Munenori Kawasaki on Baseball, Life, and Singing in Small Halls

Baseball is entertainment

“I’ve played in Japan’s professional leagues, in the Major Leagues, and even in Taiwan and Mexico, but I still want to play overseas. So when they offered me a chance to play in Dubai, in the Middle East, I was thrilled and said yes. The Middle East, especially Dubai, gives off an impression of enormous potential. Though, when I really thought about it, I realized, ‘Wait, where exactly is Dubai?’ I had even mistaken it for a country! (laughs)”

Kawasaki Shigenori (44), wearing a kandura gifted by a friend he made locally, proudly held up two trophies with a beaming smile.

“The bigger one is the Series MVP. The other is called the ‘Elvis Andrus Clubhouse Award,’ given because I helped energize the team. Pretty fitting for me, right? (laughs)”

“Baseball United,” the first regional league based in the Middle East and South Asia with four teams, officially launched late last year. From November, league games were held in Dubai for a month. Kawasaki played for the Mid-East Falconsalongside veteran stars like Hiroyuki Nakajima (43, ex-Chunichi) and Shuhei Fukuda (36, ex-Lotte). He hit .367 in the regular season and helped lead his team to victory in the playoffs, earning the inaugural Series MVP award.

“I thought maybe the prize would be a camel, but no luck (laughs). Though at the start of the games, the starting pitcher rides a camel to the mound!”

This theatrical touch was designed to win popularity in baseball’s untraditional home of Dubai. The league itself also adopted unconventional rules that challenged standard expectations.

For example, the “Money Ball” doubles the points for a home run. Normally, a home run with one runner scores two points, but with Money Ball, it counts as four. The “Fireball” rule allows a pitcher to change sides immediately after a strikeout, regardless of the out count. Both rules can be used up to three times per game.

“Our team hit an eight-run home run using Money Ball with the bases loaded. The stands and our team went crazy! On the flip side, even with an eight-point lead, the other team could catch up. You couldn’t relax until the final inning. By the way, Money Ball was never used when I batted—my manager probably figured I wouldn’t hit a home run (laughs).”

With discussions about adopting seven-inning games in Japanese high school baseball, the sport may be entering a period of change. While rule changes are common in sports, baseball in Japan has traditionally resisted them.

Kawasaki, however, is open-minded.

“Sports are entertainment. They exist to be enjoyed, and to make the audience happy!”

He spent an intense month on a desert field covered only with artificial turf. During doubleheaders, he laid mats on the ground to nap and rested fully between games. “By the way, write that the pay wasn’t much at all,” he laughed. Still, Dubai offered him major insights.

“Whether Money Ball would work in Japan, I don’t know. People in the Middle East and Japanese fans view baseball differently. But I was reminded in Dubai that baseball is, above all, entertainment.”

Mastering Baseball, Kawasaki-Style

As the new baseball season arrived, shocking news broke: Kawasaki was invited to the Chunichi Dragons’ spring camp as a temporary coach and player. Could this be an unexpected return to NPB?

Smiling at the question, Kawasaki shared his philosophy:

“I don’t think so, but even if an offer came, I’d turn it down. I’m like an enka singer performing in a small hall. I want to perfect my entertainment in a small space. I’ve already played in the big venues of professional baseball and the Major Leagues. There are plenty of players who should be on those stages. I play baseball in the independent league in Tochigi (Golden Braves), not just for the fans but also for the sponsors. Baseball can’t exist without people supporting you. I didn’t truly understand that before. Why can we play baseball? I learned the system and flow of it by playing in the independent league.”

He continued:

“After games, I even go to the sponsor companies to clean the toilets.”

Kawasaki, among the younger players?

“I’m not also going—I’m going. I want the young players to focus on baseball. But you can’t make a living just by playing baseball. Japan is privileged, so people don’t notice. In Dubai, for instance, there are no baseball tools or fields—it’s normal there. That’s why I want young players to go abroad. There’s a lot they can learn.”

Though Kawasaki thinks about the younger generation, as a player he’s still full of energy. This year he turns 45, finally reaching the age at which his longtime idol Ichiro (52) retired.

“About a year and a half ago, I started using a machine called QualiForce to improve my athletic sense, and it’s made my body really capable. But… Ichiro at 45 reached first base in 3.68 seconds—an incredible time! Now I barely break four seconds. It’s amazing to experience Ichiro’s greatness firsthand, and it’s exciting to know what it feels like to be active at 45. I’m sure Ichiro would say, ‘I could still do 3.9 now’ (laughs).”

When will Kawasaki decide to end this journey? Even he doesn’t know.

“I don’t plan to continue forever. I can quit anytime. Even tomorrow would be fine. But thinking that way actually makes me less afraid and makes life easier.”

Where will he shine this year?

From the February 20-27, 2026 issue of “FRIDAY”