Softbank Hawks Yuto Akihiro infielder Akihiro held an open practice session in Naha, Okinawa on the 20th, where he trained with The Giants infielder Hayato Sakamoto and others. He vowed to make a comeback in 2026 with an "extremely aggressive attitude."

Until 2025, he had been training with Sho Nakata, who retired last season, during the offseason, but he explained the circumstances, saying, "He retired, and (Sakamoto) is the senior player who took the liking to Sho-san the most after he left The Giants. He's not only good at baseball, but he's also a person with amazing statistics, so I asked him because I really wanted to learn a lot from him." Nakata also encouraged him, saying, "He's been playing since he was about 19, so go and learn a lot from him," and now he spends his days sweating it out in Naha.

Regarding Sakamoto, who boasts a total of 2,447 hit in his professional career, he said, "He taught me how to swing according to the situation and how to prepare my mind. I watched him closely, from behind, and saw that there were hundreds of different swing styles, and his way of thinking is amazing. I want to expand my own repertoire even more." Furthermore, he was most impressed by Sakamoto's strong mentality, saying, "I've seen a lot of people up until now, but I think his attitude towards practice and his mindset are the best."

"If a player of that level can do this much, it makes me think that we have to do even more," he said, becoming more aware of his abilities. Last December, he practiced with Softbank Hawks 's Yamakawa, and is actively continuing to learn top-notch techniques. "We're also doing high-quality practice, so I hope to be in good shape going into February." He will approach training camp and the season with the energy of his days with this great legend.