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| Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani's translator Ippei Mizuhara fired due to involvement in illegal gambling |
The Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball have announced the termination of Ippei Mizuhara, who served as an interpreter for player Shohei Ohtani. While multiple American media outlets have reported Mr. Mizuhara's involvement in illegal gambling, the team did not disclose the reason for his dismissal, stating that they were in the process of gathering information and declined to provide further comments at the moment.
According to reports from US media, after the game on the night of the 20th, Mizuhara confessed to his Dodgers teammates about his gambling addiction, acknowledging that "it's all my fault." This incident sheds light on the issue of gambling addiction as well.
On the 20th, several American media outlets revealed that a lawyer representing Ohtani had disclosed Mizuhara's involvement in illegal gambling, with the Los Angeles Times reporting that Mizuhara is under federal investigation for alleged "extensive theft" of Ohtani's funds to place bets at illegal bookmakers.
ESPN reported that approximately $4.5 million, equivalent to about 680 million yen in Japanese currency, was transferred from Ohtani's account to this bookmaker. In response to NHK's inquiry, the Dodgers acknowledged the contents of the report and confirmed Mizuhara's termination but refrained from providing specific reasons, citing ongoing information gathering and stating, "We have no further comment at this time."
Mizuhara had been Ohtani's exclusive interpreter since their time with the Angels, and they both moved to the Dodgers during the last off-season. Mizuhara accompanied the Dodgers to the opening series in Seoul, South Korea, was present on the bench for the opening game on the night of the 20th, and translated during Ohtani's post-game interviews.
In addition to accumulating significant gambling debts, ESPN reported that Mizuhara had requested Ohtani to repay the debt last year. Mizuhara clarified in an interview that Ohtani was not involved in gambling and expressed unawareness of the illegal nature of his gambling activities.
Moreover, following the game on the night of the 20th, Mizuhara admitted to his Dodgers teammates about his gambling addiction and took responsibility, stating, "it's all my fault."
Regarding the situation, the law firm handling Shohei Ohtani's media relations informed NHK that in responding to media inquiries, it became evident that Ohtani was the victim of a significant theft. They emphasized leaving the matter to the authorities for further handling.
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| Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani's translator Ippei Mizuhara fired due to involvement in illegal gambling |
At the baseball stadium in Seoul, South Korea, where the Major League Baseball Opening Series is taking place, we had the opportunity to speak with fans gathered outside.
A visitor from Osaka, who came to Seoul for sightseeing, expressed disappointment, stating, "It's regrettable because I believed there was a strong bond of trust between him and Otani. We have another match today, so I hope this issue doesn't overshadow the game."
A family from Nagoya, traveling together, shared their thoughts, saying, "Otani is a professional, so we believe he has the mental strength to overcome this. While he may be shocked, we are confident that he will perform well regardless."
A spectator who attended the game on the 20th at the stadium revealed, "I was stunned when I heard the news this morning."
A Korean university student, who traveled from Busan to support Otani at the game on the night of the 21st, expressed disappointment but also optimism, stating, "It's unfortunate, but I believe Otani is resilient enough to not let this affect his performance. I will continue to cheer for him."
