An employee hands out an extra edition of the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper in Tokyo, Thursday, Oct. 31, 2024, reporting on the Los Angeles Dodgers’ victory in the World Series baseball game after the Dodgers defeated the New York Yankees in Game 5 in New York. York.
10:39 JST, November 1, 2024
TOKYO (AP) — The World Series trophy goes to Los Angeles, but there is also a big celebration across the Pacific in Japan.
On Thursday afternoon, people lined the edge of the Ginza shopping district in central Tokyo as special newspaper editions rolled off the presses, declaring Japanese stars Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto along with their Dodgers teammates world champions after a thrilling Game 5 victory over the New York Yankees.
The headline in Japanese in the Sports Nippon newspaper, in yellow and blue letters – with red accents – read: ‘No. 1 in the world. Ohtani beats the Yankees.”
“I want to thank my Japanese fans for coming all the way to support me this season,” Ohtani said on Japanese television. “That cheer gave me some energy, so I’m glad I could give back the gratitude for my victory.”
The newspaper awards are a tradition in Tokyo when Japan celebrates a major event. And as usual, it was a battle with men and women – young and old – running down the sidewalk to get their free collectibles.
The Yomiuri Shimbun headline read: “Evaders No. 1; Ohtani, Yamamoto in the first season.”
Yasuko Shibata, an 80-year-old woman who says she faithfully watches Ohtani’s matches, said she admired “Ohtani’s personality.” Not to mention his great game.
“His presence is huge,” she said. “He is a source of my energy. If he is not doing well, I also feel sad”
Another fan echoed her thoughts, standing at Ginza’s underground entrance.
“He is the pride of Japan,” said Hideki Shinohara, who called himself a hardcore fan. “You can’t just describe him as ‘great’. You have to come up with a new word.”
Shinohara added: “He’s been through a lot of things this year and I didn’t expect him to get all the way this far. I am very happy with what he has achieved. ”
Japanese pride in Ohtani is enormous for a country whose players were once considered too small, or only good throwers. Now there is great pride in the fact that their players are among the best in the game.
Japan defeated the United States in the finals of the World Baseball Classic in Miami last year, another sign of the country’s prowess in the American pastime.
It was also a victory for Ohtani’s hometown in northern Japan – Oshu City – where fans have gathered all week expecting their superstar hero to help clinch the title.
About 38,000 special edition newspapers were also published in Iwate Prefecture, the northern area where Oshu city is located.
