“To Give Back”… Former Giants Manager Shinnosuke Abe, Who Was Not Indicted, May “Return” to “Nippon TV Sports News” in the New Year

“It’s my turn to give back.”

Regarding former Giants manager Shinnosuke Abe (47), who was arrested by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department in late May on suspicion of assaulting his eldest daughter and resigned unexpectedly the following day, the Tokyo District Public Prosecutors Office decided on June 15 to suspend prosecution.

A source at a major Tokyo television network reflects on the “Abe incident.”

“Even for housewives who aren’t interested in baseball, the arrest of the Giants’ active manager seemed quite sensational, and ratings for news programs were high. The public likely viewed this incident as a family matter. Since it didn’t end as mere baseball news, it continued to be covered day after day by various TV stations and news programs.”

Mr. Abe suddenly took off his uniform and was placed on administrative leave. Just when it seemed he might be shunned not only by the baseball world but also by the media, his “inner circle” has already begun devising a plan for his return.

“Nippon TV, a group company of the Giants, is considering bringing Mr. Abe on board as a commentator or guest as early as next year. It seems the plan is for him to start as a guest commentator on sports news programs and eventually join the broadcast team for Giants games,” said a source at the network.

Nippon TV produces sports news daily on programs such as “news zero” on weekdays and “Going! Sports & News” on weekends. Naturally, there are many opportunities to cover topics related to the Giants.

“The production staff has been indebted to Mr. Abe, who has been a key player since his rookie days. Not only do we communicate with him over meals, but he even granted us exclusive coverage during his overseas training, saying, ‘It’s Nippon TV, so it’s fine.’ Since Mr. Abe became manager, our interactions have increased even further, and the executives feel a deep sense of gratitude toward him.

Furthermore, the online petition with over 130,000 signatures calling for Manager Abe’s return—which some had derided as “a waste of time”—is certainly not unrelated to this.“We thought a return to the media would be difficult while viewers’ aversion still lingered, but we’ve been able to confirm in an unexpected way that he’s still a popular figure. Even though he wasn’t indicted, he’ll likely remain on hiatus for the rest of this year—but the new year will mark a fresh start. Our mindset is, ‘Now it’s our turn to return the favor,’” (ibid.)

An unexpected tailwind has blown in Mr. Abe’s direction. Next season, viewers may see a new side of Shinnosuke Abe on their TV screens.