Nagashima’s Fierce Rehabilitation Journey—Ex-NHK Anchor Aoyama Tells All

“I was captivated by her warm, embracing smile.”

Former NHK announcer Yuko Aoyama was known to have had a close relationship with “Mr. Pro Baseball” Shigeo Nagashima, who passed away on June 3 at the age of 89. They dined together numerous times, and she was in charge of producing special programs about him. The following is Aoyama’s recollection of Mr. Nagashima’s indomitable rehabilitation story:

The first time I met Manager Shigeo Nagashima was in 1999, my fifth year at NHK. After completing my assignment at the Nagano Olympics, I began hosting “NHK News 11” in April, which gave me my first opportunity to report on the world of professional baseball.

While nervously waiting on the field, I saw him coming up the stairs from behind the bench. My heart was about to stop as I approached and said, “I’m Yuko Aoyama. Nice to meet you.”

I thought he would just pass by, but instead, he stopped and replied, “Ah, you’re Aoyama from NHK. Nice to meet you,” with his bright brown eyes sparkling. I was instantly captivated by his warm, embracing smile.

The first time we had a meal together was in the off-season of 1999. It was at a Chinese restaurant with a large round table, where I had Shanghai crab for the first time in my life. The manager was a gourmet and very knowledgeable—he would always share stories about the food. That day, he even taught me the difference in taste between male and female Shanghai crabs.

After suffering a stroke in March 2004, the manager eventually began going out for meals again. When I saw him during that time, he still couldn’t walk steadily without support, and even sitting down on the floor in a traditional room was a challenge. Still, he had not given up on leading the team at the Athens Olympics, and I was surprised when he said, “I’ve got to keep trying.”

From there, he made a miraculous recovery and eventually became able to walk strongly without using a cane. When I saw him briskly climb the stairs to the second floor of a restaurant under his own power. I was left speechless.

The manager’s appearance, which drew great acclaim, conveyed the message: “I still have dreams.”

About four years after I had started regularly dining with the manager as part of his rehabilitation through conversation, NHK decided to air a special program titled Fighting Rehabilitation.

At that time, the manager had not yet returned to television. But when I relayed the production team’s request asking if he could send a message for the program, he readily agreed, saying, “Let’s do it. Let’s do it for the millions of people out there working hard on their rehab.”

He said on camera:

“Rehabilitation is far more painful than sports training. But if you give up, it’s over. Rehab doesn’t lie.”

Then he added, “I still have dreams. It’d be nice if I could run again.”

I got goosebumps during the interview. At the same time, I struggled with whether it was right to show his condition after the stroke on TV. But once the manager made up his mind, he was stubborn about following through. We went ahead with the broadcast—and it received a tremendous response. When I told the manager, he seemed encouraged and said, “Next, let’s make a big splash for the 50th anniversary of ON!”

The following year, the NHK Special The Era of ON, which featured the manager and Sadaharu Oh (now 85) opening up about their struggles as superstars for the first time, received the Galaxy Encouragement Award.

The last time I saw the manager was when I paid my respects after his passing. He was draped in a blanket given to him by Hideki Matsui (51), over the clothes he wore when he met Shohei Ohtani (30). That image conveyed a powerful message—“I entrust the future of baseball to you. My dreams now live on in all of you.”

※The full interviews with Aoyama and Baba announcers can be read in the currently available special memorial issue “In Memoriam: Emergency Edition – Shigeo Nagashima.”

 

From “FRIDAY” July 18-25, 2025