 Yuji Yanagawa (Nonfiction Writer)

 Kyodo News / AFLO

 Koshien’s Legendary Managers Discuss “What’s Happening in High School Baseball Right Now” (Part 2)… A First-Time Manager Hosts a “Bodybuilding Competition”; Sendai Ikuei Welcomes Its First “Female Manager and Student Coach”

 Legendary Managers Discuss “What’s Happening in High School Baseball Right Now” (Part 2)… A Young Manager Making His Debut Hosts a “Bodybuilding Competition” as a Platform to Showcase Results! Sendai Ikuei Welcomes Its First Female Team Member! She’s a female manager and student coach—and a key figure in the team’s tactics.

They Stopped Speed Work to Host a “Bodybuilding Competition”!? Sendai Ikuei Even Has Its First “Female Player”… This Is High School Baseball in the Reiwa Era!

 Kyodo News, AFLO, Yuji Yanagawa (2nd and 3rd photos)

 Legendary Koshien Managers Discuss “What Is Happening in High School Baseball Right Now?” Part 1… A Prodigy Scouted by Over 30 Schools Was Drawn to “Pitch Count Management” and Chose a Prestigious School in Gunma

 Legendary Coaches Discuss “What’s Happening in High School Baseball Right Now” (Part 1)… Meitoku Gijuku Coach Mabuchi sounds the alarm that “the teams that gather the best players win.” Meanwhile, junior high school students in the Reiwa era seem to be focusing on “whether it’s the environment where I can grow the most.”

“What Happened to the Fun?” A Meitoku Gijuku Veteran on the Changing Face of High School Baseball

 Hide Nishihara

 At 6:00 p.m. in late July, a burly man wearing sunglasses emerged from a luxury high-rise apartment building in Tokyo. It was Shinno-suke Yamase (25), the Giants’ promising catcher with a powerful arm. Beside him stood a beautiful woman dressed in a matching outfit. Who is she…?

Giants’ Rising Catching Star Shinnosuke Yamase Goes Public With Romance With Older Female Celebrity

 Keisuke Nishi, Afro

 Reports of the Yomiuri Giants player Yuhei Takanashi’s “overnight affair” have caused a stir not only among fans but throughout the baseball world. He had been dating two beautiful women over the course of about a month, but how did the team respond…

Long Dress or Mini Skirt? Inside the Giants’ Different Responses to Yūhei Takanashi’s Affair Report

 Keisuke Nishi

 Partying in the entertainment district until the early hours of game day, and on another occasion with a woman in a miniskirt…

 Yomiuri Giants’ Yuhei Takanashi, despite having a wife and children… partied in the entertainment district until the early hours of game day, then headed to a hotel in Tokyo with a beautiful woman in a long dress! About a month earlier, after enjoying drinks with a woman in a miniskirt at a bar, he went home with her.

[Full Text Published] A Ring on His Left Ring Finger… Giants Left-Handed Reliever Yuhei Takanashi Caught in “Overnight Affair with Two Beautiful Women”

 Ryoji Hanamasa

 Plenty of stories about his lightning-fast speed since childhood! He has no memory of ever being caught playing tag, and he used to catch wild rabbits in the nearby mountains

 Having reached 230 career stolen bases as of last year and holding the world record for 13 consecutive games with a stolen base… Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks’ Yuki Shuto—the first player from the farm system to win the stolen base title—spoke about the various struggles and adversities he has faced in his baseball career.

“First, I Want 300 Stolen Bases” — SoftBank’s Ukyo Shuto Reveals the Goal Driving Japan’s Fastest Star

 A special feature looking back at the romantic relationships reported by FRIDAY in the first half of 2026. Beside Yomiuri Giants player Seiji Kobayashi is a slender beauty with brown hair who resembles Akemi Darenogare… She is an office worker in her 20s, and the couple is reportedly living together with marriage in mind.

[2026 Romance Roundup] Seiji Kobayashi’s New Love: The Girlfriend Who Helped Power His Return to the First Team

 Kyodo News

 The Hiroshima Carp have been plagued by a series of scandals and turmoil, including a drug scandal, raids on players’ homes, and a string of hit-by-pitch incidents during games against the Hanshin Tigers. Manager Takahiro Arai, who bears the brunt of the responsibility, is under increasing emotional strain, and within the organization, discussions are already underway regarding the selection of the next manager and disciplinary actions against players.

“I Want to Tear It All Down Before I Leave” — What’s Really Going On Inside the Hiroshima Carp?

 The 108th National High School Baseball Championship kicked off on August 5, 2026. We interviewed the “four super-high-school-level players” who are electrifying Koshien. We spoke with Ryunosuke Tsuji (Riseisha), whose grandfather and father are former professional baseball players and who is expected to become the first player in history to have three generations of his family play professionally.

[Koshien 2026] “I’m Proud to Stand on the Same Stage as My Father” — Ryunosuke Tsuji Chases a Three-Generation Baseball Legacy

 Yuji Yanagawa

 Fumio Kuroda (2nd photo of Sueyoshi) / Kyodo News (1st photo of Sueyoshi)

 The 108th National High School Baseball Championship kicked off on August 5, 2026. We interviewed the “four players beyond the high school level” who are setting Koshien ablaze this midsummer. Ryosuke Sueyoshi of Okinawa Shogaku, who has returned to his role as ace despite struggling with poor physical condition, shares his thoughts.

[Koshien 2026] Okinawa Shogaku’s Ryosuke Sueyoshi: “I Want to Make This a Summer with No Regrets”—The Determination and Confidence of the Returning Ace

 The 108th National High School Baseball Championship kicked off on August 5. We interviewed the “four super-high-school-level players” who are electrifying the Summer Koshien. Yokohama High School’s ace, Shoki Oda, shared his thoughts, saying, “I still have unfinished business at Koshien.”

[Koshien 2026] Yokohama’s Shoki Oda: “I Still Have Unfinished Business at Koshien”—The Top Ace’s “Fighting Spirit”

 Perhaps because his team had won, he strode lightly toward a shisha bar… After parting ways with his friends, he headed to a hotel in Tokyo with a beautiful woman in a long dress

 Stepping out of a shuttle car in Ginza, Tokyo, was Yūhei Takanashi, the Yomiuri Giants’ left-handed pitcher, whose sturdy build made a strong impression. After spending about six hours with friends at a shisha bar, he—in high spirits the entire time—headed to a hotel in Tokyo with a beautiful woman in a long dress…!

After waiting six hours following the game… Giants left-handed reliever Yuhei Takanashi headed off to an overnight affair with a “ring on his left ring finger”

 Kim Myung-woo

 The Story Behind Her Comeback Victory, as Told at Her Return Press Conference

 Shiho Kuwaki became the third Japanese player to win the British Open. We bring you a detailed look at the journey to her dramatic come-from-behind victory, the behind-the-scenes story of the intense battle, and her next goals and future prospects, as revealed at her press conference upon returning to Japan.

[British Open Champion!] Shiho Kuwaki’s Steady Rise—and the Big Dreams Driving Her Next Chapter

 The 108th National High School Baseball Championship kicked off on August 5, 2026. We interviewed the “four super-high-school-level players” who are setting Koshien ablaze in the height of summer. Here are the passionate thoughts shared by Riku Takabe, the left-handed pitcher from Seirei Christopher (Shizuoka)—

[Koshien 2026] “I Want the Longest Summer of Anyone” — Seirei Christopher Ace Riku Takabe Reveals His Determination

 Yuji Yanagawa, Fumio Kuroda (2nd photo of Ryosuke Sueyoshi), Kyodo News (1st photo of Ryosuke Sueyoshi)

 The 108th National High School Baseball Championship kicked off on August 5, 2026.Shoki Oda (Yokohama), Ryosuke Sueyoshi (Okinawa Shogaku), Riku Takabe (Seirei Christopher), and Ryunosuke Tsuji (Riseisha)… We’re unveiling photos of these four highly anticipated “super-high-school-level players” all at once!

Meet the 4 High School Superstars Set to Take Koshien 2026 by Storm

 Nippon-Ham manager Tsuyoshi Shinjo has set his sights on a “runaway championship,” but the team is struggling mightily against first-place SoftBank, with a record of 2 wins and 12 losses. Kohei Arihara’s slump and defensive lapses have also taken their toll, and for the team to stage a comeback and win the title, Kotaro Kiyomiya’s resurgence and a rally from the pitching staff are essential.

Why Can’t Nippon-Ham Beat SoftBank? Shinjo Faces a Growing Arihara Problem

 C2/Yuji Arakawa, Takashi Kurosawa

 For the first time in three years, Shohei Ohtani is operating at full capacity as a two-way player. As a pitcher, he has evolved with a diverse array of breaking balls and skillful pitch selection, while also making his presence felt as a team leader. He has even been seen urging young catchers on, cementing his status as an indispensable player.

Shohei Ohtani Has Finally “Reached His Full Potential as a Pitcher”… Experts Provide an In-Depth Analysis of His “Evolved Pitching Style” and Emergence as a Leader

 For the first time in three years, the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani is operating at full capacity as a two-way player. As a pitcher, he has a 1.79 ERA, and as a hitter, he has an OPS of .930, with his WAR on pace to reach a career high. Let’s look back at Ohtani’s outstanding performance alongside the decisive moments captured on camera.

Shohei Ohtani Makes a &#8220;Full Comeback as a Two-Way Player&#8221; for the First Time in Three Years… The Magnificence of a Historic Season, as Shown by His Career-High WAR Pace

 Although the Yakult Swallows have struggled with more losses than wins since the start of July and seem to be running out of steam, there are reports that they may sign a major contract, as if to “refuel” for the second half of the season.

Should Yakult Extend Kihada Now? Swallows Split Over Securing Next Season’s Closer

 Hiroyuki Komatsu

 Interview with the Rapidly Rising “Yoshishige Yamamoto II”

 Hibiki Shinohara of the Saitama Seibu Lions was already highly regarded for his control, but in just over a year, he has rapidly developed into a powerhouse pitcher capable of reaching a top speed of 158 km/h. Furthermore, he has expanded his repertoire of pitches, making him worthy of the title “Yoshinobu Yamamoto II” in every respect!

[Full Story] Rising Lions Star Hibiki Shinohara Has a Unique Goal: “I Want to Be in Pro Yakyu Spirits”

 The Reason Kozono and Tamura Were Overlooked Is…

 Hiroshima infielder Masaya Yano was reported to be on friendly terms with former Hiroshima player Ryutaro Hazuki—who was charged with using the controlled substance etomidate and received a suspended sentence—and defendant Ryosuke Takiguchi, who was arrested on suspicion of supplying the drug…

Zombie Cigarette Scandal Rocks the Hiroshima Carp—Masaya Yano’s Response Leaves Owner Hajime Matsuda Furious

 Ryoji Shigeaki

 He has no memory of ever being tagged in tag as a child; instead, he used to catch wild rabbits in the nearby mountains…

 While Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks’ Yuki Shuto appears to be steadily building his career on the strength of his renowned speed, he says he has faced various struggles and adversities along the way. During the March 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC), he felt a strong sense of crisis and worked to improve his batting skills.

He Was Too Fast to Catch as a Kid—Now SoftBank’s Ukyo Shuto Is Chasing 300 Career Stolen Bases

 JMPA: Hiroyuki Komatsu (4th photo)

 He Rushed to Brazil for a Friend He Still Talks to Every Month… A Single, Memorable Exchange

 Teruo Iwamoto spoke about Hajime Moriyasu—who is like an older brother to him and with whom he still talks every month—from the realistic perspective of a former Japan national team player, drawing on their long-standing bond and trust. Although he had been careful not to contact Coach Moriyasu during the tournament, there was one memorable LINE message…

[Full Story] Teruo Iwamoto Reveals the Message Japan Coach Hajime Moriyasu Sent Before the Brazil World Cup Match

 Kazuhiko Nakamura

 The Return of the Akamon Storm: A Historic Feat in the Tokyo Six Universities Spring League—Earning Points with Back-to-Back Wins Over Hosei University for the First Time in 98 Years

 The University of Tokyo Baseball Team thoroughly analyzes pitchers using VR goggles, securing back-to-back wins over Hosei in the Spring League for the first time in 98 years. Twenty student analysts are divided into groups to study opposing teams. They’re changing the conventions of college baseball with data-driven strategies.

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