Kazuma Okamoto, who contributed greatly to the world’s No.1 baseball team, was a “good father” as this magazine saw him.

Samurai Japan reclaimed the top spot in the world. The U.S. team took the lead in the first inning, but Shohei Ohtani held them off in the ninth inning, and the U.S. team was able to hold off the Americans.

Kazuma Okamoto of the Giants made a major contribution to this first world championship in 14 years.

In the game against Italy, he went on a five-run outburst, including a three-run blast. In the final against the U.S., he hit a priceless solo home run. There is no doubt that Okamoto was one of the key players in the World No. 1 team’s success, as he also played first base, which is not his natural defensive position.

Okamoto actually had his first child last year. The following is a recounting of an article that appeared in FRIDAY Digital in January of this year (age, title, etc. remain as they were at the time).

In late December, a man with an athletic build walks through a shopping mall in Tokyo. He is carrying a number of paper bags with apparel brand names on them and looking at his smartphone as he walks. He is Kazuma Okamoto, 26, the new captain of the Yomiuri Giants. A woman with a small baby on her chest is walking beside him. The two occasionally looked into the baby’s face and smiled.

Last year, Okamoto had her first child. With the birth of his child and being chosen as the new captain, Okamoto has been quite enthusiastic since the beginning of the year, saying, ‘This year, I will definitely win the top position in Japan.

Okamoto participated in the spring Koshien Tournament in 2002 with Nara Prefecture’s Chiben Gakuen. In the first round, Okamoto became known throughout Japan after becoming the 19th player in the history of the tournament to hit two homers in one game, tying a tournament record. He also participated in the summer Koshien tournament, but was eliminated in the first round. However, there Okamoto met the woman who would become his wife.

It was love at first sight,” said Okamoto. They did not enter into a relationship at Koshien, but when Okamoto joined the Giants in 2003, he made a strong appeal to her, and they entered into a relationship. Even now, she is known as a very loving wife.

On January 7, Okamoto participated in the “New Year Talk Show 2023” at a Tokyo hotel with Yoshihiro Maru and Naoki Yoshikawa. Asked about his aspirations for this year, Okamoto replied,

“I will hit the ball hard to win the championship and become Japan’s No. 1 hitter.

I will hit the ball as hard as I can to win the championship and become Japan’s number one,” he declared. I hope that he will achieve results for the sake of his wife and children.