Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters Regret Lack of Interest in Naoyuki Uwasawa’s Departure

Strict Budget Control

Why did Nippon-Ham allow the “Arihara-style FA” to occur twice?

“Nippon-Ham is extremely strict with budget management. While other teams with ample financial resources may go over budget to show respect to their club legends by offering generous salaries, Nippon-Ham does not provide any special treatment or additional offers. Instead, the focus is on rewarding young stars like Chusei Mannami (24), who had a standout season, by significantly increasing their salaries.

That said, it’s only natural for players to evaluate their worth based on the contracts and offers they receive. Once a player enters into a posting agreement, their contract with their former team is effectively terminated. Therefore, there is no obligation for them to return. Uwasawa’s departure may seem morally questionable, but it is not a breach of rules. Players shouldn’t be unfairly criticized solely based on their decisions,” explained a Pacific League club executive.

For Uwasawa, his decision to sign with the highest-paying club was straightforward, facilitated through his agent. However, it appears that he didn’t fully consider the emotions of the Nippon-Ham fans who had warmly sent him off when he left for the majors, making the situation all the more bittersweet.