The Mission of a Pro: Inspiring Spectators with Every Play

- Could you tell us how you first got into baseball?

I was born and raised in the suburbs of Chiba City. Living in the suburbs meant we had space, and as a child, one of the few things I truly enjoyed was playing baseball with my father and two older brothers. My father had played baseball through high school, and he was my first coach. When I joined a local little league team in elementary school, I could already hit and pitch better than most, so I quickly earned a spot in the regular lineup and began playing alongside the older boys. I kept playing baseball through junior high, but at the time, I never imagined I’d become a professional player myself. When adults asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up, I might have said a professional baseball player without giving it much thought. But it never felt like something I would really be able to do. I think my parents felt the same way, too.

- Why did you study at Toin Gakuen High School in Kanagawa Prefecture?

When I was in junior high, we won a national championship, so before graduation, I received offers from several high schools known for their strong baseball programs. But my mother was the one who strongly recommended I attend Toin Gakuen High School. Perhaps she wanted me, her youngest child, to attend a boarding school to make me more independent. At first, my father was against my leaving home, and I wasn’t too keen on the idea either, but looking back now, I think my mother's decision was the right one. During my three years of high school, I learned to live on my own and, at the same time, I realized the depth of my gratitude toward my parents. My life at Toin Gakuen High School, which also focused on university advancement, broadened my horizons not only for baseball but also for the future.

- What motivated you to study at Keio University?

I would have to say it’s because of the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League. Even back then, NHK was broadcasting the Waseda-Keio Baseball Games, and I watched them on TV together with my fellow teammates and head coach at Toin Gakuen. From there, I developed a yearning to compete in the Waseda-Keio games myself, and my head coach said that Keio would be a good fit for me. Moreover, Taisei Takagi (former Seibu Lions player, current Saitama Seibu Lions team official), who was two years my senior on the baseball team, had gone to SFC, so I decided to go to Keio University, too. But even then, I had no intention of becoming a professional baseball player.

- What was your first impression of the Keio University Baseball Club?

What struck me first was how "grown-up" the team was. Of course, my senior teammates were older than me, but even some of my junior teammates were as well. A few had spent extra years retaking entrance exams, and one of them was quite a bit older, having finally got into Keio after applying five years in a row. It wasn’t only players like me, who had been playing baseball since childhood. There were others who had only started playing after entering university. Keio wasn’t just home to students from top high school baseball programs. Many had also advanced internally through the Keio-affiliated school system. This diverse mix of players, each pursuing their own goals, came together as a unified team with their sights set on victory. It was a completely different and stimulating environment from anything I had experienced in high school. The coaches also treated the players like adults. I believe that Coach Toshihiko Goto, who had just taken on the role, made a conscious effort to respect each player's individuality and create an environment where we could play with confidence and freedom.

- You had been part of the regular lineup since your first year and set a new record hitting three home runs as a rookie at the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League. What are your thoughts about moments like these?

I am deeply grateful to my head coach for allowing me to play as part of the regular lineup during the spring season of my first year, straight out of high school. My dream of playing at Jingu Stadium as a Keio University athlete came true much sooner than I had anticipated. And the fact that I was allowed to play in every full inning of every game for four years is why I was able to set so many records during my time at university. Looking back almost 30 years later, I believe it was a very special experience for me to have seen two traditional baseball schools compete for the Emperor's Cup on the grand stage of Jingu Stadium. I will never forget my first Waseda-Keio Baseball Game attended by the Emperor, our victory, and the championship parade during my final year of university.

- While you were in school, you caught the attention of various baseball teams. Did that harden your resolve to become a professional player?

Yes, I think it did. Coach Goto also encouraged me to pursue a professional career, and it was only after seeing Taisei Takagi—a classmate who was a couple of years ahead of me in both high school and university—playing for the Seibu Lions, that becoming a professional baseball player started to feel like a real possibility for me. Fortunately, I was approached by several teams, and to live up to the expectations of so many people, I finally made the decision to become a professional player. It was a difficult decision to make, but in the end, I chose the Yomiuri Giants under Japan’s reverse-draft system, which allows top players to select the team they wish to join.

- Did you celebrate with your university baseball club teammates when it was decided that you would join the Giants?

The press conference—announcing the decision that I would join the Giants—was held at Fujiyama Memorial Hall on Hiyoshi Campus. I saw some of my classmates in the audience along with the reporters. I think everyone was happy for me, but I wanted to spend the rest of my school life as a normal student, so I spent time with my friends just as I always had. I think everyone understood how I felt, because no one so much as mentioned the Giants, and our friendship stayed the same. I remember being very happy about that.

- Did you feel any pressure when you joined the team?

Yes, of course. The Giants had many great hitters at the time, including Hideki Matsui, Kazuhiro Kiyohara, and Katsumi Hirosawa, so it was a big challenge for me to make a name for myself. There was a real fear that I might not even get to play. Yet alongside that pressure, I also believed that if I didn't take risks, I would never grow professionally. Fortunately, my head coach, Shigeo Nagashima, added me to the starting lineup from my first year.

- You continued to play a key role as a core hitter and reliable outfielder, and in your third year, helped lead the team to victory in the Japan Series. How do you reflect on these achievements now?

In my third year, we won the national title, but my individual performance fell short of my expectations. It was still a good year, though, as I was building on the experience of the previous two years. I focused on pushing myself further, trying new approaches in both practice and games. While my personal performance that season didn’t meet my expectations, the challenges I faced proved to be invaluable later in my athletic career. Results don’t come immediately—that’s just how it is.

- During your career, you never left anything on the field and were often injured as a result. Did you ever question that approach, or consider holding back to protect your body?

Not being able to play because of injuries was tough, but on a team like the Giants, you have to give it your all every time—or you won’t survive as a player. When I was just a rookie, Coach Shigeo Nagashima took me under his wing and taught me that as long as you're a professional, you have a duty to inspire the fans. Some of them might not have another chance to come to the stadium and see you play. It may be a once-in-a-lifetime baseball game. Not playing one’s best would be tantamount to disrespecting those fans. That was what my head coach was telling me, and that’s why I saw it as my duty as a professional to give my all every time I stepped on the field. And to do that, I focused on training my body to withstand the risk of injury. Unfortunately, despite these efforts, I still suffered from many injuries throughout my career. But, as a member of the Giants, my most important consideration was to move the hearts of the fans at every game.

- In 2015, you ended your 17-year career as a professional player, and the following season, you started your career as head coach for the same team. How did it feel to change from one role to the other?

Toward the end of my career as a professional player, I realized I might one day be in charge of the team. I was deeply honored when I was appointed as head coach, as I took it as a sign of the club’s confidence and recognition. The team was going through tough times, so I faced many challenges during my three seasons in that role. But I took it positively, believing that the team was entrusted to me precisely because those were difficult times. My duty was to find ways to win. That means seeing what the players can’t, by watching the game and their movements with a coach’s eye. Although we didn’t win any championships during my tenure, it was an invaluable experience that allowed me to see baseball in a new light.

- Now you wear the hats of baseball critic and commentator, as well as special advisor to the Yomiuri Giants baseball team, among other roles. So I think it’s fair to say you are still very much involved in the world of baseball. From all your experience, can you tell us what you see for the future of professional baseball in Japan?

Every day, we hear news of Shohei Ohtani's remarkable success in Major League Baseball. I believe Japanese professional baseball has also entered an era where it must increasingly position itself with the global market in mind. The sport as a whole is also evolving, with data-driven training and digital marketing reshaping the game. On the other hand, the game of baseball itself remains the same. But it seems that young athletes these days tend to seek immediate results from their training. Of course, I can see why a rationale backed by science might seek quick results. However, training the human mind and body takes time, so we can’t expect immediate answers while training for a sport like baseball. Looking back on my own experience, I found many answers only after much trial and error. I hope young players won’t get discouraged or impatient if results don’t come right away.

- To end this interview, can you say a few words of inspiration to the Baseball Club members and other students at Keio University?

Every year, I still look forward to watching the Tokyo Big6 Baseball League games that I once played in. I’m cheering for the new generation of players who are giving everything they have on the field. And I share the joy of victory with them. Some students may not have much interest in baseball, but I would be pleased if they go, even if only once, and see their fellow students giving their best efforts in a game. Memories of Tokyo Big6 Baseball League games continue to be a common topic of conversation even after graduation. And new relationships may grow from these shared moments. The four years I spent at Keio University were truly some of the most wonderful of my life. More than anything, I’m grateful for the friends I made—many of whom I’m still close with today. I’d love to revisit those days if only it were possible.

- Thank you for your time.

Yoshinobu Takahashi
Baseball Critic and Commentator

Takahashi graduated from Keio University’s Department of Political Science in the Faculty of Law in 1998. In his first year, he was promoted to the regular lineup in the Baseball Club, and in his fourth year, as Captain, he led his team to its first league championship in nine seasons. After graduation, he joined the Yomiuri Giants. He was selected as a starter during his first year, and he became the first rookie in the Central League since Shigeo Nagashima to achieve a .300 batting average. In his third year, 2000, he teamed up with Hideki Matsui (former New York Yankees) to form a formidable batting lineup that powered the team to a Japan Series title. Four years later, he helped Japan win the bronze medal as a member of the Japanese baseball team during the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics. Upon his retirement in 2015, he was appointed as the 18th head coach of the Yomiuri Giants and led the team for three seasons. He is currently a baseball critic and commentator, a special advisor to the Yomiuri Giants baseball team, and a sports advisor to the Yomiuri Shimbun.

*This article originally appeared in the 2025 Summer edition (No. 327) of Juku.