Sasaki a symbol of hope for people of Japan

TOKYO -- Around the time that Roki Sasaki made his long-awaited decision to sign with the Dodgers, the city of Los Angeles was reeling from a period of grief and devastation.

A string of wildfires ripped through the greater L.A. region in January, displacing tens of thousands and going down as one of the costliest natural disasters in U.S. history. Firefighters were getting closer to containing the blazes by the time Sasaki made his contract official, and he made sure to acknowledge the devastation when he was introduced as a Dodger.

"As I've also lived through a difficult time due to a natural disaster, I've always made sure to never lose sight of my goals and keep looking forward," Sasaki said through interpreter Will Ireton. "Los Angeles is facing challenging and difficult times right now, and as a member of the Dodgers, starting today, I am dedicated to give my best and strive forward together with the people of the city."

When Sasaki was 9 years old, his hometown of Rikuzentakata was one of the areas on the northeastern coast of Japan that were devastated by the Tohoku earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011. It registered as the most powerful earthquake on record in Japan, and many across the region lost everything.

Sasaki was among those who suffered greatly in the wake of the disaster, known as 3/11 in Japan. He lost his father and grandparents in the tsunami, and his family's home in Rikuzentakata was destroyed. One year later, his family moved to Ofunato, where Sasaki let his passion for baseball help him through life after his world turned upside down.

Now back in Japan for the Dodgers' season-opening Tokyo Series against the Cubs, Sasaki's homecoming takes on deeper meaning. He returns as a highly touted young arm who has made a name for himself on the global stage and has the potential to become one of the best pitchers at the highest level of the game.

But to the people of Rikuzentakata, Sasaki is more than just the next great player to go from Nippon Professional Baseball to the Major Leagues. He's a beacon of hope for a country whose identity is still shaped by the natural disaster it weathered 14 years ago.

Tomoyuki Murikami, now a Rikuzentakata city hall worker, once coached Sasaki on a youth baseball team and saw how he would work every day toward his goal of becoming a pitcher. Since then, Murikami has watched from afar as Sasaki, in the wake of 3/11, has steadily seen his star rise through the high school and NPB ranks -- and now, to MLB.

As someone who knew him long before he was deemed the Monster of the Reiwa Era, Murikami has a different distinction for Sasaki: "a hero of Rikuzentakata."

Masahiro Osada, the owner of Chinese restaurant Doragonchubo Shikairo -- which Sasaki frequents when he's in Rikuzentakata -- is a longtime friend of Sasaki's family. He, too, finds inspiration in the fact that Sasaki didn't let everything he lost in 3/11 hold him back from becoming one of the premier talents in the game.

"Even after the tsunami, he's been showing dreams [of going from loss to success] to the people of Rikuzentakata," Osada said. "That's why I want to support him."

Osada pointed to one of Sasaki¡¯s crowning achievements in NPB as a moment that made him especially proud. On April 10, 2022, Sasaki -- then 20 years old -- struck out a staggering 19 batters in a perfect game against the Orix Buffaloes.

Just under a year later, Sasaki garnered international attention after flashing triple-digit heat in his World Baseball Classic debut against the Czech Republic. It happened to be March 11, 2023 -- the 12-year anniversary of 3/11.

"It's hard to explain," Japan manager Hideki Kuriyama said that day, "but to me, it's as if he is throwing his soul, not the baseball."

With Sasaki set to make his big league debut on Wednesday against the Cubs -- the second game of the Tokyo Series -- the people of Rikuzentakata will again watch with great anticipation as Sasaki makes them proud. There's a public viewing scheduled at a local shopping center, and while Murikami won't be able to make it, he'll follow along as Sasaki takes yet another step forward in his baseball journey.

Just as Rikuzentakata continues to move forward, more than a decade after disaster.

"Roki's existence gives hope to us," Murikami said. "His dedication to baseball [as a successful professional player] gives Rikuzentakata courage and inspiration."

Michi Murayama of Sports Hochi assisted with translation from Japanese to English for this story.