Noto Peninsula Earthquake

Former Baseball Star Hideki Matsui Sends Encouraging Message to Noto Earthquake Victims; Matsui 55 Baseball Foundation Donates $10,000 for Relief Efforts

Yomiuri Shimbun file photo
Hideki Matsui shows his bat swing after his speech last April in Minato Ward, Tokyo.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

12:56 JST, January 31, 2024

Former Major League slugger and Ishikawa Prefecture native Hideki Matsui, 49, released a message to victims of the Noto Peninsula Earthquake on Tuesday, saying, “I would like to create an opportunity to interact with them when I return [to the prefecture] and help them feel as positive as possible.”

Matsui starred with the Yomiuri Giants before joining the New York Yankees in 2003.

In his message, Matsui wrote of his feelings on the disaster, saying that his memory of the townscape has been transformed, and that “I am deeply saddened every time I see the extent of the damage in news reports.”

Matsui also noted that many people in the prefecture had cheered him on during his years as a baseball player, and that “now I must support the victims as they stand strong and move forward.” He added, “I pray that the day when the victims can return to their normal, peaceful lives will come as soon as possible.”

Matsui 55 Baseball Foundation, a non-profit organization of which Matsui is the president, announced Tuesday that it has donated $10,000 for Noto Peninsula Earthquake relief efforts. Matsui has also donated ¥10 million of his own money for the cause.