Japanese Baseball Star Aoki to Retire at End of 2024 Season
Tokyo, Sept. 13 (Jiji Press)--Japanese baseball star Norichika Aoki said Friday that he will retire at the end of this season.
Aoki, 42, now playing for the Tokyo Yakult Swallows, has amassed a total of 2,723 hits in Japan and the United States, and won the batting title three times in the Central League of Japan's Nippon Professional Baseball Organization, or NPB.
"I have decided to retire at the end of the 2024 season," Aoki, who is in his 21st season as a professional baseball player and is the oldest fielder in the NPB, said at a press conference in Tokyo on Friday.
This season, the Swallows outfielder has appeared in 61 games and racked up 20 hits, putting his batting average at .192. He was taken off the roster of the Central League team on Aug. 5.
The Swallows was his first professional team. Aoki began to play for the team in 2004 after joining it as a fourth-round draft pick the preceding year, after playing baseball at Hyuga high school in Miyazaki Prefecture, southwestern Japan, and Waseda University.
(2024/09/13-14:29)
To read a full story, please click here to find out how to subscribe.
NATION
- 09/19 14:24 Tohoku Shinkansen Services Briefly Halted after Train Car Decoupling
- 09/19 13:52 17 Pct of Kick Scooter Accidents Caused by Drunken Drivers
- 09/19 13:16 Japan Eyeing Arctic Comeback thru 1st Research Icebreaker
- 09/19 12:34 Japanese Boy Dies after Being Attacked in China
- 09/19 11:21 Data Fraud Also Found at Tokyo Metro
- 09/19 09:02 Japanese Sculptor Named Vatican's Ratzinger Award Winner
- 09/19 08:35 Japan to Start EPA Talks with UAE
- 09/18 21:58 Tokyo Observes Latest "Extremely Hot Day" on Record
- 09/18 21:39 Singer Ado to Perform Live at Osaka Expo Opening Event
- 09/18 20:48 Puberulic Acid Causes Beni Koji-Linked Health Damage
- 09/18 20:37 (Update) Foreign Visitors to Japan Hit Record High for Aug.
- 09/18 20:30 (Update 2) Japanese School Student Stabbed in China
- 09/18 20:05 (Update) Hokkaido Boat Operator Head Nabbed over 2022 Fatal Sinking
- 09/18 19:32 (Update) Ishii to Head Komeito in 1st Leadership Change in 15 Years
- 09/18 19:29 Chinese Aircraft Carrier Enters Japanese Contiguous Zone
- 09/18 18:25 Nippon Steel's Bid for U.S. Steel to Face CFIUS Decision after Nov. 5
- 09/18 17:50 Foreign Visitors to Japan Up 36 Pct in Aug.
- 09/18 17:22 300 M. Yen Sought for Dentsu over Tokyo Games Bid-Rigging
- 09/18 17:08 Japan, AUKUS to Cooperate on Maritime Autonomous Systems
- 09/18 17:08 Ishii to Head Komeito in 1st Leadership Change in 15 Yrs
- 09/18 16:14 Japan Extra Diet Session to Start on Oct. 1
- 09/18 14:20 (Update) Japanese School Student Attacked in China
- 09/18 14:14 Hokkaido Boat Operator Head Nabbed over 2022 Fatal Sinking
- 09/18 13:33 Japan Core Machinery Orders Down 0.1 Pct in July
- 09/18 12:46 JR Kyushu's Ferry Unit Punished for Water Leak Cover-Up
- 09/18 12:45 Japan Logs Trade Deficit of 695.3 B. Yen in Aug.
- 09/18 12:25 Japanese School Student Attacked in China
- 09/18 11:27 (Update) N. Korea Fires Several Ballistic Missiles
- 09/18 10:32 Japan to Hold Meeting Mon. on Proposed Fissile Materials Ban
- 09/18 09:33 New Data-Tampering Found at Hitachi Zosen
- 09/18 09:03 Japan Briefs Int'l Community on N-Plant Water Release
- 09/18 08:49 N. Korea Fires Ballistic Missiles
- 09/18 00:18 Unification Church Issue Haunts LDP amid Leadership Race
- 09/17 22:20 (Update) Fukushima Plant Fuel Debris Removal Work Hit by Glitch Again
- 09/17 22:19 Over 80 Pct in Japan Accept New Expressions Such as "Mofumofu": Survey
- 09/17 21:47 Japan Rice Price to Wholesalers Hits Record High for Aug.
- 09/17 21:33 LDP Leadership Candidates Focus on Economy in Okinawa
- 09/17 21:07 Kamikawa to Prioritize U.S. Visit over LDP Leadership Election
- 09/17 20:49 7 Quasi-Gang Members Arrested for Obstructing Apple Store in Tokyo
- 09/17 20:11 (Update) Mars Rock to Be Exhibited at 2025 Osaka Expo
- 09/17 19:58 INTERVIEW: Kamikawa Sees Arctic as Public Property for All
- 09/17 19:46 Japan PM's attendance at ASEAN Meetings Next Month Uncertain
- 09/17 19:09 Fukushima Plant Debris Removal Work Hit by Glitch Again
- 09/17 18:55 "Ice Navigator" Secures Safety of Japan's Research Vessel Mirai
- 09/17 17:53 Japan Average Land Price Rises for 3rd Consecutive Year
- 09/17 16:03 Japan's Arctic Research Vessel Mirai Reaches Sea Ice Area
- 09/17 13:58 Japan to Conduct Mock Cyberattack Tests on Local Govts
- 09/17 13:45 Women in Managerial Posts Top 10 Pct for 1st Time in Japan
- 09/17 13:38 HPV Proteins Detected in Potential Cervical Cancer Patients' Urine
- 09/17 11:16 Japan's Centenarians Hit Record for 54th Straight Year
- 09/17 10:44 Japan to Allow Use of Ride-Hailing Services in Disasters
- 09/17 10:12 Mt. Fuji Restrictions Reduce Dangerous Overnight Climbs
- 09/17 08:24 Mars Rock to Go on Display at 2025 Osaka Expo
- 09/17 01:02 (Update) Japan's Morinari Watanabe Enters IOC Presidential Race
- 09/16 23:29 Yamaha Motor Pres. Slashed with Knife by Daughter
- 09/16 21:10 Japan's Morinari Watanabe Enters IOC Presidential Race
- 09/16 20:24 LDP President Hopefuls Backward-Looking on Fiscal Consolidation
- 09/16 18:19 (Update 2) "Shogun" Wins Record-Breaking 18 Emmys
- 09/16 16:41 (Update) Japan H-2A Rocket Launch Postponed Again
- 09/16 14:56 (Update) Hiroyuki Sanada Wins Emmy for Lead Actor in "Shogun"
- 09/16 13:58 Hiroyuki Sanada Wins Emmy for Lead Actor in "Shogun"
- 09/16 10:53 Japan H-2A Rocket Launch Postponed Again
- 09/15 23:10 LDP's Hayashi Willing to Use Extralegal Means in Taiwan Emergency
- 09/15 22:11 Ishiba, Takaichi Struggle to Widen Support among LDP Lawmakers
- 09/15 18:29 Japan's Elderly Population Grows to Record 36.25 M.
- 09/15 17:36 1,300 Cyclists Participate in Tour de Tohoku 2024
- 09/15 15:52 CDP Leader Hopefuls Back Review of Japan-U.S. Status-of-Forces Pact
- 09/15 12:43 G-7 Foreign Ministers Condemn Iran's Missile Export to Russia
- 09/15 11:00 Microsatellite Built by Amateur Women Launched into Orbit
- 09/14 21:21 (Update) LDP Leader Candidates Discuss Possible Snap Election
- 09/14 18:54 Out-of-Pocket Costs for Off-Patent Drugs to Rise in Oct.
- 09/14 13:49 Biden Unlikely to Block Nippon Steel's Acquisition Soon: U.S. Paper
- 09/14 13:49 U.S. to Sell Aerial Refueling Aircraft to Japan for 4.1 B. Dollars
- 09/14 13:08 Japan, Russia Bureau-Chief-Level Officials Hold Talks
- 09/14 12:31 LDP's Takaichi Negative on BOJ Rate Hikes
- 09/13 22:10 Seven & i Categorized in Core Business Sector in Japan
- 09/13 20:55 Turkey Trip Eyed for Japan Crown Prince, Crown Princess
- 09/13 20:46 Japan Aims to Promote Rule of Law in Arctic
- 09/13 20:35 LDP Leader Candidates Negative on Probing Funds Scandal Again
- 09/13 20:12 (Update) Japan Govt, Plaintiffs Sign Deal on Forced Sterilization Suits
- 09/13 18:46 Quake-Hit Noto Shrine Crowdfunds with Sacred-Tree Soda
- 09/13 18:28 BOJ Unlikely to Change Rates at Meeting from Thurs.
- 09/13 17:38 Japan Govt, Plaintiffs Sign Deal on Forced Sterilization Suits
- 09/13 16:54 (Update) Japanese Baseball Star Aoki to Retire at End of 2024 Season
- 09/13 16:18 Reinvestigation Report Disclosed on Death of Bullied Asahikawa Girl
- 09/13 15:08 Japan Transport Min. Regrets JR Freight Data Fraud
- 09/13 15:07 (Update) Quad Summit to Be Held in Delaware on Sept. 21
- 09/13 14:29 Japanese Baseball Star Aoki to Retire at End of 2024 Season
- 09/13 13:47 Komeito's Ishii Stops Short of Declaring Leadership Bid
- 09/13 13:25 Japan May Increase Elderly with 30 Pct Medical Cost Burdens
- 09/13 12:45 Japanese Researchers Win Ig Nobel Prize for Intestinal Breathing
- 09/13 12:18 N. Korea Uses New Missile Launcher: State Media
- 09/13 11:00 Kishida Eager to Maintain Influence after Stepping Down
- 09/13 10:46 Quad Summit to Be Held in Delaware on Sept. 21
- 09/12 22:43 631 JR Freight Vehicles Suspended over Data Fraud
- 09/12 22:08 2 Russian Patrol Aircraft Fly along Japan Coast
- 09/12 20:44 Japanese Startup to Launch Lunar Lander as Early as Dec.
- 09/12 19:17 LDP President Hopefuls Vow to Regain Public Trust after Scandal
- 09/12 18:22 Niigata Starts Outside Shipments of Koshihikari Rice
- 09/12 18:21 3 Arrested for Alleged Laundering of Online Casino Money
- 09/12 18:18 (Update) LDP, Other Parties Demand Hyogo Governor's Resignation
- 09/12 18:13 Japan, Finland to Consider Defense Equipment Transfer
- 09/12 17:52 LDP Leader Hopeful Koizumi Reveals Reunion with Birth Mother
- 09/12 17:35 Use of My Number Card as Driver's License to Start March 24
- 09/12 17:34 LDP, Other Parties Demand Hyogo Governor's Resignation
- 09/12 15:52 Japan Producer Prices Up 2.5 Pct in Aug.
