Business / Corporate Nov 27, 2020
Mitsui Fudosan set to bid for Tokyo Dome to ward off Oasis
by Takako Taniguchi and Takashi Nakamichi
The real estate company is preparing to make a tender offer of about ¥100 billion ($960 million), sources say.
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Mar 1, 2020
Swallows' Alcides Escobar gets unexpected silent treatment in return to Japan
by Jim Allen
The lively atmosphere Alcides Escobar expected for his Tokyo Dome return was silenced by Japan's efforts to counter the spread of the new coronavirus known as COVID-19. In November 2014, the longtime defensive wiz with the Milwaukee Brewers and Kansas City Royals got a taste ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Feb 29, 2020
Giants and Swallows compete without familiar sights and sounds at ballpark
by Jason Coskrey
The return of pro baseball to Tokyo Dome on Saturday night was greeted by a jarring silence. There were no songs or chants to welcome the players to the plate nor the blaring of trumpets to provide the familiar soundtrack to the NPB experience. Instead, it ...
Music | Sound Off Feb 26, 2020
COVID-19 fears hit live music in Japan
by Patrick St. Michel
With fears over the COVID-19 outbreak increasing, a slew of overseas artists have cancelled live shows in Japan, while others are determined that the show must go on.
Baseball / MLB Mar 19, 2019
Seattle left-hander Marco Gonzales maintains normal focus for first Opening Day start
by Jason Coskrey
Opening Day is a celebratory time for baseball fans. It's when a long winter gives way to spring and the familiar crack of balls ricocheting off wooden bats. The atmosphere promises to be even more jubilant than usual for Seattle Mariners fans, for whom the ...
More Sports / Boxing Apr 14, 2018
Ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. excited about return to Japan
by Kaz Nagatsuka
World-renowned boxing and mixed martial arts ring announcer Jimmy Lennon Jr. has introduced fighters in 35 countries in his long career. And he calls Japan one of "my favorite" nations to work in. The 59-year-old Lennon, the ring announcer when Ryota Murata captured the WBA middleweight ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball | HIT AND RUN Apr 21, 2017
Baseball community, friends reflect on Graczyk's life
by Jason Coskrey
Whenever the Yomiuri Giants were scheduled to play at home, I knew my phone would ring. "Are you going to Tokyo Dome?" Wayne Graczyk would ask. He wanted to know how many seats to keep free in the press box and how many doughnuts he ...
Baseball | BASEBALL BULLET-IN Apr 8, 2017
Future high-rise building could provide free views of Jingu Stadium games
by Wayne Graczyk
It appears some apartment dwellers in Tokyo will soon have a great view of Yakult Swallows games at Meiji Jingu Stadium. A high-rise building is under construction right across the street from the ballpark. It's on the road that runs from the future site ...
Baseball | BASEBALL BULLET-IN Mar 25, 2017
MLB Network’s Martinez, Waltz inform and entertain during WBC telecasts
by Wayne Graczyk
Good show put on by Major League Baseball and the organizers of the 2017 World Baseball Classic Asia rounds held in Seoul and Tokyo earlier this month. With the new Gocheok Sky Dome in South Korea, MLB was able to hold its first sanctioned event ...
Baseball | BASEBALL BULLET-IN Oct 8, 2016
Out-of-town scoreboards would enrich experience at all ballparks
by Wayne Graczyk
Why don't the Japanese pro baseball stadiums have out-of-town scoreboards, and why do many of the main ballparks not display the home-run distances on the fences? These questions are asked often, but there does not seem to be a definitive answer to either. I happened to ...
Baseball / Japanese Baseball Sep 23, 2016
After earlier struggles at home, hot-hitting Jones gaining confidence at Tokyo Dome
by Jason Coskrey
Garrett Jones might have felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders over the past two nights at Tokyo Dome. In two games against the Chunichi Dragons this week, on Wednesday and Thursday, the Yomiuri Giants outfielder was 4-for-8 with a home run and eight ...
Baseball | BASEBALL BULLET-IN Dec 26, 2015
Protecting fans from batted balls presents an ongoing challenge
by Wayne Graczyk
The recent recommendation by Major League Baseball that its teams expand protective netting between the playing field and stands at the ball parks is a good one. Too many fans have been injured by foul balls and bats flung into the stands, and the ...