Possible Clues:

• Tennis star Naomi, or her Japanese birthplace
• From the East, somewhat bleak, a southern Japanese city
• Wood area surrounds small city
• Chicago's "sister city" in Japan
• "Godzilla Raids Again" setting
• 2019 and 2021 Australian Open winner Naomi
• Well, it's back, and also known as Japanese port
• Asian city with alias used by cartographers
• Metropolis of Japan
• ___-Itami International Airport