, there were 13 judoka on Israel's national team.

Q: You got a tattoo after the Olympics, didn't you?

"I have seven tattoos, the last of which I got a week after returning from Tokyo. I wanted something more than just the Olympic hoops, so the background is Mount Fuji and flowers. For me, the tattoo doesn't only symbolize that I participated in the Olympics, but that I took part in something extraordinary."

Hershko lives at the Wingate Institute near Netanya and often spends time with her parents, who also live in the city. Judo practically ran in the family. Already at the age of four, she joined the judo club founded by her uncle in 1991. Israeli judoka Yarden Gerbi, who won a bronze medal at the Rio Olympics, also trained at this club.

"I was a hyperactive child," Hershko said. "My parents told me that when I was a kid, instead of playing with other girls, I would move tiles from one end of the garden to the other. They enrolled me in a lot of extracurricular activities: basketball, ground gymnastics, dance and judo.

"In the beginning, judo was a fun activity for me. I learned the basic exercises, met friends and had a good time. Over the years, I stopped most of the activities and focused on judo and basketball. By the way, all my cousins were in the same judo classes as me, but I was the only one who stayed. In seventh grade, I had to choose only one of the disciplines, so I decided on judo."

Q: Were there other girls with you?

"Some, but we weren't close. I was a bigger kid, so there were no girls in my weight category. I practiced with other boys or girls that were lighter than me.

"I remember I used to cry every morning before practice because we had to get weighed and I didn't want to. Because of my weight, many times, I had to compete with boys. My mom used to always say, 'It's alright. This is who you are and you have nothing to be ashamed of.' But I did feel different. It was unpleasant.

"I used to go home after practice or from a social event and skip dinner, because someone commented on my weight by saying, 'I can't believe you look like this.' Sometimes, they purposefully addressed me as a man.

"It hurt a lot, but I kept going. Sometimes I told my mom about it because she had a gut feeling that something was wrong, and pressured me to share. I never had a lot of girlfriends. We just weren't interested in the same things. I did not dress like a girl, did not wear makeup or wear earrings. I was a tomboy."

Q: Did you try to change anything?

"No. What could I have changed? I was bullied, but at least I had judo. In 10th grade, when I already knew that I was good at judo, I moved to the Wingate Institute dormitories and found a place that was loving and supportive of all athletes. I made a lot of friends there, of all ages. I was no longer bullied."

Q: What is your relationship like with your body now?

"I still don't accept it 100%, but is there anyone in the 21st century who loves their bodies completely? There is no such thing. But I am definitely more accepting of it now.

"I weighed 100-101 kg. [220 lbs.] in Tokyo. I work with the national team's nutritionist, Miki Madar, and I have a set menu. But if I'm out, and there's food involved, I can call him up and he'll tell me if I can eat it. We are trying to turn body fat into muscles for me to become stronger.

"My family and I love food and celebrations, with pasta and sushi, and all. We love to host, and that involves a lot of cooking, of course."

Hershko conquered the judo world fast.

"When I was 14, I won the Israeli championship for the first time, which is when I understood I had a talent," Hershko said. "I joined the national team, began to train with them and travel to competitions abroad. I understood that this is what I wanted to do."

Q: Was it in any way an obstacle that your uncle is the manager of the team?

"Everyone knows that we are related. A lot of people assume Shani is my dad, but he is actually my uncle. But in any case - he is my coach and I am his apprentice. I am no different than any other athlete. Shani is an amazing coach, but my achievements are my own.

"I work just as hard as anyone else and receive no preferential treatment. And if I mess up, I am reprimanded. Sometimes, Shani is even tougher on me, and it's fine. He has high standards, as any coach training Olympic athletes should."

The first time Hershko participated in an international competition was in 2013, at the European Cup Cadets in Zagreb, Croatia. Fifteen years old at the time, she made it to the semi-finals, narrowly missing the chance to win a bronze medal.

Q: Which athletes inspired you on your journey?

"I drew inspiration from Yarden Gerbi. She is my role model. I strived to become as accomplished as she was. I would also observe the practice of fellow judoka – like Gili Cohen and Shira Rishony – who are on the national team with me now."

The year 2015 was not an easy one for Hershko.

"I got injured a lot," she said. "I was still not strong enough as I did not have a lot of muscle. I barely competed that year. Then Shani gave me the chance of a lifetime and I participated in the European Under-18 Championship in Sofia, [Bulgaria]. No one knew me when I arrived, and out of nowhere − I won.

"I was elated. I won the gold medal, the Israeli flag was hoisted above the stadium, the anthem, it was crazy. It was the first time an Israeli judoka won that championship.

"A month and a half later, at the European Youth Olympics Festival took place in Tbilisi, [Georgia], and by then, everyone knew who I was. I lived up to expectations and reached the final, but unfortunately, I only won a silver medal."

Q: Going back to the times you were in high school. How did you combine judo and your studies?

"My teachers loved me very much, even though I often interrupted the class and talked endlessly. I just couldn't sit still, and I made my classmates laugh. I did not have a lot of confidence, and I was shy, so it took me a long while to open up, but I was a combination of introverted and noisy. Such a dissonance.

"It wasn't until the 11th grade that I was diagnosed with ADHD, so I began to take pills for that. I didn't really want to, because I didn't want anything to control me, but by that time, the SATs were approaching – which was important for me – I said to myself, 'Well, I will take them now and then stop.' And that is exactly what happened – I have taken no medication since."

Q: Were the teachers considerate?

"Very. They always tried to be flexible with me in terms of homework and exams. They knew how important judo was for me and how much I wanted to participate in it."

Q: Tell us what it was like when you found out the Olympics would be postponed.

"It was a shock, but for me, it was good news. We continued to train for the competition. I had an elbow injury that hurt a lot, and in November 2020, I had to have surgery.

"Four months later, I was already competing at the Grand Slam Tel Aviv. I was on a streak of successful competitions, including winning a gold medal at the Antalya Grand Slam last April [in Turkey], in which I qualified for Tokyo.

"I promised myself before the competition that if I won gold, I would jump into a pool. Which I did, in Antalya. There is a recording of it too. The water was freezing!"

Q: Does your family accompany you to competitions?

"The ones in Israel, yes, but abroad not so much. They support me a lot after practice and after events."

Q: How would you describe the way you do judo?

"I do everything in judo. I am right-handed but do moves on the left as well. There is no one exercise that I prefer, I do lots of them, and everything that I do on my right side, I can also do on my left. It gives me an advantage, because I am quick and versatile, and it comes in handy against some opponents."

Q: Besides Yarden Gerbi, is there someone else you look up to?

"Yes, I was very inspired by [former German judoka] Yvonne Bonisch, who was my national team coach between 2017-2020, and now, the coach of the Australian team. She won a medal at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games [in Greece] and was the first woman to coach both men and women. She truly paved the way. When she worked in Israel, she helped me and supported me. She continues to do so today, from afar. I learn a lot from her.

"Judo is my anchor, it is where I feel most like myself. It's an individual sport where everyone is different – the weight is different, the technique, the structure, the ability – and it suits me well, because I do not have to be like everyone else. I am most myself when I am on the mat."

Hershko begins her day at 7 am, packs her bag, has a quick snack with coffee, and begins her training at Wingate Institute.

"I always start off the morning with judo practice. I often have physiotherapy or massage after that. I then have lunch and rest a little, but then practice judo again or lift weights. In between, I can go to the regular gym. This is what my day usually looks like."

Q: Do you have any free time?

"When I do, I go to cafes, I eat out. I love music and watching TV, like 'Brooklyn Nine-Nine' or 'Friends.' When I am really exhausted, my friends and I do silly stuff on Twitter and Instagram. I love to make other people laugh and I know that I am funny. It's great to be able to make others laugh."

Hershko also spends her free time with her girlfriend, 21-year-old kayaker Netta Malkinson, who is also preparing to participate in the 2014 Paris Olympics.

"My first phone call after winning the bronze medal was to Netta," Hershko said. "I screamed, 'I cannot believe it! I cannot believe it!,' but she believed in me the whole time."

The two athletes met at the Wingate Institute.

"Netta was doing physiotherapy after an ankle injury and I also spent a lot of time there. We became good friends, and from there, our connection deepened. I came out to my parents and now I feel that everyone accepts me as I am.

"Netta is my first girlfriend. I love a person for his or her character, gender makes no difference to me."

Q: With your busy schedules, do you have time to meet?

"We meet at every available opportunity. We hike together, watch TV together, and spend time with family."

Q: Do your teammates know that you are gay?

"Everyone knows, we are completely transparent. Netta is good friends with everyone on the team."

Q: So, what is your next goal?

"Right now, I am on vacation, but I am already thinking about Paris, but there are goals to achieve even before that. Of course, I want to win gold, and I hope my dedication will help me achieve it."

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Tokyo – who in July became the first orangutan cub born in the Ramat Gan Safari in over 11 years – received a warm message from the Japanese Ambassador to Israel Mizushima Koichi on Thursday, in Hebrew.

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Tokyo was born in early July to 12-year-old orangutan Tana, who for the first few days, did not so much as let strangers catch a glimpse of her cub, who hid in her mother's fur.

The name was given last month in honor of the Olympic Games, during which Tokyo was born.

"Shalom, naming the orangutan Tokyo is a touching gesture to the Olympic Games in Tokyo 2020, which just recently came to a successful conclusion in Japan," Koichi said in Hebrew in a video recording.

"I wish the cub and her mother Tana health, happiness and love. Every birth of this nature is exciting and helps raise awareness for the orangutan, which is in danger of extinction in the wild. I hope that Tokyo, similar to the Olympic Games in Tokyo, becomes a symbol of peace, success, joy and hope," Koichi added.

The ambassador made the remarks within the context of International Orangutan Day, which was marked on Thursday. The purpose of the day is to call public attention to this critically endangered species.

"We hope that sweet Tokyo will help us raise awareness for these lovely apes, and maybe help a little in stopping their extinction," an official at the Ramat Gan Safari said.

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Defending champions South Korea smashed Israel's pitching on Monday with 18 hits in an 11-1 mercy-rule win to secure the first final-four berth of the six-team Tokyo 2020 tournament.

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South Korea (3-1) plays the United States or Japan on Wednesday for a berth in the gold medal game. South Korea beat Israel 6-5 in 10 innings in its opener in Japan.

Israel get no day off. They now play a win-or-go-home game against a rested Dominican Republic on Tuesday. The side left standing then play on Wednesday against the loser of Monday's later game, which is between Japan and the United States.

"Our goal is not be content with just one win," Israel captain Shlomo Lipetz said.

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Three strikes and they're out: Israel ended Mexico's baseball run at Tokyo 2020 with a 12-5 drubbing.

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Mexico's disappointing departure from their first Olympic baseball tournament followed just one extra-base hit over their first two games and a rough start on Sunday from pitcher Manny Barreda, whom Israel pounded for six runs in three innings.

Israel punched in another six runs in the seventh inning when hitting against one-time Major Leaguer Oliver Perez.

Israel on Monday will face the winner of a game later on Sunday between South Korea and the Dominican Republic.

On Sunday, Mexico scored most of their runs in the third inning against Israel starter Josh Zeid, whose day job is coaching Chicago Cubs pitchers recovering from injury.

Mexico pulled to 6-5 in the sixth before Israel's bullpen shut them down.

Israel's Danny Valencia swatted a hanging curve over the left-field wall for a three-run homer and likely the tournament's longest blast (official records are not being kept).

Nick Rickles, whose normal job is in health care, also had three runs batted in for Israel. Mitch Glasser and Zach Penprase brought in two each.

Zack Weiss (1-0) got the win by allowing one run in two innings. Israel had 12 hits and set a tournament-high for runs.

"It's a fairy tale they were able to qualify," Mexico coach Benji Gil had said last week of underdog Israel, which also are new to the Olympics.

"Many people looked down on them but hats off," Gil said in admiration.

Unfortunately for Mexico, the caps are not coming back on.

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Aerostats − lighter-than-air aircraft bouyed by gas − made by an Israeli company are in use by Tokyo Police to help secure the Olympic Games, the manufacturer of the systems, RT, announced Thursday.

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RT's SkyStar 180 tactical aerostats are being used by law enforcement for public safety, event traffic and crowd control.

The systems "were integrated into the command and control center of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police," RT said in a statement, and "are positioned at several different locations, about 150 meters [492 feet] above the ground. These spots were identified by the end-user as sites where many of the events are taking place.

The high-quality video from the aerostat is transmitted in real time to the command center, which is controlled by the Tokyo Police.

According to RT, SkyStar Aerostats deliver persistent surveillance of an area and full digital recordings of mission video and data. The systems can stay airborne for up to 72 hours and operate in a wind velocity of up to 40 knots.

It only takes 20 minutes to refill them with helium, said the company.

"We are proud of the selection of the SkyStar 180 tactical aerostat system by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police for a mission that is so important in safeguarding the 11,091 participants in the 2020 Olympic Games," RT CEO Rami Shmueli said. "We look forward to continuing our cooperation with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police on further security missions in the future as well."

Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.

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The team's outfits looked similar to the others in the room as the arena lights gleamed off crystals crisscrossing their chests and down their crimson and white sleeves.

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But the German gymnastics team's new Olympic suits didn't stop at their hips.

For decades, female gymnasts have worn bikini-cut leotards. In qualifying on Sunday, however, the German team instead wore unitards that stretched to their ankles, intending to push back against the sexualization of women in gymnastics.

The Tokyo Olympics are the first Summer Games since Larry Nassar, a former USA Gymnastics national team doctor, was sent to prison for 176 years for sexually abusing hundreds of gymnasts, including some of the sport's greatest stars. At his sentencing, athletes – some of them Olympians – described how the sport's culture allowed for abuse and objectification of young women and girls.

Male gymnasts wear comparatively body-covering clothes: singlets, with loose shorts for their floor exercise and vault, and long pants on bar and pommel horse routines.

The German team first wore unitards at the European Artistic Gymnastics Championships in April.

Sarah Voss, a 21-year-old German, said they weren't sure they would decide to wear them again during Olympic competition until they got together before the meet.

"We sat together today and said, OK, we want to have a big competition," Voss said. "We want to feel amazing, we want to show everyone that we look amazing."

Their wardrobe revolution, while widely championed, has not so far started a trend. Leotards that leave the legs bare were worn by every other female gymnast during qualifying at the Tokyo Games.

At 4-foot-8, American superstar Simone Biles said in June that she prefers leotards because they lengthen the leg and make her appear taller.

"But I stand with their decision to wear whatever they please and whatever makes them feel comfortable," Biles said. "So if anyone out there wants to wear a unitard or leotard, it's totally up to you."

Matt Cowan, the chief commercial officer for GK Elite, the US' premier leotard manufacturer, said most requests for unitards now come from countries the require modesty for cultural and religious reasons. They have otherwise seen no rush toward unitards.

"Would we do it? Absolutely. We have the capabilities of designing it and doing it, and we have done it," Cowan said. "But from a consumer demand perspective, we are not there yet."

Gymnastics is often viewed as a sport best performed by very young women and girls. Biles, at 24, often jokes about being old; she recently called herself a grandma on social media.

But other nations have defied that emphasis on youth, including the Germans: Elisabeth Seitz is 27, Kim Bui is 32, Pauline Schafer is 24, and Voss is 21. Their average age is 26. Voss said that gymnastics customs should leave room for female bodies as they age and change.

Their outfits comply with the wardrobe rules of the International Gymnastics Federation. But that doesn't mean female athletes are generally free to cover their bodies as they choose.

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Just days before the Games began, the Norwegian women's beach handball team refused to play in bikini bottoms during European tournaments, opting instead for skin-tight shorts. For that, they received a fine for violating a wardrobe requirement.

But at gymnastics qualifying Sunday, the announcer over the loudspeaker called the outfits "very nice indeed." The German team did not qualify for the finals, but the announcer pondered if their team debut on the Olympic stage might increase unitards' popularity.

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In four more days, on Friday, July 30, Israeli judoka Raz Hershko  is slated to square off against Tahani Alqahtani of Saudi Arabia in the 78-kilogram category for women.

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As of Monday morning, it still wasn't clear whether the Saudi judoka will show up to compete or whether she and her coaches will boycott the match.

Algerian judo athlete Fethi Nourine has already been sent home from the Tokyo Olympics after withdrawing from the competition to avoid potentially facing Israeli judoka Tohar Butbul.

The International Judo Federation said Nourine's position was "in total opposition to the philosophy of the International Judo Federation. The IJF has a strict non-discrimination policy, promoting solidarity as a key principle, reinforced by the values of judo."

Regardless, as far as Alqahtani of Saudi Arabia is concerned, there are varying views about her upcoming fight with her Israeli opponent and, as stated, she has yet to decide whether to compete or not.

On social media, meanwhile, several commenters held the view that Alqahtani should fight.

"Alqahtani represents Saudi Arabia in a sporting competition, it has nothing to do with politics," one commenter said.

"She can't back down," another said, "especially not against the Israeli."

Someone else wrote: "May God grant you great success, let's go, beat the devil."

One female commenter said, "As an Arab, I hope our hero Alqahtani doesn't withdraw. Whether she wins or not. It's enough for us that she's already achieved something special – changing the paradigm in the Arab world."

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