JAPAN SPORTS NOTEBOOK | Hideki Kuriyama Honored as a Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame Inductee
Hideki Kuriyama autographs a picture after being inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame in Tokyo on January 15, 2026. (©SANKEI)
Hideki Kuriyama achieved acclaim as a baseball leader decades after his early retirement as a Tokyo Yakult Swallows outfielder.
Most famously, he served as Shohei Ohtani's first NPB manager with the Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters from 2013-17.
That five-year period established Kuriyama as a well-known dugout boss and Ohtani as a rising two-way star with the Fighters, who won the Japan Series title in 2016.
With Kuriyama at the helm, the Fighters captured a pair of Pacific League pennants and qualified for the postseason five times during his 10 seasons in charge (2012-21).
Two years after his last game supervising the Fighters, Kuriyama gained greater recognition as the manager of Japan's national baseball team. Samurai Japan won the 2023 World Baseball Classic, completing an unbeaten run with a victory over the United States in the final. Ohtani was named tournament MVP.
Kuriyama's successful tenure with the Fighters and his team's glorious WBC feat were twin pillars of his post-playing days involvement in baseball, providing ample evidence of his positive impact on the sport in Japan. And so, a fitting honor has been bestowed upon the 64-year-old. He's been inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame.
An announcement was made on Thursday, January 15, in Tokyo. Kuriyama is being honored with induction into the institution in the Expert Category.
Hideki Kuriyama Awed by the Recognition
"I never imagined that someone like me, who entered pro baseball as a tryout player, would be involved in the baseball world for so long," Kuriyama said, according to Sankei Sports. "Honestly, I still wonder if someone like me belongs here [in the Baseball Hall of Fame]. But I take it as a message to 'work diligently for the future of baseball.' "
Kuriyama stepped down as Samurai Japan manager in 2023. He currently works as the Fighters' chief baseball officer.
Even though he retired as a player due to an injury at age 29 in 1990, his passion for baseball has been a constant throughout his life.
Kuriyama spoke about his future hopes for baseball during the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
"The popularity of the sport of baseball itself is declining in Japan," Kuriyama was quoted as saying by MLB.com. "So number one, I want that popularity to rise again. And then the second one is that there are a bunch of young players who definitely could compete on the international level. I definitely want them to excel in this tournament and become the world-class stars that I believe that they should be."
Establishing Himself as a Manager
In between his playing days and his first managerial role with the Fighters, Kuriyama made a living as a sportscaster.
As a manager, his skills as a communicator helped him lead the Fighters and Samurai Japan.
"Compensating for his lack of playing achievements, he prioritized dialogue and communication with players, strengthening team cohesion through his mastery of human relations," Sankei Sports reported. "A note reading 'True belief breeds wisdom' hung on the wall of his manager's office at Sapporo Dome."
Another notable aspect of Kuriyama's years with Hokkaido, and later with the Japan national team, was his successful mentorship of Ohtani.
Ohtani had wanted to be drafted by an MLB team coming out of high school in 2012. But Kuriyama helped convince the Iwate Prefecture native to begin his pro career with the Fighters. And he also encouraged Ohtani to pursue his goals as a two-way player.
"Ohtani is a player who can't be just a pitcher or a batter," Kuriyama told reporters in 2012.
That visionary outlook paid off for the Fighters and paved the way for Ohtani's superstardom.
"The five years I spent with the Fighters under Manager Kuriyama's leadership, and the memories from the 2023 WBC, are a precious treasure to me," Ohtani said in a statement. "I am delighted that Manager Kuriyama's numerous achievements and his character are being enshrined in history in this way."
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Japan's WBC Roster Taking Form
Samurai Japan manager Hirokazu Ibata has announced 11 roster additions for the upcoming 2026 World Baseball Classic.
On Friday, January 16, Ibata said that pitcher Tomoyuki Sugano, a 10-game winner for the Baltimore Orioles in 2025, is among the players on the second wave of roster announcements. WBC teams are permitted to have up to 30 players on their rosters.
Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani was among the eight players initially named to the squad in December 2025.
Sugano is a free agent and is looking to join an MLB team in the coming weeks. Although he's without a contract for the 2026 MLB season, Ibata and the veteran pitcher have committed to him representing Japan at the WBC.
"We discussed his situation and agreed that even in these circumstances, we wanted him to play, and he also wanted to play," Ibata said, according to Kyodo News.
Hanshin Tigers slugger Teruaki Sato, the 2025 Central League leader in home runs (40) and RBIs (102), was also named to the squad on Friday.
Named to the Team's WBC Roster
Also, Ibata added pitcher Yuki Matsumoto (Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks); outfielders Shota Morishita (Tigers), Ukyo Shuto (Hawks) and Kensuke Kondoh (Hawks); infielders Sosuke Genda (Saitama Seibu Lions), Shugo Maki (Yokohama DeNA BayStars) and Taisei Makihara (Hawks); and catchers Seishiro Sakamoto (Tigers) and Kenya Wakatsuki (Orix Buffaloes).
The roster is expected to be finalized in the coming days.
"We need to get our pitchers set and make adjustments, so I want to make a decision as soon as possible," Ibata said, according to Kyodo News.
Reigning WBC champion Japan is scheduled to play Pool C opponent Taiwan in its tourney opener on March 6 at Tokyo Dome.
Freestyle Skiing
Horishima Triumphs in Final Tuneup Before 2026 Olympics
Ikuma Horishima won the men's moguls competition in an FIS Ski World Cup meet in Waterville, New Hampshire, on Friday, January 16.
Competing on American soil in the final World Cup event before February's Milan Cortina Olympics, Horishima amassed 85.56 points. He bolstered his winning ambition with a well-executed cork 1080 (three full horizontal rotations in the air).
Sweden's Filip Gravenfors placed second with 80.54 points, while Japan's Shota Hirayama took third with 79.47.
It was Horishima's 24th career World Cup victory. He is the points leader on the World Cup circuit in his specialty event.
"It's very nice to have a podium [finish] together with another Japanese, and I hope there will be many more to come," Horishima said, according to the International Ski and Snowboard Federation website.
"I was a little bit nervous for the finals," added Horishima, who won the moguls title at the world championships in 2017 and 2025. "These were very tough conditions."
On December 7, 2025, Horishima earned his first World Cup victory of the season in Ruka, Finland.
Horishima claimed Japan's first medal at the 2022 Beijing Games, placing third in men's moguls.
Sumo
Six Wrestlers Tied for New Year Basho Lead
In an all-maegashira showdown, 16th-ranked Asanoyama defeated 12th-ranked Abi at the New Year Grand Sumo Tournament on Saturday, January 17.
Asanoyama used a hand pull-down technique to secure the win at Tokyo's Ryogoku Kokugikan.
Heading into Day 7 of the 15-day tournament, Abi was the last unbeaten makuuchi (top) division wrestler.
What was the key to victory for Asanoyama?
"I saw him try to escape to my left, but I was able to keep my footing because I was watching him closely," Asanoyama said later, according to Fuji Television. He then said, "I couldn't push him out completely, which was a mistake. But I saw his balance falter and was able to exploit that to pull him down."
Abi (6-1) is tied for the lead with yokozuna Onosato, yokozuna Hoshoryu, ozeki Aonishiki, sekiwake Kirishima and No 16 maegashira Oshoumi.
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Basketball
Tokyo to Host Project B Tournaments in Spring 2027
Project B, a new global tournament circuit, will stage men's and women's basketball competitions at Toyota Arena Tokyo in the spring of 2027, it was announced on Wednesday, January 14.
Standout guard Mai Yamamoto, who has played for the Japan women's national team and the nation's 3x3 national squad, has joined Project B as a player and equity partner.
Yamamoto, 26, has made her mark as a playmaker for the WJBL's Toyota Antelopes. She's averaging 10.7 points and 2.8 rebounds in 20 games during the 2025-26 season.
"We're honored to bring Project B to Tokyo alongside our partners in Japan," said Keisuke Mitsui, head of Project B Japan. "Tokyo sits at the intersection of global culture, innovation, and basketball, with a fan base that truly understands and loves the game. Japan has shown what's possible when you invest in players and fans, and Toyota Arena will be an iconic stage for our athletes and a destination for basketball fans around the world."
The Tokyo tournaments will be held March 26-April 4, 2027.
An Exciting Opportunity for Yamamoto
Yamamoto said she's excited to be involved with Project B.
"It is a true honor to be part of Project B, and I am deeply grateful for this opportunity," Yamamoto said in a news release. "I want to use this global stage to show the world 'Japanese Dynamism' ― our unique speed and passion. Carrying the pride of Japan in my heart, I am excited to welcome the global elite to my home country. Japanese fans create an unforgettable atmosphere, and to compete against the best in front of my family and fans is my ultimate motivation."
The Paris Olympian added, "I want to prove that our style of basketball can challenge the world, and inspire the next generation to believe that they can stand on this stage too."
There will be seven tour stops during the inaugural Project B season, with each locale hosting a 10-day men's and women's event to crown a local champion. And each tournament will consist of six teams (with a total of 66 players), The Associated Press reported.
Project B's management expects Yamamoto to play an important role in helping raise awareness about the new venture.
"Mai is a world-class talent and a true role model," said Alana Beard, a four-time WNBA All-Star and Project B's chief of basketball. "The way she connects with fans is inspiring, and bringing the world's best basketball to Japan with her is incredibly meaningful. Our players will experience firsthand the creativity, discipline, and fearlessness that make Japanese basketball culture so special."
What is Project B?
The recently established sports organization describes itself in a news release as "a global sports platform built for players and fans. Starting with basketball, Project B is creating an elite international tournament circuit featuring the world's top men's and women's players, competing in world-class cities across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Designed for a streaming, social, and mobile-first world, Project B combines live elite competition with deep storytelling, reaching audiences globally."
Kawamura Makes Season Debut with Windy City Bulls
Point guard Yuki Kawamura dished out seven assists in the Windy City Bulls' 131-104 win over the San Diego Clippers in the NBA G League on Thursday, January 15.
It was Kawamura's first regular-season game of the season.
Kawamura logged nearly 16 minutes and scored two points at Frontwave Arena in Oceanside, California. He also had four turnovers.
The 24-year-old, who had been sidelined since October 2025 with a blood clot in his right leg, signed a two-way contract with the NBA's Chicago Bulls in early January.
Players signed to a two-way contract are permitted to play in the NBA and in the NBA G League.
Rugby
JRFU Expresses Interest in Hosting 2035 RWC
Three months after Japan Rugby Football Union President Masato Tsuchida said the organization planned to submit a bid to host the 2035 Rugby World Cup, that's still the plan.
On Wednesday, January 14, the JRFU announced that it has informed World Rugby that Japan wants to be a candidate to host the 2035 extravaganza.
Japan hosted the Rugby World Cup for the first time in 2019.
"The World Cup gets bigger each year and it would need all of Japan to get behind it," Tsuchida said on Wednesday, according to Agence France-Presse. "I want us to hold the best World Cup ever, for the sports world and for Japan itself."
World Rugby is scheduled to identify a preferred host in May 2027 and then make a formal announcement for the selected host nation six months later.
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Quote of the Week
"I just hope to be able to look back on this tournament however it ends and not have any regrets."
―Tennis player Naomi Osaka, looking ahead to the Australian Open, Agence France-Presse reported. The world No 16, who won this tournament in 2019 and 2021, meets unseeded Croatian Antonia Ruzic in the first round (9 AM JST on January 20).
Author: Ed Odeven
Follow Ed's [Japan Sports Notebook] on Sundays, [Odds and Evens] during the week, and he can be found on X (formerly Twitter) ＠ed_odeven.
