On October 30th, Fukuoka Softbank win the fifth game of the SMBC Japan Series 2025 at Koshien becoming the Japan Series champions for the first time in five years and for the 12th time. At the victory press conference held after the game, manager Hiroki Kokubo, players Ukyo Shuto, and Hotaka Yamakawa Yamakawa appeared on stage. Below is a Q&A with Hotaka Yamakawa and Ukyo Shuto.

Hotaka Yamakawa

--How do you feel now that you've won the MVP award?
That's great.

Q: It was your first time to become number one in Japan. What did you see?
The scene that will probably stay in my memory is when the ball came from Akira (Kawase). I think the image of that ball will stay with me.

--Last year's Japan Series was disappointing. What were your thoughts going into this year's series?
I wasn't in the starting starting line-up at first, but after the first game, I finally got it during early practice in the second game, and I thought, "Oh, I can definitely hit this." Because I had that feeling, I went in with a lot of confidence. I had been hitting the curveball machine in early practice, and the balls were flying faster than usual. I think that "technique" helped me regain my confidence.

Q: What are the key points of your striking that you said you would tell us if you won? Specifically,
I was extremely conscious of my heel bones. I was constantly conscious of them. Both heels. I tried leaning back a little, and I've tried different batting forms about 1,000 times this year, but I couldn't get anything to work the way I imagined, and then at the very end, while practicing in the morning, I finally found the answer. To put it simply... it would take about two hours, so I'll stop here (laughs).

--After that, he won three games in a row.
Once I'm conscious of my heel, I think I can hit the ball when I'm ready. If I think I can hit the ball when I'm ready, I can actually hit it, and the ball looked slow, so rather than thinking about three games in a row, I thought I would definitely be able to hit it in the end.

--Three consecutive games tied the Japan Series record. This is the first time the team has achieved this feat since Kenji Jojima in 2000.
I am very honored.

--It was a tough season. But you still managed to finish with an MVP. How do you sum up this year?
I want to start practicing soon. I don't want to forget this feeling, and I can't help but wonder what would have happened if I had had this feeling from the start of the season this year. It doesn't always work out that way, but I want to analyze why I was able to hit with this feeling and make it my own. I want to start batting now. I'll take a rest tomorrow, but I'll start swinging the bat from the day after tomorrow.

--Finally, a message to your fans
I think I may have caused some frustration during the season, but I'm glad I was able to show a good performance at the end. Your support has always given me strength, so I'll do my best to keep your support coming next year.

Ukyo Shuto

--It's your first time to be number one in Japan in five years. How do you feel?
After the disappointment of last year, I am extremely happy to have become number one in Japan this year.

Q: We have now climbed the "three mountains" that the coach mentioned. As the players' union president, what do you see coming up next?
I'm really happy... that's the only word I can think of to describe this scene.

--Today, you were behind until the 8th inning. What was the atmosphere like on the bench?
The score difference was still only two points, so there was a sense among everyone that they were determined to do something without getting too anxious.

Q: Yanagita hit a extra inning home run run, sending the game into extra innings. Was there a change in the atmosphere on the bench?
As expected, the excitement was huge when Yanagi hit the ball, and I think that Yanagi's home run made it a game that we really couldn't afford to lose.

Q: What do you think is The Hawks' strength through this Japan Series?
No matter who plays, there are many players who can perform at a high level, and above all, I think everyone is able to take to ground with confidence.

--Shuto set a new Japan Series record with five hit in one game. It was a series that made history.
I never thought I would be able to leave my name behind as a hitter, so I think it's an honor to be able to leave such a record in such a long history. I'm happy.

--What are the reasons for this success?
My vision of the ball was very good. It was the same during the CS, but I didn't feel like I was doing badly, so I thought that if I could just decide what I needed to do and do it, I would be able to get good results.

Q: You've been struggling with injuries and have been exhausted all season. What is your current physical condition?
I have the day off starting tomorrow, so I want to get some good rest.

Q: What about this season where you've been fighting despite many players suffering from injuries?
There were a lot of players who were injured, including myself. However, there were many players who were able to produce results as soon as they came on, and I think that the accumulation of each individual effort plays a big role. More than anything, everyone really practiced, so I think the best thing was that we were able to show that on ground.

--How would you sum up this year's slogan, "PS!"
As I said during the champagne fight at the CS, winning this Japan Series will fill in the gaps for The Hawks' 2025. That's one reason, and despite the many injuries this year, not only the players but also each and every staff member became an irreplaceable piece, which is why I think we were able to win this Japan Series. I think this year's slogan, "PS!", had many different meanings.

--Finally, a message to your fans
Last year, we missed out on the Japan Series title, and I think it was disappointing for both the players and the fans, so I'm glad we were able to make up for it this year. From next year onwards, we'll continue to fight like this with the 12 teams until the end, and do our best so that we can continue to receive support.