<figure id="attachment_290199" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-290199" style="width: 3919px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a href="#" data-ident_hash="17ceb6d5"><img src="https://res.cloudinary.com/fridaydigital/image/private/t_article_image/wpmedia/2023/01/2020110510932.jpg" alt=""></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-290199" class="wp-caption-text">Sakamoto has been carrying the Samurai Japan signboard for nearly 10 years. The news of his omission from the team has caused quite a stir both at home and abroad.</figcaption></figure>
 The lineup for the Samurai Japan team for the WBC to be held in March has been decided.
 In addition to Shohei Otani (28), Munetaka Murakami (22), Yu Darvish (36), and 12 others who were previously announced, Kazuma Okamoto (26), the Giants&#8217; No. 4, Keiji Takahashi (25), Yakult&#8217;s left ace candidate, and Masanao Yoshida (29), who joined the Red Sox this off-season, were selected. In total, all 30 registered players were present.
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 Many of the players are active in Major League Baseball, and Samurai Japan is regarded as the &#8220;strongest team in history&#8221; in terms of ability. The decision of the members of the team has been widely reported overseas as well, but in Korea, where the team will play in the second round, the media is reportedly buzzing with the names of some unexpected players. Sportswriter Kim Myung-woo reveals the following.
 Kim Myung-woo, a sportswriter, reveals, &#8220;In Korea, it is widely reported that the Giants&#8217; infielder Hayato Sakamoto (34) has been omitted from the team. Sakamoto has been playing in major international tournaments for nearly a decade and even hit a home run against South Korea in the 2015 Premier 12. As a star of the Japanese baseball world, he is very well known in Korea. Sakamoto&#8217;s absence from the tournament was therefore reported with great shock. Sports Kyoung Hyang&#8221; reported, &#8220;Is it an injury problem? A question of ethics?　Japan&#8217;s veteran ranger left out,&#8221; while &#8220;Sports Chosun&#8221; published an article titled &#8220;Final entries for the fateful Korea-Japan Samurai Japan match revealed&#8230;Why was the national team&#8217;s ranger left out?
 Last September, Bunshun Online reported Sakamoto&#8217;s abortion trouble with his former girlfriend, Ms. A. They met more than two years ago and became man and wife, but Sakamoto later unilaterally ended the relationship with Ms. A, saying he had a girlfriend. However, Sakamoto continued to summon Ms. A for his own reasons and demanded unprotected sexual intercourse and extreme play. Furthermore, when he found out that Ms. A was pregnant.
 She told him, &#8220;It&#8217;s tough to have a baby. As expected.
 If you&#8217;re going to have the baby, the sooner the better, right?
 The woman was so shocked that she attempted to commit suicide.
 In Korea, it is reported that &#8220;this scandal may have been one of the reasons for the omission of the members. Sakamoto had resigned from the national team in advance.
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 Sakamoto has asked in advance to withdraw from the national team, but considering the nature of his troubles, many in Korea believe that he deserved to be omitted from the team. Since they are rivals who will face each other in the first round, &#8220;Sports Chosun&#8221; immediately published an article analyzing the situation. In the article, it says that other than Sakamoto, all of the other players are good defenders but not good hitters.
 Sakamoto told those around him that he wants to regain his long-hitting ability once again, and has already begun making adjustments in time for the team&#8217;s camp to begin on February 1. However, the reaction of those involved is cold.
 He says he declined, but to be honest, there was a big chance he would not be selected. His batting average of .286 was still low, but his home run total was a single-digit five for the first time since 2008, his second year after graduating from high school. His batting average is still at .286, but his home run total is still in the single digits, with only five home runs since 2008, his second year after graduating from high school. 33 runs is also a lonely number, and with Okamoto taking over the role of captain this season, which he has held since 2015, he has been pushed into the very corner. If this situation continues, he will lose his place not only in the national team but also in the team. This is truly a year of competition.
 Many fans in Korea are disappointed that they will not be able to see Sakamoto play. Will he be able to reevaluate himself and become the player the world fears again?

 Kyodo News

 The lineup for the Samurai Japan team for the WBC to be held in March has been decided. In addition to Shohei Otani (28), Munetaka Murakami (22), Yu Darvish (36), and 12 others who were announced earlier, Kazuma Okamoto (26), the Giants' No. 4, and Yakult's left fielder, A

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