Three Japanese players joined the Meikyukai (Golden Players Club) during the 2012 season by reaching the career 2,000-hit mark. Tokyo Yakult Swallows infielder Shinya Miyamoto, Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters veteran Atsunori Inaba and Fukuoka Softbank Hawks retiring slugger Hiroki Kokubo are the newest GPC members.
For Miyamoto, getting to the milestone was especially emotional. He knocked out that 2,000th hit at Jingu Stadium during Golden Week on May 4 with the memory of a dear friend and father figure on his mind. As he approached the mark, Miyamoto said he would be dedicating the hit to Maruto Higuchi, who died in January 2011.
Higuchi was the head of Nihon Sogyo, a company responsible for maintaining security for, among other facilities, Jingu Stadium, Sendai's Kleenex Stadium Miyagi, Shin-Yokohama Stadium and Meiji Shrine in Tokyo. After joining the Swallows in 1995, Miyamoto became close to Higuchi, 20 years his senior, and eventually Higuchi served as the nakodo (go-between) at Miyamoto's wedding.