Softbank Hawks ・ Akira Nakamura infielder held a press conference on the 3rd at Mizuho PayPay Dome to announce his retirement from professional baseball.

"I, Akira Nakamura, have decided to end my 19-year professional baseball career. I truly believe that I have been able to come this far thanks to the support of so many people." He made the decision in his 19th year as a professional.

On June 8, I told Manager Kokubo, “I’ve given it my all. I’ve had my fill,” and informed him of my intention to retire from active play. The next day, on the 9th, I was removed from the active roster. The first players I told were Yuki Yanagita outfielder and Kenta Imamiya infielder. “Those two have fought alongside me the whole time, so I had special feelings for them. I wanted to tell them first.”He confided in his close allies—the ones who had helped build the winning team at The Hawks—first and foremost.

In 2014, Akira Nakamura played in 143 games, while Imamiya and Yanagita played in every game, all personal bests. "Yanagita and Kenta were highly anticipated, and the team had high expectations of them, and they lived up to those expectations. I think they are wonderful players, and I think I made my own path from nothing," he said, recalling their respective journeys to becoming regulars. "We started playing in games around the same time. When we were younger, there were times when I was jealous of them, and there were many times when I envied them. But I think it was because of those two that I was able to grow and get this far. We were always together on ground. I guess those two were the first ones I wanted to tell this to," he said, expressing his honest feelings from that time and offering words of gratitude.

◆Akira Nakamura: Born November 5, 1989, in Saitama Prefecture. Age 36. At Teikyo High School, he batted fourth from his second year of high school and participated in Koshien for three consecutive seasons. He hit a total of 60 Home Run in high school. He joined Softbank Hawks in the third round of the 2007 high school draft. He made his first-team debut in 2011. In 2014, he won the most hit title with 176 hit. From 2020, he won the Golden Glove Award for first base for four consecutive years. He has played in a total of 1654 games, with 1520 At Bat 5550 hit for a batting average of .274, 69 Home Run, 555 RBI, and 44 stolen base. 175 cm, 81 kg. Left-handed pitcher, left-handed batter. Estimated annual salary: 120 million yen.