Yamakawa held a news conference at his home stadium, Fukuoka, on Wednesday. His jersey number was confirmed at 25. He said, “Thank you, Softbank. I’m sorry that I couldn’t greet you without your decision. I wanted to greet you in person, but I came all the way here. I’m sorry to greet you like this.”
Yamakawa is the one who caused a stir in the Japanese professional baseball world earlier this year. Sexual assault was exposed. The victim’s revelation revealed Yamakawa’s behavior, which was very shocking. He had been ‘insulted’ when he was already married and had children. The victim claimed, “I refused several times, but I was forced to leave.” Yamakawa also explained, “There was no consent, but it was not compulsory. We were close.”
Yamakawa is a representative slugger who also played for the Japanese national team, winning the title of home run king three times in the 2018-2019 and 2022 seasons after being nominated by Seibu in the second round of the rookie draft in 2013.
When Yamakawa, one of Japan’s biggest gunners, was embroiled in a sexual assault scandal, fans were enraged. Seibu eliminated Yamakawa from the first team and said it would not allow him to return to the team until the investigation team investigates him. This means that he will be suspended indefinitely. 스포츠토토
Yamakawa, who disappeared from the first team on May 12, joined the third team in August when he did not indict him for alleged sexual assault due to insufficient evidence. However, there was no call-up for the first team. That’s how he ended the season.
Yamakawa, who became an FA after the end of the season, made a fresh start by signing a contract with Softbank. He also offered words of apology to Seibu fans. Yamakawa bowed his head, saying, “I’m really sorry that I did something that defied fans’ expectations.”
“From now on, I will show responsible behavior. I will take a proper path for the development of professional baseball and for the dreams of my children,” he said. “I will try as a rookie.” Softbank also knows that it is looking at Yamakawa with poor eyes. Perhaps that’s why it took care of things quickly.
According to Japan’s Full Count, he officially announced his contract with Yamakawa at 11 a.m. and announced that he would hold a press conference two hours later at 1 p.m. At the press conference, 70 reporters and nine broadcast cameras gathered.