Hotaka Yamakawa Explained

Hotaka Yamakawa
Position:First Baseman
Team:Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks
Number:25
Birth Date:23 November 1991
Birth Place:Naha, Okinawa, Japan
Bats:Right
Throws:Right
Debutleague:NPB
Debutdate:June 21
Debutyear:2014
Debutteam:Saitama Seibu Lions
Statyear:May 8, 2024
Statleague:NPB
Stat1label:Batting average
Stat1value:.255
Stat3label:Home runs
Stat3value:227
Stat4label:Runs batted in
Stat4value:610
Teams:
Awards:

, is a Japanese baseball infielder for the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks of Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB). He has previously played in NPB for the Saitama Seibu Lions. Yamakawa led the Pacific League in home runs in,, and .

Career

He was selected for the Pacific League all star team for the .[1] On October 10, 2018, he was selected by the Japan national baseball team to play for them at the 2018 MLB Japan All-Star Series.[2] He was also selected by Samurai Japan to play for them during the 2023 World Baseball Classic, winning gold with them.

Sexual assault allegations

On May 11, 2023, it was reported from Bunshun Online that the Tokyo Metropolitan Police Department was investigating Yamakawa for sexually assaulting a female acquaintance at a hotel in Tokyo in November 2022.[3] Bunshun Online reported that said female acquaintance had suffered bleeding injuries from the vagina and other parts of the body, and that the police had received a damage report on suspicion of indecent assault and rape. Yamakawa, however, stated that all was consensual and he had relations with the woman. [3] In response to this, on May 12, the Lions removed Yamakawa from their active roster indefinite.[4] On 29, it was announced that Yamakawa would not face charges as a result of the allegations.[5]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: マイナビオールスターゲーム2018 ファン投票結果 . NPB.jp 日本野球機構 . ja . June 25, 2018 . June 26, 2018 .
  2. Web site: 「2018日米野球」に出場する侍ジャパントップチーム選手全28名が決定 . 野球日本代表 侍ジャパン オフィシャルサイト . ja . October 10, 2018 . October 14, 2018 .
  3. News: live. "WBC侍ジャパン"西武・山川穂高(31)が"強制わいせつ致傷容疑"で事情聴取「被害女性は下半身から出血するけがも。処罰感情は強い」. https://archive.today/20230512091311/https://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/24216064/. 2023-05-12.
  4. Web site: 2023-05-12 . Lions remove Hotaka Yamakawa from active roster after sexual assault allegations . 2023-05-21 . The Japan Times . en-US.
  5. Web site: Japan baseball star Hotaka Yamakawa not to face charges over alleged rape. September 12, 2023. english.kyodonews.net. en.