Ceremony to Commission Mr. Sadaharu Oh as “Baseball Ambassador”
February 26, 2009
- At 17:30 today, February 26, Mr. Hirofumi Nakasone, Minister for Foreign
Affairs, handed over a letter commissioning Mr. Sadaharu Oh, Special Adviser
to the Commissioner of the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), as a Baseball
Ambassador, with a view to promoting friendship with the U.S., Asian and
other countries by means of baseball. The commissioning ceremony was
also attended by Mr. Ryozo Kato, NPB Commissioner, Mr. Kazuhiko Kasai, President
of Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, and others.
- First, Mr. Nakasone said, “In this year, when the second World Baseball
Classic (WBC) tournament will be held, we wish you, Mr. Oh, to exert yourself
for promoting friendship between Japan and other countries through baseball
as you have endeavored for the development of Japanese and world baseball
as Japan’s leading baseball player and manager; I hope the Japanese team
will perform brilliantly in the WBC games and friendship with the U.S. and
Asian countries will be deepened.” Mr. Nakasone then handed over the
letter of commission.
- In response, Mr. Oh said, “As I was appointed as the Baseball Ambassador, I would like to contribute not only to baseball but also to Japan.”
(END)
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