On the 23rd, Softbank Hawks infielder Taisei Makihara held a public training session in Ogori City, Fukuoka, and expressed his caution against the United States in preparation for the World Baseball Classic in March, for which he has been selected.

In the morning, he received practice at shortstop, second base, and in outfield, and in the afternoon he had about two hours of batting practice. In preparation for his second consecutive WBC appearance, he is working hard every day with the theme of "building a physique that will allow him to take part in a real game at any time."

When asked by reporters which country he was looking forward to playing against, he replied, "I think the US will be putting in a lot of effort this year." Major League players such as Yankees' Aaron Judge and Phillies' Bryce Harper have already announced their participation, making them formidable opponents for Japan as they aim for a consecutive championship. Dai Makihara, who was center fielder when Japan won the championship in the previous tournament, grinned and said, "I'll do my best not to 'admire' them." He was referencing what Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani said before the 2023 final, "Let's stop admiring them," and said he was looking forward to the match. "The pressure was immense last time. But because I had that experience, I'm now able to approach tense games during the season with a good sense of tension." He aims to win the world championship once again and contribute to his team's third consecutive league championship.