Shohei Ohtani Is in a League of His Own—Even His Commercial Fees and Agent Are Next-Level!

The astonishing greatness of the “Monster” Shohei Ohtani

For many years, the highest annual commercial endorsement fee in Japanese advertising was reportedly ¥200 million, earned by Ken Watanabe (66).

“It was the price attached to him around the time he was appearing one after another in major Hollywood productions such as ‘The Last Samurai’ and was beginning to be known as ‘KEN WATANABE, the man of the world.’ Even Sayuri Yoshinaga (81) and Ichiro (52) at the height of their careers never reached that figure.”

After explaining this, advertising agency executive Mr. A gazed into the distance and said, “Who could have imagined that a monster would come along and surpass that seemingly unbreakable record by a full ¥1 billion?”

That monster is Shohei Ohtani (32).

FRIDAY reported in its September 26, 2025 issue that Ohtani’s annual commercial endorsement fee had reached ¥1 billion. But his latest price tag has reportedly risen by another ¥300 million, bringing it to an astonishing ¥1.3 billion, following the season in which he contributed to a second consecutive World Series championship and earned AL MVP honors.

“The weak yen has also contributed to the figure, but it’s astonishing, to say the least. On top of that, he reportedly has a condition that he won’t accept contracts shorter than two years. It may be an excuse to turn down the flood of offers, but even so, companies are lining up in hopes of having Ohtani appear in their commercials.

During the offseason, he sets aside days for commercial shoots and reportedly manages the workload by filming several at once under the condition of ‘two and a half hours per company.’” — Mr. A

Based on confidential data held by executives at major advertising agencies, “FRIDAY” interviewed Mr. A, Mr. B—a former head of an advertising casting company—and other industry figures, including commercial planners. Comparing their data, the magazine compiled its latest list of commercial endorsement fees for prominent athletes and entertainers. The figures represent benchmark amounts used as a basis for negotiations and can rise or fall depending on the client relationship and contract terms.

Let’s take a look at the athletes.

“The number-one factor in determining an athlete’s advertising contract value is the amount of media coverage they receive. With the weak yen and declining real wages undermining the confidence of many Japanese people, what they look to athletes for is success overseas. The media gives extensive coverage to Ohtani’s extraordinary performances as both a pitcher and hitter in MLB.” — Mr. A

Ohtani triple sales

News about the FIFA World Cup in North America was being reported day after day, but a commercial planner says that “Japan’s advertising industry is taking a more level-headed view.”

“Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha (40) saw his Instagram follower count surge from 50,000 to nearly 30 million during the World Cup. The tournament’s influence is certainly enormous, but it only comes around once every four years, and it also hurt that Japan failed to achieve its long-awaited goal of reaching at least the quarterfinals.”

There are many other athletes in sports such as tennis, golf, and basketball who compete alongside the world’s best. However, their matches are rarely broadcast on terrestrial television, and they do not play as many games. Major League Baseball, by contrast, has a 162-game regular season, and NHK broadcasts it almost every day.

“In Ohtani’s case, the positive qualities associated with athletes—freshness, hard work, taking on challenges, and growth—are amplified by factors such as excelling on the world’s biggest stage, being praised by overseas media, and valuing his family. These qualities are then widely reported on terrestrial television almost every day. There is more than enough reason for companies to spend huge sums on him. And in fact, products endorsed by Ohtani have seen increased sales.

It is well known that Ito En has significantly increased its sales in both Japan and the United States, but the most notable example is KOSÉ. Sales of its SEKKISEI sunscreen tripled after Ohtani was appointed as its ambassador, and the product has also attracted more male customers.” — Commercial planner

Mr. B highly praised the skill of Ohtani’s agent, Nez Balelo.

“He’s a genius at segmenting the market. In categories such as tea and other beverages, or cars and tires, he has cleverly separated companies that had previously been considered competitors and signed deals with them individually. Mr. Balelo is not simply a sports agent. He is affiliated with CAA Sports, the sports agency arm of one of the world’s largest full-service talent agencies, which represents world-class stars such as Beyoncé (44) and Brad Pitt (62). His representation is on another level as well.”

[Part 2: The Disappeared Mei Nagano, the Former Johnny’s Split Between Winners and Losers Latest Commercial Endorsement Fee List for Top Celebrities and Athletes]

 

From the August 7 & 14, 2026, combined issue of “FRIDAY”