The aftermath of the “Masahiro Nakai problem” is also here… A “ban on joint meetings between players and female announcers” is now in effect in Miyazaki, a professional baseball campsite.
Renting out a members-only karaoke bar: ……
The aftermath of the series of disturbances concerning Fuji Television, triggered by Masahiro Nakai’s (52) troubles with women, has unexpectedly hit the professional baseball world.

On February 1, the 12 professional baseball teams started their camps at the same time this year. In Miyazaki, players from the Giants, Hiroshima, Yakult 2nd team, Seibu, Softbank, Orix, and Lotte 2nd team are working hard.
The players of the Giants, Softbank, and Orix, whose dormitories are relatively close to downtown, are seen hanging around the main street of Nishitachi (Nishitachibana-dori), commonly known as “Nishitachi” where drinking establishments are located, mainly before holidays, which is a typical sight at this time of year.
The first stop is usually the famous jidori (local chicken) or yakiniku (grilled meat), but the second or third stop is a different story. Not only private restaurants, but also members-only karaoke bars catering to the players, which operate without signboards only during the camp period, appear. One popular bar is run by an elderly woman, and the players rent it out at “market price. When the mainstay players of the Giants come to the bar, they spend more than 100,000 yen per person.
The owner of the restaurant has won the trust of the players by gathering beautiful women not only from Miyazaki but also from all over Kyushu. The players are always trying their best to seduce these beautiful women in order to take them home with them.
Another thing the players look forward to every year is a “blind date” with female announcers from local broadcasters. An announcer at a local broadcaster said with a laugh, “During the camp period, we receive incessant requests to join the party from various places via the relevant personnel.
TV stations “blocking” joint parties
This year, however, due to the “Nakai problem,” such parties are being forced to be canceled one after another. An active player of a certain baseball team who is currently participating in the Miyazaki camp confides in us the reality of the situation.
There are only three TV stations in Miyazaki, NHK and two commercial TV stations. At this time of the year, there are many clubs, not only for professional baseball but also for the J-League. This time of year, not only professional baseball but also many J-League clubs hold their training camps in Miyazaki, so there is a competition for female announcers. The reason for inviting them is simple: they are good at enlivening the atmosphere, and they are well-spoken because they know who they are (laughs). The girls are used to playing, so they don’t go out at night in the city, but in a hotel. (Laughs).
Every year in mid-January, I contact my good friends, and ask them, “What day will you meet up this year? But this time, they said, “Sorry, I’m sorry. The company has issued a “no drinking” order, so I can’t go. …… I heard that the company has tightened up on me because of the “Nakai problem. If you cause unnecessary trouble, it will lead to a credibility problem. It seems that they are threatening to remove him from the announcer’s position if he goes without telling them.
One of the announcers mentioned above said, “During the camp, I had a drinking session with the players.
“Some of the players got into relationships with men and women at drinking parties during the camp, and then developed relationships and even got married. It is a great disadvantage for us “country female announcers” to be deprived of a precious chance to meet top athletes because of Mr. Nakai’s troubles with women. We are free to enjoy a night out in a consensual and moderate manner. ……
Although the dating parties between athletes and announcers are not exactly a compliment, it is clear that the “Nakai problem” has had a negative impact on both parties.
PHOTO: Kyodo News