Abstract

After leading Team Japan to victory in the WBC and taking on the challenge of Major League Baseball—where he delivered a stunning performance that nearly captured a batting title—Masataka Yoshida headed to an unexpected destination at the end of his 2023 season: Cambodia.

Why did he make the conscious choice to go to Cambodia? "Because I wanted to see the facilities I've been supporting with my own eyes."

As an elementary school student, Yoshida was deeply shocked by a documentary based on “If the World Were a Village of 100 People” that depicted the harsh reality of street children. That experience stuck with him, inspiring him to quietly continue his charitable work since his third year as a pro.

What was the turning point that made Yoshida, as an athlete, look beyond "playing for himself" and start playing "for others"? What is the energy that drives him? What is the source of his indomitable mental strength?

Acclaimed nonfiction writer Shoichi Hasegawa unpacks these numerous questions. Capturing the 72 hours that the athlete and the author spent together in Cambodia, this book weaves together the voices of Yoshida’s former mentors, college teammates, and the Orix Buffaloes organization to paint a vivid, true portrait of who "Masataka Yoshida" really is.

Co-authored by Masataka Yoshida and Shoichi Hasegawa, this is a powerful, deeply moving work of sports nonfiction.

Author’s Information

Masataka Yoshida
Born in 1993 in Fukui Prefecture. He began playing baseball at age six and made two appearances at Koshien (the National High School Baseball Championship) while attending Tsuruga Kehi High School. After attending Aoyama Gakuin University, he was selected as the first-round draft pick in 2015 and joined the Orix Buffaloes. He won back-to-back batting titles (2020, 2021), was selected to the Best Nine award for five consecutive years (2018–2022), and led his team to their first Japan Series championship in 26 years in 2022.

Following this success, he moved to the MLB's Boston Red Sox via the posting system. Representing Japan on the international stage, he won world championships at the 2019 Premier12, the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, and the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC). In the 2023 WBC, he set a tournament record with 13 RBIs, earning him a spot on the All-WBC Team.

One of Japan’s premier power hitters, he is renowned for his exceptional bat control and explosive swing. Thanks to his highly trained, muscular physique, he is affectionately known by the nickname "Macho Man." In 2022, he received the "Golden Spirit Award," which honors professional baseball players for their dedicated humanitarian and social contribution efforts. He donated the accompanying 1 million yen prize money to the international NGO "Children without Borders" (KnK).

Shoichi Hasegawa
Born in 1970 in Tokyo. After graduating from the School of Commerce at Waseda University and working at a publishing house, he became an independent nonfiction writer in 2003. Since then, he has published numerous works focusing primarily on sports (especially professional baseball) and subculture. He is also widely known as the "12-Team Fan Club Critic," having maintained memberships in the fan clubs of all 12 NPB teams continuously since 2005.

His recent publications include “The Man Who Was Too Right: Tatsuro Hirooka's Dream for the Swallows” (Bungeishunju), “The 100-Year Story of Meiji Jingu Stadium” (Asahi Shimbun Publications), “Blazing a New Trail: Career Transitions of Former Professional Baseball Players” (Fusosha), “Crossing the Ocean: The Footsteps of Samurai Ballplayers” (Fusosha), and “The Professional Baseball Outlaw Chronicles: Men of Rebellion” (Taiyo Tosho).