No.145 Inspection of Yomiuri Giants Spring Training Camp

This year, I was invited to the Yomiuri Giants' spring camp for the first time. The purpose of the on-site inspection is to gather information for the realization of the TOKYO GIANTS TOWN concept and for hosting events after the completion of the new GIANTS stadium.

On February 1, when we departed, we first completed the agenda adjustment meeting to be submitted to the city council Regular Session in the morning, and then headed to Miyazaki Airport, so we arrived at our accommodation, the Miyazaki Kanko Hotel, in the evening. There, it was not the Yomiuri Giants but the players participating in the Orix Buffaloes camp who were staying.

On the second day in Miyazaki, we headed to the "Hinata Miyazaki Prefectural Comprehensive Sports Park" in Miyazaki City and observed the practice of the first and second teams. Unfortunately, due to the rainy weather, the practice at the stadium was canceled, so we toured the indoor training facilities scattered throughout the park.

I asked President Tsukasa Imamura of the Yomiuri Giants about the players' condition for this season, and observed the warm-up for catch throwing and pitching practice in the bullpen. I greeted First Team Manager Shinobu Abe and Second Team Manager Masumi Kuwata, and was also able to meet Yoshinobu Takahashi and Daisuke Matsuzaka, who were in the middle of interviews. When I requested that they visit Inagi City after the completion of the new GIANTS stadium, they kindly agreed.

Next, we headed to "Hinata Sun Marine Stadium Miyazaki," where we received an explanation from the deputy director of the Miyazaki City Tourism Association about the tourism collaboration with the Yomiuri Giants and the management of the stadium, followed by a facility inspection. Unfortunately, due to the weather, there was no practice at the stadium that day, but many tourists visited and enjoyed the stadium gourmet from the food stalls and kitchen cars.

In order to welcome the Yomiuri Giants camp, the Inagi City Tourism Association has become the secretariat and organized the "Yomiuri Giants Miyazaki Cooperation Association," with about 40 local companies and the Commerce and Industry Association joining. They have established a system to set up welcome flags and on-site information displays through business income and subsidies from the prefecture and city. We would like to use this as a reference for collaboration with the Yomiuri Giants after the completion of the new GIANTS stadium in Inagi City and for projects to attract visitors.

After that, we moved to Miyakonojo City, which is the training camp site for the Yomiuri Giants' third team. Another purpose of this visit was to visit Miyakonojo City at the invitation of Mayor Ikeda, with whom we work together in the National Mayors' Association. After meeting at the Miyakonojo City Hall, we were guided around the city.

We stayed at the "Hotel Terrasta," which was invited through the city center redevelopment project, and visited the brand new Parenting support facilities and libraries scattered around the area.

Tōjō City is a production area for Miyazaki beef and is a wealthy municipality that competes for the top spot in Japan for hometown tax contributions every year. The abundance of such facilities is truly enviable.

On the third day in Miyazaki, we headed to "Takahiro Sports Park" in Miyakonojo City, inspected the indoor gymnasium and baseball field, met with Director Norihiro Komada of the three armies, and observed the practice.

Currently, pitcher Tomoki Tamura, who belongs to the three military branches, is from Inagi City. He was scouted by Sakata Minami High School and then became a developmental player for the Yomiuri Giants. When I bought a towel with Tomoki Tamura's name at the stand in front of the stadium, I was able to meet him in person and he kindly agreed to take a commemorative photo. It is said that he can throw fastballs close to 160 kilometers per hour at this point, and he is a player who is expected to have a bright future. I hope he works hard to aim for the first team. Let's all support him!

After that, we moved to the Miyazaki National Sports Festival venue, the Miyakonojo City Stadium, and were given a tour of the facilities.

During this inspection, we found that both Miyazaki City and Miyakonojo City have a large number of sports facilities and are actively inviting professional sports teams to hold training camps in Miyazaki Prefecture.

Not only professional baseball teams, but also J-League soccer teams are holding training camps in Miyazaki Prefecture, and this time teams such as FC Tokyo, Tokushima Vortis, and Fagiano Okayama were training there.

The Yomiuri Giants have begun efforts to develop their third team. We hope that this steady effort will bear fruit and that they will reclaim the league championship in the near future.

Based on the results of this inspection, we would like to work together with the Yomiuri Giants to promote the birth of the new GIANTS stadium in March next year.

Everyone, look forward to it!