Six months since the Noto Peninsula Earthquake
At around 16:10 on New Year’s Day 2024, an earthquake of magnitude 7.6 and a maximum seismic intensity of 7 struck with its epicenter in the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture.This earthquake, which was felt over a wide area of Japan, caused the collapse of many buildings and the outbreak of major fires, particularly on the Noto Peninsula.
Various sports organizations have been involved in a range of initiatives since immediately after the earthquake, including sending messages of condolence, making donations, and fundraising at sporting events.These organizations continue to work with the people of the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture to “do what can be done now”.
On July 1, six months after the disaster, a women’s softball tournament was held in line with this movement.The Japan national team and the JD League, the top domestic league, held a “Noto Peninsula Earthquake Reconstruction Support Charity Match”.
The uniforms of the eight teams in the JD League run brightly across the field
The 827 spectators, players, and staff who gathered at Utsugi Stadium in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture, worked together to liven up the venue and deliver cheer to everyone in the Noto region of Ishikawa Prefecture.
The close ties between Ishikawa Prefecture and women’s softball
“There are close ties between women’s softball and Ishikawa Prefecture.I have visited the Noto area many times, and it’s heartbreaking to see what has happened to that wonderful townscape,” said Reika Utsugi, manager of the Japanese national women’s softball team.
She added, “Wajima City, which was struck by the earthquake, is home to softball powerhouse Monzen High School, so the area has a strong connection to softball.I am really happy to be able to support this kind of initiative.”
Team Japan Manager Reika Utsugi expressed happiness in being able to participate in the Noto Peninsula Earthquake reconstruction initiatives
In the JD League, where many players from Ishikawa Prefecture or with ties to the region, including graduates of Monzen High School, are actively competing, initiatives to bring energy to the people of the Noto region have been underway since before the season began.
“Oshi no So” (“oshi” means to support or to be a fan of and “so” is short for softball) was selected as the slogan for the 2024 season with the aim of letting as many people as possible know about the appeal of the JD League.
Posters supporting reconstruction efforts are also being displayed on the JD League theme train
Five themes were set.50 players selected from 16 teams will be posting content that conveys the appeal of their respective themes.One of the themes is “a unit of athletes with ties to Ishikawa Prefecture bringing energy to their hometown”.
Filled with emotions for Ishikawa and Noto
Ahead of the event, players with ties to Ishikawa Prefecture, such as Manami Daikuya (Honda Reverta) and Hina Konishi (Ogaki Minamo), who will be forming this unit for the “Oshi no So” project, appeared in front of the mound.
Hina Konishi (left, Minamo), an alumna of Kanazawa High School in Ishikawa Prefecture, also shared about her thoughts on the disaster-struck area through the microphone
As each of players expressed their feelings about Ishikawa and Noto through the microphone, the audience in the stands gave them huge rounds of applause.
The players and staff from both teams made a grand entrance during the following player introduction ceremony. Together with the fans, they observed a one-minute moment of silence to pray for the victims of the Noto Peninsula Earthquake.
Players from the JD League East Regional All-Star Team, including “Oshi no So”, observe a moment of silence in honor of the victims
Daikuya, an alumna of Monzen High School and captain of the JD League East Regional All-Star Team, shared her feelings saying, “I still haven’t been able to reach some of my acquaintances, and I’m always worried about my friends from Monzen and the people who were kind to me.”
“My former teacher told me, ‘Now is not the time for you to come here.I want you to focus on playing hard.’What we as athletes can do is to continue showing our play while also using initiatives like this to remind more people of the community in Noto,” she said responding to an interview while wearing a T-shirt expressing prayers for the region’s recovery.
Monzen High School alumna Manami Daikuya (Honda) shares her thoughts on the disaster-struck area
Daikuya, who played the full game at center field, while batting clean-up, hit an RBI to give her team momentum.Looking ahead to the latter half of the season, she said, “While aiming for the playoffs and ultimately winning the championship, I want to continue bringing energy to the people of Noto through our play.”
Manami Daikuya (Honda), an alumna of Monzen High School in Ishikawa Prefecture, livened up the game with her RBI hit to take the lead
Your chance to cheer on the Japanese national team is just ahead!
After this game, the Japan national women’s softball team will play three games against Team USA in the 2024 Japan All-Star Series. Team Japan then flies to Italy, the final battleground to compete for the gold medal at the 17th WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup 2024 – Finals.
Yume Kiriishi (Toyota) and the Japanese national team players celebrating after she hit a home run
The Japan All-Star Series is a rare opportunity to cheer on Japanese national team as they work to bolster their strength as a team in preparation for the upcoming 20th Asian Games (2026/Aichi-Nagoya) and the 2028 Summer Olympics in LA.
We’re also looking forward to seeing Miu Goto (Toyota), Japan’s ace pitcher, take the mound
Your chances to see the newly rejuvenated Utsugi Japan team, which has undergone significant changes since winning gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, up close will be the first game of the series on July 4 at the Vantelin Dome Nagoya (Aichi Prefecture), followed by the second game on July 6 at Mt. Fuji Stadium (Shizuoka Prefecture), and the third on July 8 at the Yokohama Stadium (Kanagawa Prefecture).
