Hotaka Yamakawa

Hotaka Yamakawa
Hotaka Yamakawa
	Yamakawa with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks in 2024
Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks – No. 25
	First Baseman
	Born: November 23, 1991 (age 32); Naha, Okinawa, Japan
	Bats: Right Throws: Right
NPB debut
	June 21, 2014, for the Saitama Seibu Lions
NPB statistics ; (through 2024)
Batting average	.254
Home runs	252
Runs batted in	674
Teams
	Saitama Seibu Lions (2014–2023); Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks (2024–present);
Career highlights and awards
	Pacific League MVP (2018); 5× NPB All-Star (2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2024); 4× Pacific League home run leader (2018, 2019, 2022, 2024); Pacific League RBI leader 2× (2022, 2024); 3× Pacific League Best Nine Award (2018, 2019, 2022); Hochi Professional Sports Award (2018);
Medals
Men's baseball
Representing Japan
World Baseball Classic

Hotaka Yamakawa (山川穂高, Yamakawa Hotaka, born November 23, 1991), is a Japanese baseball infielder for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has previously played in NPB for the Saitama Seibu Lions. Yamakawa led the Pacific League in home runs in 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2024.

Career

He was selected for the Pacific League all star team for the 2018 NPB All-Star game [jp].^[1] On October 10, 2018, he was selected by the Japan national baseball team to play for them at the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series.^[2] He was also selected by Samurai Japan to play for them during the 2023 World Baseball Classic, winning gold with them.

Sexual assault allegations

On May 11, 2023, it was reported from Bunshun Online that the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department was investigating Yamakawa for sexually assaulting a female acquaintance at a hotel in Tokyo in November 2022.^[3] Bunshun Online reported that said female acquaintance had suffered bleeding injuries from the vagina and other parts of the body, and that the police had received a damage report on suspicion of indecent assault and rape. Yamakawa, however, stated that all was consensual and he had relations with the woman. ^[3] In response to this, on May 12, the Lions removed Yamakawa from their active roster indefinite.^[4] On 29, it was announced that Yamakawa would not face charges as a result of the allegations.^[5]

References

^ "マイナビオールスターゲーム2018 ファン投票結果". NPB.jp 日本野球機構 (in Japanese). June 26, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
^ "「2018日米野球」に出場する侍ジャパントップチーム選手全28名が決定". 野球日本代表侍ジャパンオフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). October 10, 2018. Retrieved October 14, 2018.
^ ^a ^b ""WBC侍ジャパン"西武・山川穂高（31）が"強制わいせつ致傷容疑"で事情聴取「被害女性は下半身から出血するけがも。処罰感情は強い」". Archived from the original on 2023-05-12.
^ "Lions remove Hotaka Yamakawa from active roster after sexual assault allegations". The Japan Times. 2023-05-12. Retrieved 2023-05-21.
^ "Japan baseball star Hotaka Yamakawa not to face charges over alleged rape". english.kyodonews.net. Retrieved September 12, 2023.

External links

Career statistics and player information from Baseball Reference (Minors)
Career statistics - NPB.jp
NPB.jp
25 Hotaka Yamakawa - Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks Official site

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[1] "マイナビオールスターゲーム2018 ファン投票結果". NPB.jp 日本野球機構 (in Japanese). June 26, 2018. Retrieved June 25, 2018.

[2] "「2018日米野球」に出場する侍ジャパントップチーム選手全28名が決定". 野球日本代表侍ジャパンオフィシャルサイト (in Japanese). October 10, 2018. Retrieved October 14, 2018.

[bunsyun-3] ""WBC侍ジャパン"西武・山川穂高（31）が"強制わいせつ致傷容疑"で事情聴取「被害女性は下半身から出血するけがも。処罰感情は強い」". Archived from the original on 2023-05-12.

[4] "Lions remove Hotaka Yamakawa from active roster after sexual assault allegations". The Japan Times. 2023-05-12. Retrieved 2023-05-21.

[5] "Japan baseball star Hotaka Yamakawa not to face charges over alleged rape". english.kyodonews.net. Retrieved September 12, 2023.

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