Society

Hayato Sakamoto becomes 53rd player to reach 2,000 hits in Japan

Nov 09 (Japan Times) - Hayato Sakamoto reached Japan's iconic 2,000-hit mark in the first inning of the Yomiuri Giants' game against the Yakult Swallows on Sunday, arriving at the milestone in his 14th season in Nippon Professional Baseball.

Playing in his 1,783rd career game, the Giants' captain doubled off Swallows starter Albert Suarez with two outs in the opening frame at Tokyo Dome. The hit in his 6,846th plate appearance tied Sakamoto with Kazuya Fukuura in the 52nd spot on Japan's career hit list.

"I wasn't in a rush but I did want to get a hit soon, so it's a good thing I got one in my first at-bat," said Sakamoto, who was hitless in three at-bats after getting No. 1,999 on Saturday night.

Sakamoto, the second-youngest player to reach the milestone after Hall of Famer Kihachi Enomoto, moved past Fukuura in the career hit rankings in the third inning of Sunday's game with his 19th home run of the season.

He added a single in the fourth to collect No. 2,002, four shy of slugging first-baseman Norihiro Komada at 51st on the list.

The record for hits in Nippon Professional Baseball is 3,085, held by Hall of Fame outfielder Isao Harimoto, who played in 2,752 career games. Ichiro Suzuki, who had 3,089 career hits in the major leagues, also had 1,278 hits in Japan.

Japan Set for First Female Leader

A special session of the Diet convened on October 21st, where Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president Takeuchi is expected to be chosen as Japan’s next prime minister in the afternoon’s leadership vote. Following a coalition agreement reached on October 20th between the LDP and Nippon Ishin no Kai, Takeuchi’s appointment is now virtually certain, paving the way for her to become the first woman in Japan’s constitutional history to lead the government.

Typhoon No. 24 (Fung-shen) Strengthens Over South China Sea, Heavy Rain Forecast For Japan

Typhoon No. 24 (Fung-shen) is strengthening over the South China Sea and is expected to make landfall in Vietnam later this week, according to forecasts. Satellite images on October 201st show extensive cloud coverage over the central South China Sea. After passing over the Philippines, Fung-shen temporarily weakened but is projected to intensify again as it continues westward through Tuesday.

Tourist Graffiti Threatens Kyoto’s Iconic Bamboo Forest

Kyoto’s world-famous Arashiyama district, a popular destination for both domestic and international tourists, is facing a growing problem of graffiti etched into the bamboo along its iconic “Bamboo Grove Path,” with more than 350 stalks now damaged — a practice that experts warn could eventually cause bamboo to weaken, fall, and even injure visitors.

Japanese Streaming Services Struggle Against Netflix

Japan’s streaming industry is under growing pressure as foreign giants tighten their grip on the domestic market, with Netflix’s latest move to secure exclusive broadcast rights in Japan for every game of the World Baseball Classic next March highlighting the widening gap.

Japan Tightens Rules on Foreign Business Visas

Investigators from the Immigration Services Agency conducted on-site inspections in Osaka on October 14th amid a surge in so-called 'paper companies' created by foreign nationals seeking residency.

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