Retiring Giants Star Hisayoshi Chono Chooses Grad School—Pushed Strongly by Wife Sayaka Shimohei

Modeling himself after Atsuya Furuta

On October 14, Giants outfielder Hisayoshi Chono (40) held a press conference at a Tokyo hotel to announce his retirement. It was a decision that brought an end to his 16-year playing career. At the press conference, a total of 53 people gathered—36 players, including Hayato Sakamoto (36) and Kazuma Okamoto (29), and 17 coaches and staff members. It was a scene that clearly showed how respected Chono is by his juniors and teammates.

However, what surprised fans was what he revealed about his future path. At the press conference, Chono announced that he will be entering graduate school. He said:

“I want to study so I can help young players. I want to learn things like coaching management, sports management, I want to be able to speak logically, so I’m thinking of going to graduate school.”

He stated that the entrance exam is scheduled for December, and when asked about the school, he replied, “I can’t answer that.”

Giants executives, who assumed that Chono would immediately join the coaching staff after retirement, were reportedly very surprised by this decision. So why did Chono choose this path?

A TV Asahi insider explains:

“I heard it was his wife, announcer Atsuko Shimodaira, who strongly encouraged Chono to attend graduate school.”

The insider continues:

“Chono said at the press conference that he wants to become a coach who can offer advice based not only on his playing experience but also on newly acquired knowledge. Shimodaira seems to believe that the model for such a figure is Atsuya Furuta (60). After serving as player-manager for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, Furuta spent many years as a baseball commentator for TV Asahi.

At the same time, he has devoted himself to developing amateur players, including U-18 and women’s baseball. In 2019, he became an advisor for the industrial-league club team Yaizu Marines. In 2021, he became a board member of the Japan Women’s Softball League Organization. That same year, he served as a temporary coach at Yakult’s spring training camp, and in 2023, he also worked as a temporary coach for the MLB Arizona Diamondbacks.

Shimodaira has observed Furuta closely over the years and apparently advised Chono that if he wanted to grow as a leader, he should attend graduate school.”

Chono, who is 12 years younger than Shimodaira, was first reported to be dating her in 2009, and they married in 2015. Since then, she has supported Chono while continuing her work as an announcer.

I want to let my husband rest a little

“A big topic of discussion at the time of their marriage was when Chono said, ‘Sayaka-san is a tremendous support to me.’ In 2019, when it was decided that he would transfer to Hiroshima as compensation for Yoshihiro Maru’s (36) FA move to the Giants, Shimodaira decided they would move to Hiroshima together. She adjusted her work schedule so she could continue her announcer job, commuting to Tokyo about three days a week. As a TV Asahi news announcer and as Chono’s wife, she continued supporting him, earning his complete trust even today.” —TV Asahi insider

Chono’s decision is, of course, meaningful for his career as a baseball professional, but it also carries major advantages for Shimodaira as well. Entertainment journalist Hiroyuki Sasaki explains:

“Some people may wonder, ‘Why graduate school, and why now?’ But it seems part of Shimodaira’s intention was to let her husband rest a little. At the same time, by having him study and deepen his knowledge, she likely hopes that if he becomes a commentator in the future, he’ll be able to offer insights that stand out from others. Chono has experience in the corporate world, is very sensible, and is known as a gentleman. He’s also deeply trusted by his juniors. Given his character, if he becomes a commentator, he won’t just talk about baseball in a narrow sense.

If he acquires more specialized knowledge at graduate school, his position as a commentator will be rock solid. And if Shimodaira hopes for Chono to become someone like Atsuya Furuta, then she may also be thinking of Furuta’s wife, announcer Miho Nakai (60). Nakai’s long-standing devotion in supporting Furuta is well known, and the two are often talked about as a pair. Shimodaira may be aiming for that kind of partnership.”

Having firmly established her own career as an announcer, older-wife Sayaka Shimodaira will no doubt continue supporting her husband Hisayoshi Chono—both publicly and privately—with unwavering strength.