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Santa Claus decoration in Kobe

Photo taken on Nov. 19, 2025, shows a Christmas decoration featuring Santa Claus posing as the Osaka expo's official mascot Myaku-Myaku (bottom) alongside Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki (top, far R), Dodgers pitcher and World Series MVP Yoshinobu Yamamoto (top, 2nd from R) raising the MVP trophy, Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (top, 3rd from R) holding his newborn baby, Japan's first female Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (top, 2nd from L) and farm minister Shinjiro Koizumi carrying a sack of rice, on top of the Uroko no Ie building in the historical Kitano Ijinkan district of the western Japan city of Kobe.

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ML World Series

BOSTON, United States - Umpires overturn an initial call of out for Boston Red Sox base runner Dustin Pedroia after St. Louis Cardinals shortstop Pete Kozma fumbled the ball during the first inning of Game 1 of the Major League Baseball World Series at Fenway Park in Boston on Oct. 23, 2013. At L top is Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright. The Red Sox won 8-1 to lead the series 1-0.

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High school flamethrower Otani

HANAMAKI, Japan - Hanamaki Higashi High School pitcher Shohei Otani (L) speaks during a press conference in Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture, on Oct. 21, 2012. Otani, an 18-year-old armed with a fastball clocked at 160 kilometers per hour, will become the first potential top draft pick to make the direct jump from a Japanese high school to the major leagues after the right-hander announced his decision to play in the United States.

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High school flamethrower Otani

HANAMAKI, Japan - Hanamaki Higashi High School pitcher Shohei Otani speaks during a press conference in Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture, on Oct. 21, 2012. Otani, an 18-year-old armed with a fastball clocked at 160 kilometers per hour, will become the first potential top draft pick to make the direct jump from a Japanese high school to the major leagues after the right-hander announced his decision to play in the United States.

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High school flamethrower Otani

HANAMAKI, Japan - Hanamaki Higashi High School pitcher Shohei Otani speaks during a press conference in Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture, on Oct. 21, 2012. Otani, an 18-year-old armed with a fastball clocked at 160 kilometers per hour, will become the first potential top draft pick to make the direct jump from a Japanese high school to the major leagues after the right-hander announced his decision to play in the United States.

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High school flamethrower Otani

HANAMAKI, Japan - Hanamaki Higashi High School pitcher Shohei Otani speaks during a press conference in Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture, on Oct. 21, 2012. Otani, an 18-year-old armed with a fastball clocked at 160 kilometers per hour, will become the first potential top draft pick to make the direct jump from a Japanese high school to the major leagues after the right-hander announced his decision to play in the United States.

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Tazawa arrives in L.A. to join Red Sox

LOS ANGELES, United States - Japanese amateur right-hander Junichi Tazawa arrives at Los Angeles airport on Feb. 3 to join the Boston Red Sox spring training camp. Tazawa became the first top Japanese pitcher to refuse to be named in the country's amateur draft and go straight to a major league team.

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Japanese pitcher Tazawa leaves Japan to join Red Sox

NARITA, Japan - Japanese pitcher Junichi Tazawa waves before departing Narita airport for the United States on Feb. 3 to join the spring training camp of the Boston Red Sox. Tazawa's moves draw attention in Japan as he became the first top pitcher to refuse to be named in the country's amateur draft, going straight to a major league team. Tazawa has signed a three-year major league contract with the U.S. club.

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Japanese pitcher Tazawa signs 3-year majors deal with Red Sox

BOSTON, United States - Japanese amateur pitcher Junichi Tazawa shows off his uniform at a Boston press conference Dec. 4 after signing a three-year major league contract with the Boston Red Sox. Tazawa has refused to be named in Japan's amateur draft and clarified his intention to go straight to a major league team -- the first such move by a top Japanese amateur player.

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Japanese pitcher Tazawa signs 3-year majors deal with Red Sox

BOSTON, United States - Japanese amateur pitcher Junichi Tazawa (R) shakes hands with Boston Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein (L) at a press conference in Boston on Dec. 4 after signing a three-year major league contract with the Red Sox. Tazawa has refused to be named in Japan's amateur draft and clarified his intention to go straight to a major league team -- the first such move by a top Japanese amateur player.

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High school flamethrower Otani

HANAMAKI, Japan - Hanamaki Higashi High School pitcher Shohei Otani (L) speaks during a press conference in Hanamaki, Iwate Prefecture, on Oct. 21, 2012. Otani, an 18-year-old armed with a fastball clocked at 160 kilometers per hour, will become the first potential top draft pick to make the direct jump from a Japanese high school to the major leagues after the right-hander announced his decision to play in the United States. (Kyodo)

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Baseball: Astros vs. Angels

Shohei Ohtani (top L) of the Los Angeles Angels reaches base on an infield single as Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. (R) fails to step on the bag in the first inning at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, on Aug. 15, 2021.

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Japanese pitcher Tazawa leaves Japan to join Red Sox

NARITA, Japan - Japanese pitcher Junichi Tazawa waves before departing Narita airport for the United States on Feb. 3 to join the spring training camp of the Boston Red Sox. Tazawa's moves draw attention in Japan as he became the first top pitcher to refuse to be named in the country's amateur draft, going straight to a major league team. Tazawa has signed a three-year major league contract with the U.S. club. (Kyodo)

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Tazawa arrives in L.A. to join Red Sox

LOS ANGELES, United States - Japanese amateur right-hander Junichi Tazawa arrives at Los Angeles airport on Feb. 3 to join the Boston Red Sox spring training camp. Tazawa became the first top Japanese pitcher to refuse to be named in the country's amateur draft and go straight to a major league team. (Kyodo)

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Kyoto Univ. grad Tanaka set for top flight debut

Lotte Marines pitcher Eisuke Tanaka chats with pitching coach Eiji Ochiai during practice at QVC Marine Field on April 27, 2015. The first pro baseball player from the elite academic world of Kyoto University is scheduled to make his top flight debut on April 29 against the Seibu Lions. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Japanese pitcher Tazawa signs 3-year majors deal with Red Sox

BOSTON, United States - Japanese amateur pitcher Junichi Tazawa shows off his uniform at a Boston press conference Dec. 4 after signing a three-year major league contract with the Boston Red Sox. Tazawa has refused to be named in Japan's amateur draft and clarified his intention to go straight to a major league team -- the first such move by a top Japanese amateur player. (Kyodo)

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Japanese pitcher Tazawa signs 3-year majors deal with Red Sox

BOSTON, United States - Japanese amateur pitcher Junichi Tazawa (R) shakes hands with Boston Red Sox General Manager Theo Epstein (L) at a press conference in Boston on Dec. 4 after signing a three-year major league contract with the Red Sox. Tazawa has refused to be named in Japan's amateur draft and clarified his intention to go straight to a major league team -- the first such move by a top Japanese amateur player. (Kyodo)

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Baseball: Tigers vs. Angels

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani (L) bumps fists with catcher Kurt Suzuki after ending the top of the first inning against the Detroit Tigers on June 17, 2021, at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California.

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Baseball: Mariners vs. Angels

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani (bottom) waits as J.P. Crawford (top R) of the Seattle Mariners rounds the bases after hitting a leadoff home run in the first inning of a game at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, on June 4, 2021.

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Baseball: 10 years in making, Murata earns first NPB win

Nippon Ham Fighters' pitcher Toru Murata (L) poses with team manger Hideki Kuriyama after the team's 5-1 victory over the Yomiuri Giants in Sapporo on June 11, 2017. Murata earned his first win in top-flight pro ball nearly 10 years after he was taken in the first round of Japan's amateur draft. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Baseball: Indians vs. Angels

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani walks to the dugout after ending the top of the first inning against the Cleveland Indians at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, California, on May 19, 2021.

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Baseball: Astros v Angels

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani is pictured in the dugout after ending the top of the first inning against the Houston Astros on Aug. 2, 2020, in Anaheim, California. Ohtani complained of discomfort in his throwing arm and underwent an MRI exam later in the day.

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Baseball: Astros v Angels

Los Angeles Angels pitcher Shohei Ohtani is pictured in the dugout after ending the top of the first inning against the Houston Astros on Aug. 2, 2020, in Anaheim, California.

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Ex-BayStars pitcher Kitagata signs minor league deal with Dodgers

Former Yokohama BayStars pitcher Yujo Kitagata speaks at a press conference on May 30, 2019, in Oyama, an eastern Japan city where his current team, the Tochigi Golden Braves of the independent Route Inn BC League, is based -- after signing a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in early May. The 25-year-old right-hander was the BayStars' first pick in the 2011 Nippon Professional Baseball draft but never played for the top team during his time with the club. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Ex-BayStars pitcher Kitagata signs minor league deal with Dodgers

Former Yokohama BayStars pitcher Yujo Kitagata poses with Takayuki Terauchi, manager of his current team, the Tochigi Golden Braves of the independent Route Inn BC League, in Oyama, eastern Japan on May 30, 2019 -- after signing a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in early May. The 25-year-old right-hander was the BayStars' first pick in the 2011 Nippon Professional Baseball draft but never played for the top team during his time with the club. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Ex-BayStars pitcher Kitagata signs minor league deal with Dodgers

Former Yokohama BayStars pitcher Yujo Kitagata poses at a press conference on May 30, 2019, in Oyama, an eastern Japan city where his current team, the Tochigi Golden Braves of the independent Route Inn BC League, is based -- after signing a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in early May. The 25-year-old right-hander was the BayStars' first pick in the 2011 Nippon Professional Baseball draft but never played for the top team during his time with the club. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo

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Ex-BayStars pitcher Kitagata signs minor league deal with Dodgers

Former Yokohama BayStars pitcher Yujo Kitagata speaks at a press conference on May 30, 2019, in Oyama, an eastern Japan city where his current team, the Tochigi Golden Braves of the independent Route Inn BC League, is based -- after signing a minor league contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in early May. The 25-year-old right-hander was the BayStars' first pick in the 2011 Nippon Professional Baseball draft but never played for the top team during his time with the club. (Kyodo) ==Kyodo