Softbank Hawks manager Koji Akiyama declined Monday to discuss his plans for struggling closer Takahiro Mahara for the rest of the Japan Series.
Asked when and how he will use Mahara next time, Akiyama only said, ''We'll see.''
Masaaki Koike hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the top of the 10th inning and the Chunichi Dragons held on to beat the Softbank Hawks 2-1 in Game 1 of the Japan Series on Saturday afternoon.
In the first Japan Series in two years between the Central League and Pacific League champions, it was outgoing manager Hiromitsu Ochiai's team that took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Japan put one foot through the door to the final round of World Cup qualifying with a controlled 4-0 victory over Tajikistan on Friday.
The Japan Sumo Association said Tuesday that sumo elder Nishiiwa will succeed Naruto, who died a day earlier of respiratory failure, as coach of the scandal-hit stable.
The JSA held an emergency board meeting to discuss the future of the Naruto stable following the sudden death of the 59-year-old Naruto, who had been under investigation by the association over a magazine report that said he had abused his apprentices.
Sumo elder Naruto, the former yokozuna Takanosato, died of respiratory failure at a hospital in the city of Fukuoka on Monday morning, the Japan Sumo Association said. He was 59.
He was admitted to the hospital Sunday night after complaining of ill health and was treated for asthma, according to the hospital.
Alex Ramirez, whose time with the Yomiuri Giants is all but over as he aims to part ways with the Central League club, said Monday he is hoping to continue his baseball career in Japan.
The Seibu Lions were more than 20 games out from the Softbank Hawks, but they will attempt to repeat what the Lotte Marines did last year -- bounce back from a third-place finish in the regular season to win the Japan Series.
Former Asian champion Gamba Osaka will move into a new soccer-only stadium with a capacity of at least 32,000 in time for the 2014 season.
Team president Kikuo Kanamori relayed the plan in person to Tetsuya Inoue, mayor of Suita, Osaka Prefecture, on Monday.
The Yokohama BayStars, whose parent company Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings Inc. has reached a broad agreement with mobile-phone gaming company DeNA Co. to sell its majority stake in the team, will force manager Takao Obana to take an involuntary ''vacation'' this fall.
A number of teams in Japanese baseball's Pacific League have voiced concern over mobile-phone gaming company DeNA Co. buying the Central League's Yokohama BayStars from Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings Inc. (TBSHD), a senior baseball official said Thursday.
Hiroyasu Tanaka hit a tiebreaking single in the seventh inning as the Yakult Swallows beat the Yokohama BayStars 3-1 on Saturday afternoon to snap a five-game losing streak.
Rakuten Eagles owner Toru Shimada said Friday that talks with organizers of the 2013 World Baseball Classic had gone well but that Japan's participation at the tournament was not touched upon during the meeting.
Kenta Kurihara became the first position player from the Hiroshima Carp to win back-to-back monthly MVP awards when the Central League on Thursday announced the MVPs for September.
Tokyo Broadcasting System Holdings Inc. (TBSHD) is in negotiations to sell its majority stake in the Yokohama BayStars professional baseball team, sources close to the matter said Saturday.