Seibu Lions of Sosuke Genda infielder (33), who participated in the WBC as a member of the Samurai Japan team, joined the team's general practice session at Belluna D on March 19 and announced his intention to retire from the Japan national team after this tournament. The famous player who has been a regular member of the national team said, "I want to hand over to younger players and support them. He was active offensively and defensively as a regular on the playoffs, hitting 10 At Bat 5 hit in five games and "leading hitter" with a 50 percent batting average. Although he missed winning the tournament for the second straight year, he reflected, "It was disappointing not to win, but it was a good experience for me to compete in a tense and tense atmosphere.

In the previous tournament, he continued to play despite fracturing his right little finger, and was praised for his exquisite touch play in the semi-final against Mexico, which was dubbed "Genda's 1mm." Competition for positions at Seibu Lions is fierce. Last season ended with disappointing results, and he renewed his determination for the season, saying, "I want to produce solid results and become a regular player."