◆Nippon Life Interleague Series 2026 Softbank Hawks 3-1 Hiroshima (31st, Mizuho PayPay Stadium)

Softbank Hawks ・ Ryoya Kurihara infielder (29) brought “Happiness” to the crowd of Hawks fans who packed the stadium on Sunday.With one out and a runner on second in the sixth inning, just after his team had taken a 1-0 lead, he connected on the first pitch. The ball flew “so far” that he watched it with confidence as it landed in the right-field stands. After hitting his 16th home run of the season—a two-run shot that leads both leagues—he flashed a smile and said, “After all, nothing makes me happier than seeing the team win.”

In May, he mainly batted fourth, racking up a league-leading 26 RBI for the month. His 11 Home Run for the month tied for second place among the team's home runs since its relocation to Fukuoka, behind only Yanagita's 12 in June 2017. He himself acknowledged his "monster-level" performance, saying, "My approach to pitches I'm going to swing at has improved."

Immediately after Home Run, he commented, "Thank you, Arashi! You've given me so much energy." On this day, Arashi held their final live performance at Tokyo Dome, bringing their 26 and a half years of group activities to a close. Kurihara appeared on ground for pre-game practice and the first thing he said was, "Today's background music has to be Arashi!" He said he has a strong image of them from "VS Arashi," which aired for about 13 years until their hiatus at the end of 2020. When asked about his favorite member, he said, "Aiba-kun because I love animals," with a "Love so sweet" smile. Regarding the end of their activities, he seemed overwhelmed with emotion, saying, "Sadness, gratitude, and..."

The team has risen to the top of the interleague standings with 5 wins in 6 games. They are riding a wave of momentum towards a second consecutive national championship, but manager Kokubo is focusing solely on the upcoming games, emphasizing "win one game at a time." Kurihara is adopting a "Step and Go" approach, saying, "We'll be in June soon, and hopefully we can win our first game." The reliable team captain will continue to carry the "Hero" role. (Tosei Moriguchi)