Politics & Diplomacy
Hashimoto to retract sex suggestion for U.S. military
Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto aims to retract his remark that U.S. servicemen in Okinawa should use its adult entertainment industry to avoid committing sex offenses.
Japanese Baseball | BASEBALL BULLET-IN Feb 10, 2013
Murakami ideal man for new U.N. goodwill ambassador role
by Wayne Graczyk
Kudos to Masanori Murakami, the first Japanese player in the major leagues, on his recent appointment as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commission for Refugees. “Mashi” is highly qualified to take the leadership role in supporting charities and, having been acquainted ...
Japanese Baseball | BASEBALL BULLET-IN Feb 3, 2013
Eagles facing big challenges in bid to make playoffs
by Wayne Graczyk
Will this be the season the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles make it to the Pacific League Climax Series for the second time in their nine years of existence? Hardline disciplinarian manager Senichi Hoshino got the team bumped up a notch in 2012, moving from ...
Japanese Baseball | BASEBALL BULLET-IN Jan 27, 2013
Farewell games in Japan usually teary affairs
by Wayne Graczyk
There was a news item saying the New York Yankees were considering signing Hideki Matsui to a one-day contract so he can officially retire as a major leaguer with that club. The Jan. 10 Kyodo report quoted Yankees team co-owner Hal Steinbrenner as saying ...
Baseball | BASEBALL BULLET-IN Jan 20, 2013
Tigers aim for return to respectability after two woeful seasons
by Wayne Graczyk
The 2013 season will surely be a pivotal one for the Hanshin Tigers and their fans as the team attempts to halt a downward slide that has seen the club finish in the Central League’s second division the past two seasons. Hanshin dropped from ...
Japanese Baseball | BASEBALL BULLET-IN Jan 13, 2013
Anniversaries abound around NPB
by Wayne Graczyk
The year 2013 will mark a season of notable anniversaries for Japanese baseball franchises and ballparks. It is Japanese year Heisei 25, the 25th anniversary for Tokyo Dome, Japan’s first indoor stadium, and the 20th for Fukuoka Yahoo Japan Dome, the country’s first-and still ...
Baseball | BASEBALL BULLET-IN Jan 6, 2013
Matsui's stellar career, easy charm won admirers on, off baseball diamond
by Wayne Graczyk
Happy New Year and welcome to 2013. One of the bigger stories to close out the 2012 baseball news year was the retirement of former Yomiuri Giants and New York Yankees slugger Hideki Matsui at the age of 38. The Dec. 28 announcement ended ...
Baseball | BASEBALL BULLET-IN Dec 23, 2012
Popular slugger Ramirez, family opening Latin-style cafe in Tokyo
by Wayne Graczyk
Most foreigners who come to Japan to play baseball do just that — and only that. Whether a career lasts a few games or several years, the guys go back to their home country to continue playing ball, stay in the game as coaches ...
Baseball | BASEBALL BULLET-IN Dec 16, 2012
Otani made right decision by choosing to play for Fighters
by Wayne Graczyk
So, the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters got a nice Christmas present with the decision by 18-year-old fire-balling right-handed pitcher Shohei Otani to play for the defending Pacific League championship club rather than head straight for a career in the major leagues. From this point ...
Baseball | BASEBALL BULLET-IN Dec 2, 2012
BayStars, Hawks complete unusual swap of veterans
by Wayne Graczyk
Trades are not a common occurrence in Japanese baseball, and deals involving star players — or at least starting players on most teams — are rarely made. Sure, there have been some trades in the past where the term “blockbuster” might have been used, ...
Baseball | BASEBALL BULLET-IN Nov 18, 2012
Miyamoto dedicated 2,000th hit to late friend, mentor Higuchi
by Wayne Graczyk
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 ...
Baseball | BASEBALL BULLET-IN Nov 11, 2012
Carp rely on scouting expertise of Schullstrom, McClain
by Wayne Graczyk
The Hiroshima Carp again failed to make the Central League Climax Series this time, but manager Kenjiro Nomura has been given another year — his fourth at the helm — to try to get the team into the postseason for the first time. Compiling ...
Baseball | BASEBALL BULLET-IN Oct 28, 2012
Rookie manager Kuriyama deserves credit for job well done
by Wayne Graczyk
Choosing the 2012 Pacific League manager of the year is a no-brainer for me. It is Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters rookie skipper Hideki Kuriyama, who led his club to a pennant victory, a Climax Series sweep of the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks and into the ...