Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters right-hander Shohei Otani registered a 160 kph fastball for his fastest ever as a pro during the Fighters' 6-2 win over the Hiroshima Carp on Wednesday.
Otani reached the mark on his fifth pitch with two outs in the first inning while facing Yoshihiro Maru, who struck out swinging on the pitch at Sapporo Dome. Otani's fastest previous mark in pro baseball was 158 kph.
The fastest pitch ever thrown by a Japanese pitcher is 161 kph by the Yakult Swallows' Yoshinori Sato. Marc Kroon, who played for the Yokohama BayStars and the Yomiuri Giants, owns the Japanese baseball record of 162 kph.