Softbank Hawks outfielder Ukyo Shuto celebrated his 30th birthday on the 10th and spoke about his feelings ahead of the WBC to be held in March. In the 2023 tournament, he mainly played as a pinch runner. Among the members of the national team this time, Shuto is the only outfielder whose main position is center field. The range of his usage will be wider than in the previous tournament. "I will of course prepare to be able to play later, and of course I will prepare to be able to play from the start," he said, indicating his intention to respond to any usage.

The pressure of fighting with the Japanese flag on your back is immeasurable, but the most important thing is an offensive attitude. "I would prefer not to make mistakes in many areas if possible, but mistakes happen baseball. You won't know if they come at a good time or a bad time until you try, so you just have to give it a go. When it's time to start, you have to start well. All you have to do is not get nervous," he said, stepping onto ground with a firm resolve.

On this day, he turned another year older. "I can still run just fine, and I don't think I'll suddenly start to slow down just because I'm 30. On the contrary, I think I'll just keep improving in many ways from now on," he said, aiming to continue evolving. The third session of the Miyazaki camp started on this day. The first live BP was also held, and the team is now in actual game mode. Samurai Japan will begin their Miyazaki training camp on the 14th in preparation for the main tournament in March. They will prepare their minds and bodies in preparation for joining up with the team.