List of Major League Baseball players from Japan

Ichiro Suzuki played in NPB before playing in MLB.

A total of 54 Japanese-born^[1] players have played in at least one Major League Baseball (MLB) game. Of these players, six are currently on MLB rosters.^[2] The first instance of a Japanese-born player playing in MLB occurred in 1964, when the Nankai Hawks, a Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) team, sent three exchange prospects to the United States to gain experience in MLB's minor league system. One of the players, pitcher Masanori Murakami, was named the California League Rookie of the Year while playing for the Fresno Giants (the San Francisco Giants' Class-A team). Giants executives were impressed with his talent and on September 1, 1964 Murakami was promoted, thus becoming the first Japanese player to play in MLB.^[3] After Murakami put up good pitching statistics as a reliever, Giants executives sought to exercise a clause in their contract with the Hawks that, they claimed, allowed them to buy up an exchange prospect's contract. NPB officials objected, stating that they had no intention of selling Murakami's contract to the Giants and telling them that Murakami was merely on loan for the 1964 season. After a two-month stalemate the Giants eventually agreed to send Murakami back to the Hawks after the 1965 season. This affair led to the 1967 United States – Japanese Player Contract Agreement, also known as the "Working Agreement", between MLB and NPB, which was basically a hands-off policy.^[4][5]

For thirty years Murakami was the only Japanese player to appear in an MLB game. Pitcher Hideo Nomo, with the help of agent Don Nomura, became the second Japanese-born player to play in MLB in 1995. Nomo, who was not yet eligible for free agency in Japan, was advised by Nomura that a "voluntary retirement" clause in the Working Agreement did not specify that a player wishing to play again after retiring must return to NPB. Nomo utilized this loophole to void his NPB contract with the Kintetsu Buffaloes and play in MLB. He announced his retirement from NPB in late 1994 and signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers in February 1995.^[6] Nomo's maneuver and Hideki Irabu's later MLB contractual complications were contributing factors to a major revision of the Working Agreement in 1998 that created the current posting system.^[7] Since its inception 12 Japanese-born players have been signed through the system, however one of these players, Shinji Mori, did not play in a single MLB game due to an injury. NPB players who have nine or more years of playing service with NPB can become free agents and do not need to enter MLB through the posting system.^[8] The remaining Japanese-born players that have played in MLB have either signed as free agents or signed as amateur players. Mac Suzuki, Micheal Nakamura, Kazuhito Tadano, and Junichi Tazawa are the only Japanese players to have debuted in MLB without previously playing in NPB.^{[9][10][11][12]}

Japanese-born players have had a range of success in MLB. Twelve players have been selected to participate in the All-Star Game; Ichiro Suzuki has made the most appearances with ten. In addition to these selections, Ichiro has won several prestigious MLB awards including the American League (AL) Rookie of the Year Award and the AL Most Valuable Player (MVP) Award in 2001, the All-Star Game MVP Award in 2007 and multiple Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards. Ichiro also holds the MLB record for the recording the most hits in a single season. Hideo Nomo was the only Japanese-born pitcher to throw a no-hitter until Hisashi Iwakuma accomplished the feat on August 12, 2015. Nomo threw two in total; the first came in 1996 and the last occurred in 2001. Eleven Japanese players have played in the World Series. Of these players, So Taguchi has won the most with three and Hideki Matsui is the only one to win the World Series MVP Award.

Table key

Key to symbols in player table

§	Signed with a Major League Baseball team without first playing for a Nippon Professional Baseball team
*	Signed with a Major League Baseball team via the posting system
	Inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame

Current players

Former players

Players from Japan that formerly appeared on Major League Baseball rosters

Player	Position	MLB debut	Final MLB game	Former MLB Team(s)	Current league	Current team	Notes
Murakami, MasanoriMasanori Murakami	P	000000001964-09-01-0000September 1, 1964	000000001965-10-01-0000October 1, 1965	San Francisco Giants (1964–1965)	Retired	—	[24]
Nomo, HideoHideo Nomo	P	000000001995-05-02-0000May 2, 1995	000000002008-04-18-0000April 18, 2008	Los Angeles Dodgers (1995–1998, 2002–2004) New York Mets (1998) Milwaukee Brewers (1999) Detroit Tigers (2000) Boston Red Sox (2001) Tampa Bay Devil Rays (2005) Kansas City Royals (2008)	Retired	—	[25]
Suzuki, MacMac Suzuki§	P	000000001996-07-07-0000July 7, 1996	000000002002-06-28-0000June 28, 2002	Seattle Mariners (1996, 1998–1999) Kansas City Royals (1999–2001, 2002) Colorado Rockies (2001) Milwaukee Brewers (2001)	Retired	—	[26]
Hasegawa, ShigetoshiShigetoshi Hasegawa	P	000000001997-04-05-0000April 5, 1997	000000002005-09-28-0000September 28, 2005	Anaheim Angels (1997–2001) Seattle Mariners (2002–2005)	Retired	—	[27]
Kashiwada, TakashiTakashi Kashiwada	P	000000001997-05-01-0000May 1, 1997	000000001997-09-18-0000September 18, 1997	New York Mets (1997)	Retired	—	[28]
Irabu, HidekiHideki Irabu	P	000000001997-07-10-0000July 10, 1997	000000002002-07-12-0000July 12, 2002	New York Yankees (1997–1999) Montreal Expos (2000–2001) Texas Rangers (2002)	Deceased	—	[29]
Yoshii, MasatoMasato Yoshii	P	000000001998-04-05-0000April 5, 1998	000000002002-09-11-0000September 11, 2002	New York Mets (1998–1999) Colorado Rockies (2000) Montreal Expos (2001–2002)	Retired	—	[30]
Kida, MasaoMasao Kida	P	000000001999-04-05-0000April 5, 1999	000000002005-08-03-0000August 3, 2005	Detroit Tigers (1999–2000) Los Angeles Dodgers (2003–2004) Seattle Mariners (2004–2005)	Retired	—	[31]
Ohka, TomokazuTomokazu Ohka	P	000000001999-07-19-0000July 19, 1999	000000002009-10-04-0000October 4, 2009	Boston Red Sox (1999–2001) Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals (2001–2005) Milwaukee Brewers (2005–2006) Toronto Blue Jays (2007) Cleveland Indians (2009)	BCL	Fukushima Hopes	[32][33]
Sasaki, KazuhiroKazuhiro Sasaki	P	000000002000-04-05-0000April 5, 2000	000000002003-09-28-0000September 28, 2003	Seattle Mariners (2000–2003)	Retired	—	[34]
Shinjo, TsuyoshiTsuyoshi Shinjo	OF	000000002001-04-03-0000April 3, 2001	000000002003-06-27-0000June 27, 2003	New York Mets (2001, 2003) San Francisco Giants (2002)	Retired	—	[35]
Nomura, TakahitoTakahito Nomura	P	000000002002-04-03-0000April 3, 2002	000000002002-05-15-0000May 15, 2002	Milwaukee Brewers (2002)	Retired	—	[36]
Komiyama, SatoruSatoru Komiyama	P	000000002002-04-04-0000April 4, 2002	000000002002-09-11-0000September 11, 2002	New York Mets (2002)	Retired	—	[37]
Ishii, KazuhisaKazuhisa Ishii*	P	000000002002-04-06-0000April 6, 2002	000000002005-09-28-0000September 28, 2005	Los Angeles Dodgers (2002–2004) New York Mets (2005)	Retired	—	[38]
Taguchi, SoSo Taguchi	OF	000000002002-06-10-0000June 10, 2002	000000002009-10-04-0000October 4, 2009	St. Louis Cardinals (2002–2007) Philadelphia Phillies (2008) Chicago Cubs (2009)	Retired	—	[39]
Matsui, HidekiHideki Matsui	OF/DH	000000002003-03-31-0000March 31, 2003	000000002012-07-22-0000July 22, 2012	New York Yankees (2003–2009) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2010) Oakland Athletics (2011) Tampa Bay Rays (2012)	Retired	—	[40]
Nakamura, MichealMicheal Nakamura§	P	000000002003-06-07-0000June 7, 2003	000000002004-07-31-0000July 31, 2004	Minnesota Twins (2003) Toronto Blue Jays (2004)	Retired	—	[41]
Matsui, KazuoKazuo Matsui	2B/SS	000000002004-04-06-0000April 6, 2004	000000002010-05-18-0000May 18, 2010	New York Mets (2004–2006) Colorado Rockies (2006–2007) Houston Astros (2008–2010)	NPB	Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles	[42][43]
Otsuka, AkinoriAkinori Otsuka*	P	000000002004-04-06-0000April 6, 2004	000000002007-07-01-0000July 1, 2007	San Diego Padres (2004–2005) Texas Rangers (2006–2007)	Retired	—	[44]
Takatsu, ShingoShingo Takatsu	P	000000002004-04-09-0000April 9, 2004	000000002005-10-02-0000October 2, 2005	Chicago White Sox (2004–2005) New York Mets (2005)	Retired	—	[45]
Tadano, KazuhitoKazuhito Tadano§	P	000000002004-04-27-0000April 27, 2004	000000002005-07-16-0000July 16, 2005	Cleveland Indians (2004–2005)	BCL	Ishikawa Million Stars (Player-coach)	[46][47]
Iguchi, TadahitoTadahito Iguchi	2B	000000002005-04-04-0000April 4, 2005	000000002008-09-28-0000September 28, 2008	Chicago White Sox (2005–2007) Philadelphia Phillies (2007, 2008) San Diego Padres (2008)	NPB	Chiba Lotte Marines	[48][49]
Yabu, KeiichiKeiichi Yabu	P	000000002005-04-09-0000April 9, 2005	000000002008-09-27-0000September 27, 2008	Oakland Athletics (2005) San Francisco Giants (2008)	Retired	—	[50]
Nakamura, NorihiroNorihiro Nakamura*	3B	000000002005-04-10-0000April 10, 2005	000000002005-05-06-0000May 6, 2005	Los Angeles Dodgers (2005)	Retired	—	[51] [52]
Johjima, KenjiKenji Johjima	C	000000002006-04-03-0000April 3, 2006	000000002009-10-03-0000October 3, 2009	Seattle Mariners (2006–2009)	Retired	—	[53]
Saito, TakashiTakashi Saito	P	000000002006-04-09-0000April 9, 2006	000000002012-09-30-0000September 30, 2012	Los Angeles Dodgers (2006–2008) Boston Red Sox (2009) Atlanta Braves (2010) Milwaukee Brewers (2011) Arizona Diamondbacks (2012)	Retired	—	[54][55]
Iwamura, AkinoriAkinori Iwamura*	2B/3B	000000002007-04-02-0000April 2, 2007	000000002010-09-26-0000September 26, 2010	Tampa Bay Devil Rays/Rays (2007–2009) Pittsburgh Pirates (2010) Oakland Athletics (2010)	BCL	Fukushima Hopes (Player-manager)	[56][57]
Okajima, HidekiHideki Okajima	P	000000002007-04-02-0000April 2, 2007	000000002013-06-13-0000June 13, 2013	Boston Red Sox (2007–2011) Oakland Athletics (2013)	Retired	—	[58]
Matsuzaka, DaisukeDaisuke Matsuzaka*	P	000000002007-04-05-0000April 5, 2007	000000002014-09-25-0000September 25, 2014	Boston Red Sox (2007–2012) New York Mets (2013–2014)	NPB	Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks	[59][60]
Igawa, KeiKei Igawa*	P	000000002007-04-07-0000April 7, 2007	000000002008-06-27-0000June 27, 2008	New York Yankees (2007–2008)	NPB	Orix Buffaloes	[61][62]
Kuwata, MasumiMasumi Kuwata	P	000000002007-06-10-0000June 10, 2007	000000002007-08-13-0000August 13, 2007	Pittsburgh Pirates (2007)	Retired	—	[63]
Fukudome, KosukeKosuke Fukudome	OF	000000002008-03-31-0000March 31, 2008	000000002012-06-03-0000June 3, 2012	Chicago Cubs (2008–2011) Cleveland Indians (2011) Chicago White Sox (2012)	NPB	Hanshin Tigers	[64]
Fukumori, KazuoKazuo Fukumori	P	000000002008-03-31-0000March 31, 2008	000000002008-04-24-0000April 24, 2008	Texas Rangers (2008)	Retired	—	[65]
Kobayashi, MasahideMasahide Kobayashi	P	000000002008-04-02-0000April 2, 2008	000000002009-05-07-0000May 7, 2009	Cleveland Indians (2008–2009)	Retired	—	[66]
Kuroda, HirokiHiroki Kuroda	P	000000002008-04-04-0000April 4, 2008	000000002014-09-25-0000September 25, 2014	Los Angeles Dodgers (2008–2011) New York Yankees (2012–2014)	Retired	—	[67][68]
Yabuta, YasuhikoYasuhiko Yabuta	P	000000002008-04-05-0000April 5, 2008	000000002009-10-04-0000October 4, 2009	Kansas City Royals (2008–2009)	Retired	—	[69]
Uehara, KojiKoji Uehara	P	000000002009-04-08-0000April 8, 2009	000000002016-09-30-0000September 30, 2016	Baltimore Orioles (2009–2011) Texas Rangers (2011–2012) Boston Red Sox (2013–2016)	Free agent	—	[70][71]
Kawakami, KenshinKenshin Kawakami	P	000000002009-04-11-0000April 11, 2009	000000002010-09-09-0000September 9, 2010	Atlanta Braves (2009–2010)	Retired	—	[72][73]
Takahashi, KenKen Takahashi	P	000000002009-05-02-0000May 2, 2009	000000002009-09-25-0000September 25, 2009	New York Mets (2009)	Retired	—	[74]
Tazawa, JunichiJunichi Tazawa§	P	000000002009-08-07-0000August 7, 2009	000000002016-09-29-0000September 29, 2016	Boston Red Sox (2009–2016)	Free agent	—	[75][76]
Takahashi, HisanoriHisanori Takahashi	P	000000002010-04-07-0000April 7, 2010	000000002013-04-11-0000April 11, 2013	New York Mets (2010) Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (2011–2012) Pittsburgh Pirates (2012) Chicago Cubs (2013)	Retired	—	[77]
Igarashi, RyotaRyota Igarashi	P	000000002010-04-08-0000April 8, 2010	000000002012-08-12-0000August 12, 2012	New York Mets (2010–2011) Toronto Blue Jays (2012) New York Yankees (2012)	NPB	Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks	[78]
Nishioka, TsuyoshiTsuyoshi Nishioka*	SS/2B	000000002011-04-01-0000April 1, 2011	000000002012-08-08-0000August 8, 2012	Minnesota Twins (2011–2012)	NPB	Hanshin Tigers	[79][80]
Tateyama, YoshinoriYoshinori Tateyama	P	000000002011-05-24-0000May 24, 2011	000000002012-09-26-0000September 26, 2012	Texas Rangers (2011–2012)	Retired	—	[81]
Kawasaki, MunenoriMunenori Kawasaki	SS/2B	000000002012-04-07-0000April 7, 2012	000000002016-10-02-0000October 2, 2016	Seattle Mariners (2012) Toronto Blue Jays (2013–2015) Chicago Cubs (2016)	Free agent	—	[82][83]
Fujikawa, KyujiKyuji Fujikawa	P	000000002013-04-01-0000April 1, 2013	000000002015-05-15-0000May 15, 2015	Chicago Cubs (2013–2014) Texas Rangers (2015)	NPB	Hanshin Tigers	[84]
Tanaka, KensukeKensuke Tanaka	LF	000000002013-07-09-0000July 9, 2013	000000002013-07-28-0000July 28, 2013	San Francisco Giants (2013)	NPB	Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters	[85][86]
Wada, TsuyoshiTsuyoshi Wada	P	000000002014-07-08-0000July 8, 2014	000000002015-09-04-0000September 4, 2015	Chicago Cubs (2014–2015)	NPB	Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks	[87][88]
Murata, ToruToru Murata	P	000000002015-06-28-0000June 28, 2015	000000002015-06-28-0000June 28, 2015	Cleveland Indians (2015)	NPB	Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters	[89]

Awards, records and notable accomplishments

Awards

• Most Valuable Player Award: Ichiro Suzuki, 2001 AL^[90]
• World Series MVP: Hideki Matsui, 2009^[91]
• ALCS MVP: Koji Uehara, 2013^[91]
• All-Star Game MVP: Ichiro Suzuki, 2007^[91]
• Rookie of the Year: Hideo Nomo, 1995 NL; Kazuhiro Sasaki, 2000 AL; Ichiro Suzuki, 2001 AL^[92]
• Gold Glove Award: Ichiro Suzuki, 10 times, 2001–2010 AL OF^[93]
• Silver Slugger Award: Ichiro Suzuki, 3 times, 2001, 2007, 2009^[94]
• Player of the Month: Ichiro Suzuki, August 2004 AL; Hideki Matsui, July 2007 AL^[95]
• Pitcher of the Month: Hideo Nomo, twice, June 1995 & September 1996 NL; Hideki Irabu, twice, May 1998 & July 1999 AL; Masahiro Tanaka, May 2014 AL^[96]
• Rookie of the Month: Ichiro Suzuki, 5 times, April, May, June, August, September 2001 AL; Kazuhisa Ishii, April 2002 NL; Hideki Matsui, June 2003 AL; Hideki Okajima, April 2007 AL; Yu Darvish, April 2012 AL^[97]
• Player of the Week: Ichiro Suzuki, 5 times, August 2–8, 2004 AL, May 29-June 4, 2006 AL, September 20–26, 2010 AL, September 17–23, 2012 AL, August 1-7, 2016 NL; Hideki Matsui, 4 times, June 23–29, 2003, May 24–30, 2004, June 14–20, 2005, July 18–24, 2011 AL; Hisashi Iwakuma, August 10–16, 2015 AL^[98]
• MLB Players Association Outstanding Player of the Year Award: Ichiro Suzuki, 2004 AL
• MLB Players Association Outstanding Rookie of the Year Award: Ichiro Suzuki, 2001 AL
• Sporting News Rookie of the Year Award: Ichiro Suzuki, 2001 AL
• Sporting News Rookie Pitcher of the Year Award: Hideo Nomo, 1995 NL, Kazuhiro Sasaki, 2000 AL
• MLB.com Defensive Player of the Year Award: Ichiro Suzuki, 2005
• MLB.com Setup Man of the Year Award: Hideki Okajima, 2007

Hitting

• Hits in a single season: Ichiro Suzuki, 2004 (262 Hits) MLB Record^[99]
• Consecutive seasons of 200 or more hits: Ichiro Suzuki, 2001–2010 (10 Seasons) MLB Record
• Most seasons with 200 or more hits: Ichiro Suzuki, 2001–2010 (10 Seasons) MLB Record (tie)
• Batting titles: Ichiro Suzuki, 2001 (.350 Avg) and 2004 (.372 Avg)^[100]
• Only Inside-the-park home run in All-Star game history: Ichiro Suzuki, 2007
• Only MLB player to hit a home run in his first plate appearance of his first three seasons: Kazuo Matsui, 2004, 2005, 2006 (Inside-the-park home run)
• First Japanese player to hit a home run: Hideo Nomo, April 28, 1998, Dodgers vs. Brewers, Dodger Stadium
• First Japanese player to hit a grand slam: Tsuyoshi Shinjo, May 17, 2002, Giants vs. Marlins, AT&T Park
• First Japanese player to hit a walk-off home run: Hideki Matsui, July 17, 2003, Yankees vs. Indians, Yankee Stadium
• First Japanese player to hit a home run in the postseason: Hideki Matsui, October 4, 2003, Twins vs. Yankees, Metrodome
• First Japanese player to hit a home run in the World Series: Hideki Matsui, October 19, 2003, Yankees vs. Marlins, Yankee Stadium

Baserunning

• Stolen bases champion: Ichiro Suzuki, 2001 AL (56 Stolen Bases)^[101]
• Most consecutive stolen bases: Ichiro Suzuki, April 29, 2006 – May 16, 2007 (45) AL Record^[102]

Pitching

• No-hitters
  • Hideo Nomo: September 17, 1996 at Coors Field in Denver. Pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers against the Colorado Rockies. Still the only no-hitter at Coors Field, which opened in 1995. Highest paid attendance (50,066) among all the no-hitters in currently used ballparks.
  • Hideo Nomo: April 4, 2001 at Oriole Park at Camden Yards in Baltimore. Pitching for the Boston Red Sox against the Baltimore Orioles. Still the only no-hitter at Oriole Park, which opened in 1992. Earliest no-hitter in a season among all the no-hitters in currently used ballparks. Nomo is one of only five players that have ever pitched at least one no-hitter game in both the National League and American League in Major League Baseball history.
  • Hisashi Iwakuma: August 12, 2015 at Safeco Field in Seattle. Pitching for the Seattle Mariners against the Baltimore Orioles.
• Strikeout champion: Hideo Nomo, 1995 NL (236 Strikeouts) & 2001 AL (220 Strikeouts); Yu Darvish, 2013 AL (277 Strikeouts, led both leagues)
• Fastest to reach 500 career strikeouts in history: Yu Darvish, April 6, 2014 (404 2/3 innings)
• Most consecutive quality starts from debut: Masahiro Tanaka (16) MLB Record (tie)
• Lowest single-season WHIP in history (at least 50 innings): Koji Uehara, 2013 (0.565)
• Most saves in the postseason: Koji Uehara, 2013 (7 saves) MLB Record (tie)^[103]
• Strikeouts in a single inning: Kazuhiro Sasaki, April 4, 2003 (4 strikeouts in the 9th Inning) MLB Record (tie)^[104]

All-Star Game selections

Bold indicates the player was selected to the starting roster

World Series appearances

Bold indicates that the team won the World Series that year

Notes

General

Inline citations

References

• Rains, Rob. Baseball Samurais: Ichiro Suzuki and the Asian Invasion. New York: St. Martin's Paperbacks, 2001. ISBN 0-312-98257-7.
• Whiting, Robert (April 2004). The Meaning of Ichiro: The New Wave from Japan and the Transformation of Our National Pastime. Warner Books. ISBN 0-446-53192-8.