Good news came in from the morning.  It is news that Shohei Ohtani of the American Major League has been elected as the Most Valuable Player of the Season (MVP) of the League with a full vote.  It is said that the Japanese player has won the award for the second time since Ichiro Suzuki of the Mariners in 2001, and the election with a full vote is the 19th person since Harper of the Nationals at that time in 2015.  His greatness is not only the excellence of his skill as a professional baseball player, but also his dignity as a human being.  The truth of his dignity can be seen in a little gesture that anyone can do, not in a spectacular gesture.  It is a pleasure to get the world’s attention to Japan and to the Japanese people through him,  and we would like to make a noteworthy response.

朝から嬉しいニュースが飛び込んできました。アメリカ大リーグの大谷翔平選手がア・リーグの今季最優秀選手（ＭＶＰ）に満票で選出されたと言うニュースです。日本選手の受賞は２００１年のマリナーズのイチロー以来２人目で、満票での選出は１５年の当時ナショナルズのハーパー以来１９人目だそうです。彼の素晴らしさは、プロ野球選手としての技量の卓越性だけでなく、人間としての品格の高さです。目を見張る様な仕草にではなく、誰にでもできるちょっとした仕草の中に彼の品格の本当が見抜けます。彼を通して日本にそして日本人に対する世界の目が向けられることは喜ばしいことだし、それに恥じない対応をしたいものです。