Yoshiki Plays U.S. National Anthem on Piano for Baseball Star Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto of Dodgers Before Game

By Toshiaki Obitsu/Yomiuri Shimbun Correspondent

13:32 JST, April 17, 2024

LOS ANGELES – Yoshiki, the leader of the popular rock band X Japan, played the U.S. national anthem and one of his band’s songs on the piano on Tuesday before a night game at Dodgers Stadium to energize star player Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto of the Dodgers.

Yoshiki, who is based in Los Angeles, said that he has been encouraged by Ohtani’s success as a Japanese national living in the United States.

Ohtani and Yamamoto gave autographed uniforms to Yoshiki, and they posed for a photo together.