Hanshin Tigers win first consecutive Central League title
In short
The Hanshin Tigers have clinched the first consecutive Central League pennant in franchise history, with the title decided on the night of Oct 3, according to Nippon TV News and Mynavi News. Nippon TV News reported rejoicing across the Kansai region. Japan international and self-declared Tigers fan Maeda Daizen congratulated the team on social media and said the win would motivate him in the national team’s Kirin Cup final against New Zealand on Oct 5.
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The Hanshin Tigers have won the first consecutive Central League championship in the franchise’s history, Nippon TV News reported in its standings coverage. Mynavi News said the title was decided on the night of Oct 3, when Hanshin lost to Hiroshima but the second-placed Yomiuri Giants lost to DeNA, a result that secured the pennant for Hanshin. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Nippon TV News reported that the Kansai region was rejoicing. In the same standings report, the outlet said the Giants were unable to mark their final game with a win, losing to DeNA, and that Chunichi reached 60 wins this season. [ 1 , 2 ]
Maeda Daizen, a Japan international and self-declared Tigers supporter from Osaka, congratulated the team on his official X account with a tiger emoji, Mynavi News reported. “We lost the game, but the Giants lost at the other venue, so I’m happy we won,” Maeda was quoted as saying. Sankei Shimbun quoted him as saying: “We lost the game, but we won the title, so I’m happy.” [ 3 , 4 ]
Sankei Shimbun, which lists Maeda as playing for Ipswich after a move to the English Premier League this season, reported that he said of the Kirin Cup final against New Zealand: “Just watch me.” He said that if the team could bring baseball fans along, Japanese soccer would become stronger, and that he wanted a wonderful fight together with them. [ 3 , 4 ]
Japan face New Zealand in the Kirin Cup final on Oct 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the National Stadium in Tokyo, after training there on Oct 4, both outlets reported. [ 3 , 4 ]
Why it matters
The pennant is the first time the club has taken the Central League in two straight seasons, a milestone Nippon TV News marked with reports of celebrations across the Kansai region. The coverage also shows the title being used as a hook for the national soccer team’s Kirin Cup final, with a Japan player who supports the club linking the two audiences. Outside Japan the impact is limited to followers of the club and of Maeda, who plays in the English Premier League.
Key facts
- The Hanshin Tigers won the first consecutive Central League championship in franchise history. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- Mynavi News said the title was decided on the night of Oct 3. [ 3 ]
- The Yomiuri Giants lost to DeNA in their final game of the season. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Nippon TV News reported that the Kansai region was rejoicing over the title. [ 2 ]
- Maeda Daizen, an Osaka native and Tigers supporter, posted congratulations on his official X account. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Japan play New Zealand in the Kirin Cup final on Oct 5 at 7:30 p.m. at the National Stadium in Tokyo. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Sankei Shimbun lists Maeda as playing for Ipswich after a move to the English Premier League this season; he is 28. [ 4 ]
- Chunichi reached 60 wins this season, according to the standings report. [ 1 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The Hanshin Tigers won the first consecutive Central League championship in franchise history. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]
- The Yomiuri Giants lost to DeNA. [ 1 , 3 ]
- Maeda Daizen, a Japan international and self-declared Hanshin supporter, publicly congratulated the team on social media. [ 3 , 4 ]
- Japan will face New Zealand in the Kirin Cup final on Oct 5. [ 3 , 4 ]
Still unclear
- The circumstances of the title-deciding night, including that Hanshin lost to Hiroshima while the Giants lost to DeNA at another venue and that this secured the pennant. This detail appears only in Mynavi News; Nippon TV News reports the Giants’ loss to DeNA but not Hanshin’s own result or the venue.
- Maeda Daizen’s congratulatory comment is rendered in different wording by the two outlets that quote it. Mynavi News and Sankei Shimbun give different phrasings of the same remark, and the documents do not indicate which wording is exact.
- The scale of the celebrations in the Kansai region. Nippon TV News says only that Kansai was rejoicing, with no figures or locations, and no other outlet describes the reaction.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Hanshin’s first consecutive Central League title is decided, according to Mynavi News, after Hanshin lose to Hiroshima and the second-placed Giants lose to DeNA. [ 3 ]
- Nippon TV News publishes its standings report on Hanshin’s first league title in two straight seasons, the Giants’ loss to DeNA and Chunichi’s 60th win. [ 1 ]
- Nippon TV News reports that the Kansai region is rejoicing over the title. [ 2 ]
- Mynavi News reports Maeda Daizen’s congratulatory post and his comments ahead of the New Zealand match. [ 3 ]
- Sankei Shimbun reports Maeda’s comments after Japan’s final training session at the National Stadium. [ 4 ]