Japan’s Lotte Marines Catcher Sato Hopes to Inspire Residents in Quake-, Tsunami-Hit Hometown

By Eugene Oharu / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

2:00 JST, March 9, 2026

CHIBA — Chiba Lotte Marines catcher Toshiya Sato is especially determined as he prepares for the upcoming season.

This year marks 15 years since the Great East Japan Earthquake, and Sato, who grew up in Iwaki, Fukushima Prefecture, hopes making some excellent plays will encourage people still recovering from the disaster.

“I want to play well and give hope from Chiba to people back in my hometown, who experienced those terrible times,” said Sato, 28.

Sato was a first-year junior high school student on the baseball field practicing with his teammates on March 11, 2011, at 2:46 p.m. When the earthquake struck, Sato was in the outfield, playing in an intrasquad game. The tremor was small at first. “But after about 20 seconds, there was a huge jolt unlike anything I’ve ever experienced,” he recalled. The shaking became so violent that it was impossible to stand up, and Sato feared that the ground might split open.

The shaking eventually subsided. As he hurried home, Sato saw walls that had collapsed and utility poles that had been snapped in half. Fortunately, Sato’s home survived largely undamaged, but tableware and other items had been strewn around on the floor, leaving few places to walk. Aftershocks frequently rattled the region, and earthquake alerts constantly rang out.

Worried that another big earthquake could strike, Sato had a sleepless night.

Tsunami decimated coastal area

Sato still vividly remembers how his hometown was devastated by the tsunami caused by the quake, changing it beyond recognition. When he headed to a district near the coast to visit his grandparents, who were safe, he saw that the cityscape had been decimated.

“A boat had been washed ashore and dumped on the road. The tsunami swept away entire parts of the city,” Sato recalled. “It was absolutely awful.”

Sato’s life as a disaster victim living in his own home began. There was no running water, so he had to fetch some from a water tanker for days on end. Despite these conditions, Sato made sure he regularly grabbed his bat and took some practice swings. But playing baseball with his friends was still impossible.

“I’ve always loved being active. Being unable to play was really tough and so frustrating,” Sato recalled.

His school baseball club resumed its activities a few months later. “For the first time in ages, I threw a ball and ran as fast as I could,” Sato said. Diving back into baseball made him feel happy. Sato later moved on to Seiko Gakuin High School, a baseball powerhouse in Date, Fukushima Prefecture, and twice reached the annual national high school championship held at Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, Hyogo Prefecture. Then he attended Toyo University before becoming the second draft pick by the Marines in 2019 and starting his career as a pro baseball player.

Disaster on his mind

Even as Sato has gone pro, people affected by the 2011 disaster are never far from his mind.

“When I turned pro, many people were still living in evacuation shelters. I wanted the way I play baseball to give hope to those people,” he said.

Sato trained hard with the resolve that making excellent plays which get mentioned in the newspaper or shown on television will reach people in the Tohoku region all the way from Chiba. March 11 is during the preseason. When a moment of silence is held before each game, Sato tells himself, “I’m going to play my best again this season.”

Although injuries hampered Sato last season, in 2024 he played in 116 games and chalked up 114 hits with a .278 batting average. He was also chosen for the Pacific League’s Best Nine in 2024 and selected for the Japan national team.

Keeping memories alive

As the 15th anniversary of the disaster approaches, Sato is concerned that memories of what happened are fading.

“Time passes quickly, but we must never forget that a disaster struck on March 11,” Sato said. A game in Fukushima Prefecture is scheduled this season. “I hope many people will come to Fukushima and the Tohoku region to see for themselves the scars left by the disaster,” he said.

Children now playing baseball for elementary and junior high school teams are too young to have firsthand experience with the earthquake and tsunami. “At the time, some people were unable to play baseball, and some even gave up their dream of becoming a baseball player. I hope children realize that being able to play baseball shouldn’t be taken for granted, and that they will cherish each and every day,” Sato said.

A new season is starting soon. Sato remains determined to once again give people living in Tohoku something to cheer about.

“As a pro baseball player, I will do what I can to give courage to the people affected by the disaster through playing the sport,” Sato said. “That’s my role.”