T H E J A P A N S O C I E T Y O F B O S T O N , I N C.

2009 U.S.-JAPAN YOUTH EXCHANGE

A Joint Project of the Japan Society of Boston & The Red Sox Foundation

FINAL REPORT (October, 2009)

CONTENTS

Introduction

Part I: Summary of the 2009 U.S.-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange

Part II: Preview of 2009 U.S.-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange (Pre-Departure Event, from JSB website – July, 2009)

Part III Journal of the 2009 U.S.-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange Trip to Japan

Part IV Press coverage of the 2009 U.S.-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange

Part V Financial Reports

Appendix 1: List of Collaborating Organizations & Funders

Appendix 2: 2009 U.S.-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange – Participants from Boston Names & photographs of the Boys of Boston

Appendix 3: List of Host Families in Chiba & Kyoto

Appendix 4: Draft Schedule in Japan

Appendix 5: Collected Press Clippings

Introduction

The U.S.-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange, a two-year collaborative project of the Japan Society of Boston and the Red Sox Foundation, was one of the most successful programs of the Japan Society in its 105-year history. Full details about this excellent project are included in the pages that follow, but it must be stated at the outset that The Japan Society of Boston is deeply grateful to all partners and participants in this project, which brought together young people from Japan and the United States in an ambitious, innovative, highly effective and widely publicized series of activities. The Society is equally grateful to all funders and supporters who made the project possible. The U.S.-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange, taking place in 2008 and 2009, set a high standard for Japanese-American grassroots people-to- people exchanges, its effects will be far-reaching and long-lasting, and it offers important lessons for any major undertaking designed to bring together the people of Japan and the United States in meaningful ways.

The 2009 US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange was the second part of a two-year collaborative project of the Japan Society of Boston and the Red Sox Foundation. During the summer of 2008, the first phase of the project brought twelve young Japanese baseball players (from high schools in Kyoto and Chiba) to Boston for homestays, baseball clinics and games, interactions with Boston-area teams and the , tourism and visits with leading officials of Massachusetts and Boston. During the summer of 2009, twelve Boston boys traveled to Japan for a two-week period of similar activities in Kyoto and Chiba. Initially conceived by the Japan Society of Boston as a major program of the 50th Anniversary celebration of the Kyoto-Boston Sister-City Relationship, the project was supported by major grants to the Society in 2008 and 2009 from the Freeman Foundation (via the National Association of Japan- America Societies) and the U.S.-Japan Foundation; additional funds for the project were raised by the Red Sox Foundation from Funai Electronics Corporation, Millennium, and other funders. In addition to the financial support from these foundations and corporations, the project would not have been possible without a broad range of in-kind contributions of a great many organizations and individuals in both countries, and their support will be acknowledged and described in the pages that follow. Finally, the success of a major bi-national grassroots undertaking of this sort depends as well on the enthusiastic and generous support of countless individuals in Japan and the United States. Though their contributions may have been small, spontaneous, and offered without any expectation of public credit, their efforts and their energies contributed to the success of the whole, and they are deeply appreciated by the participants and the organizers.

Recognizing the effectiveness of sport as a vehicle for international cultural interchange and the fact that baseball is now the “national sport” of both Japan and America, the Japan Society of Boston and the Red Sox Foundation maximized the opportunities for bi-national interaction and education by engaging the love of baseball and the intense involvement of children, families, and entire communities in the sport.

NOTE: A day-by-day journal of the travels in Japan (with photographs & video) by the 2009 US- Japan Youth Baseball Exchange group appears on the Japan Society of Boston website at: http://www.us-japan.org/boston/2009_Baseball_Exchange.html and in section III of this report.

I. Summary of the 2009 U.S. Japan Youth Baseball Exchange

Between July 30 and August 11, 2009, twelve Boston-area Jr. High School boys traveled in Japan as the principle participants in the 2009 US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange, a joint project in grassroots cultural exchange of the Japan Society of Boston and the Red Sox Foundation. The boys ranged in age from 12 to 15, and had been selected by the Red Sox Foundation from twelve different city schools for both their baseball skills and for their interest in exploring other cultures and their leadership potential. The group was ethnically mixed and of different cultural and economic backgrounds, reflecting the racial, cultural, and economic demographics of the city of Boston. (A list of the Boston boys is attached in an appendix to this report.)

Management and logistical organization of the project in Japan was carried out by the Red Sox Foundation, under the direction of Meg Vaillancourt (Executive Director of the Red Sox Foundation), assisted by Rico Mochizuki, who served as consultant for this project to the Red Sox Foundation and principle coordinator of all logistical arrangements in Japan. At the Japan Society of Boston, supervision of the project was the responsibility of Peter Grilli (President of the Society), and Bhaird Campbell (Executive Assistant to Peter Grilli) traveled with the group to Japan to provide on-site coordination, logistical and photographic assistance and help with interpreting for the group. The boys were accompanied to Japan by eight adults serving as chaperones, group leaders and guides, led by Meg Vaillancourt. The adult group also included Bhaird Campbell of the Japan Society staff; consultant Rico Mochizuki; Red Sox Foundation staff members Jonathan Batista, Justin Prettyman, and Anne Zeigler; coach Brad Reynolds; and videographer Matt Romito.

Pre-Departure Preparation & Orientations: Cultural & Baseball Training Classes (Spring, 2009) An important component of the 2009 Exchange program was a series of educational workshops and preparatory sessions in Boston prior to the trip to Japan. In retrospect, these sessions – which took place between March and July 2009 – were invaluable in preparing the young boys for their experience of Japan. Each boy attended a series of six full-day Saturday programs that provided baseball practice with staff members and coaches from the Red Sox Foundation, and also provided intensive cultural-awareness sessions and introductions to aspects of Japanese society, culture, and customs. The classes in Japanese culture provided important information and experience in the following aspects of Japan:

March 28th -- Living in a Japanese Home | Etiquette in a Japanese home At the Boston Children’s Museum Led by Rico Mochizuki and Akemi Chayama, Children‟s Museum

April 11th -- Modern Japanese Teen Culture – Communicating Without Words; | KOSHIEN: The High School Baseball Championship At , Boston Led by Rico Mochizuki and Hiroko Kikuchi, Teen Counselor,Museum of Fine Arts, Boston

May 16th -- Beyond SUSHI: Learning to eat with chopsticks, Japanese Food and Culture; Learning useful Japanese Phrases At Fenway Park, Boston Led by Rico Mochizuki

June 13th -- HIROSHIMA – August 6, 1945; The Postwar US-Japan Relationship At Fenway Park, Boston Led by Rico Mochizuki and Juan Castellanos, Facing History and Ourselves

July 18th -- Itinerary Review; Discussion of Gifts &Gift Giving; Last Minute Travel & Packing Tips for Participants & Parents/Guardians At Fenway Park, Boston Led by Rico Mochizuki and Meg Vaillancourt

Through these monthly pre-departure sessions on Saturdays, the Boston boys and their families were given a rich opportunity to learn about Japan and its culture and to prepare for the unfamiliar customs and inter-personal relationships that they would experience in Japan. Also, since the boys all attended different schools in Boston and (for the most part) did not know each other before they were selected for this exchange program, these sessions provided an invaluable opportunity for bonding and learning about themselves. Just as they were forming an effective team on the baseball field, they found themselves developing as a well-integrated team of “young diplomats” in preparation for their visit to Japan. As they learned to recognize and appreciate differences between Japanese culture and their own, they also learned to recognize and respect differences among themselves.

Pre-Departure Ceremony (July 5, 2009 at Fenway Park At an exciting pre-game ceremony on the field of Fenway Park on July 5, 2009, the US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange program was announced to thousands of Red Sox baseball fans, and the twelve young boys participating in the program were introduced. Joining them in this ceremony were Hideki Okajima, the celebrated Red Sox (who is from Kyoto), the President of the Red Sox Larry Lucchino, the Consul General of Japan in Boston Masaru Tsuji, and Japan Society President Peter Grilli. This event was covered on television and in the Boston news media.

For additional coverage of the July 5 Pre-Departure Ceremony, see: http://www.us-japan.org/boston/Youth_Baseball_Exchange.html

In separate remarks about the US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange program, Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner commented as follows:

“Japan is a deeply respected member of Red Sox Nation and since the arrival of , Hideki Okajima, and Takashi Saito, interest in Japan among our fans has grown exponentially… With this exchange program, we will be part of life- transforming experience for children in Boston and Japan as they explore each other’s cultures through their shared love of baseball.”

Pre-Arrival Orientation for Host Families in Chiba & Kyoto As essential element of the Youth Baseball Exchange was the direct, personal experience of Japanese life by the young American participants. Every day of their stay in Japan was spent with a Japanese family, eating Japanese food, sleeping in Japanese beds, developing relationships with the Japanese children who would be their temporary “brothers” and “sisters,” and in general living a Japanese lifestyle. For most of the boys, this would prove to be the deepest and most enduring part of their Japan experience.

During the week preceding the arrival in Japan of the Boston boys and other American participants in the Youth Baseball Exchange, associates of the Red Sox Foundation organized orientation sessions in Chiba and in Kyoto for the Japanese host families who would welcome the boys into their homes and serve as surrogate “parents” for the boys during their stay in Japan. In Chiba, Taichi Takahashi and Mina Hayashi for the Chiba Lotte Marines organized an orientation session for the Chiba host families at Marines Stadium. This gave the host families an opportunity to learn about the Boston boys who would be spending several days in their homes. Information about Boston and about American lifestyles was distributed, as well as detailed schedules, and logistical or emergency information and suggestions on how the Japanese families might make the American boys feel welcomed and comfortable. Similarly, the host families in Kyoto were invited to an orientation session organized by Ms. Etsuko Murata and Mr. Ikushi Kuno of the International Relations office at Kyoto City Hall. Collaborating with the homestay families, the International Relations Office of the Kyoto City Government developed an excellent itinerary and schedule designed to maximize the cultural and educational opportunities for the boys’ stay in Kyoto. This schedule provided many opportunities for the boys to visit major historical sites in Japan’s ancient capital city and participate in Kyoto’s rich traditional and contemporary culture.

Departure from Boston & Travel in Japan (July 30-August 11, 2009) International travel is invariably a time of combined excitement and tension. This was especially true for most of the boys in the group who had never before traveled abroad. Many had never experienced air travel before, and some of the boys had never before spent a single night away from home. As Boston families said good-bye to their boys at Logan Airport there were as many tears as shouts of eager excitement. Last-minute instructions were exchanged about international telephone calls in case of emergencies or how to send e-mail messages. Since all the boys were wearing bright t-shirts for easy identification, they were spotted by many Red Sox fans at the airport who repeatedly cheered them on and called out good wishes for a victorious trip to Japan. Even the pilots on their flights made special announcements to other passengers that special “young Ambassadors to Japan” were on board! Reinforcing the excitement about the trip were the videographers traveling with the group, who repeatedly interviewed the boys on their expectations and their reactions to experiences along the way.

Arriving in Tokyo on July 31, after losing a day in crossing the International Date Line, the group was greeted by local travel agents (from KN Travel), who escorted them to a bus that would transport them to the town of Makuhari and the APA Hotel – Tokyo Bay Makuhari. There they were greeted by their eagerly smiling homestay families, who carried gifts and banners of welcome. Following brief introductions, the boys each presented personalized Red Sox jerseys to their host families and were ushered off to cars that would take them to their new Japanese homes.

Michael Ward with his Japanese “brother” and host-family “mother.”

The first day after the boys’ arrival in Japan was reserved for relaxation, adjustment to new homes and a new culture, and the boys appreciated this opportunity to get to know their new Japanese families. Some took their American “sons” to local tourist sites, others stayed home to play and meet neighbors. Most of the Japanese families prepared fairly familiar American food for the boys’ first day in Japan: hamburgers, fried chicken, pasta and salads. The Boston boys had all been encouraged to keep journals of the trip, and their early entries reflect their excitement at their first experiences of life in Japan:

Jack Ditomassi: “Today was amazing! I woke up at 7am and went to my host brother‟s baseball practice from 8:30-12:30. The kids were amazing, they were very good at throwing and hitting…. I took a nice rest at home with my host family and played and watched Sponge Bob with my host brother”

Faybian Pearce: “Today was my first day with my Chiba family. They took me to Tokyo and to a Sushi place where I got to make 3rolls of sushi – it was fun and the rolls tasted so good!”

Brandon Ruiz: “Watched the Red Sox play the Orioles while we ate breakfast. After that, we went to the festival that was located at the neighborhood park and I was able to be a part of the opening ceremony, carrying an heavy object (mikoshi)…I also enjoyed the fireworks in a park and met many of my host brother‟s friends. They were really nice to me and took many pictures of me; I don‟t know why.”

Mike Ward: “After playing catch with my host brother Takumi, we went to his grandparents house to see tea ceremony – cake and candy was a little different but tea was alright…We went to McDonalds for lunch and met Brendon Kerrigan and his host family at Chiba castle – talking in English felt so good.”

The following ten days were filled with fascinating discoveries, deepening relationships with Japanese friends, baseball practice and games, meetings with important government officials, visits to unusual historical sites, and a tremendous variety of new experiences – from riding on Tokyo subways to grappling with sumo wrestlers, eating unfamiliar foods and bathing in sento public baths, riding on futuristic bullet trains to wrapping traditional packets of incense, talking to robots and riding on samurai horses. (A complete schedule/itinerary of the trip is included as Appendix 3 and an illustrated day-by-day journal of the trip by Japan Society staff member Bhaird Campbell is included as Appendix 4.)

The baseball games played with Japanese teams and the clinics experienced by the Boston boys with Japanese coaches and young players were unquestionably memorable occasions from which the boys learned a great deal. Their baseball skills were sharpened and improved by these games and workouts, and so were their instincts for communications without words and their sensitivities to cultural differences. Rather than generalize about such deep-seated benefits from the experience in Japan, it may be best for the Boston boys to speak for themselves:

Cruz Santana: “When we got there it looked like there was an army training on the baseball field. The Japanese kids who were participating in the drills looked so perfect. The coach said that my swing was good but I need to extend my arms so I can get more power into my swings. … I don‟t think that there is a sport in America where they have fans that chant for the team as much as they do in Chiba – it was truly amazing!”

Brandon Ruiz: “We were able to sit in the VIP section which was awesome! The food was great and so were the fans. The fans made the game great and kept us cheering into the 11th inning….The intensity was high and every pitch the fans were really into the game and the blazing fireworks after the game made the day better.”

Brendon Buccelli: “The game was very exciting. My host family came and I got to know them better. We went to the crazy section late in the game and joined the very loyal fans cheer for the Marines.”

Touring in Tokyo also made for unforgettable memories – especially when the boys were invited to meet and work out with sumo wrestlers from the Takasago stable:

Winston Guerrero Pena: “The sumo wrestlers were like walls… You can‟t push them for anything!”

Jessey Valdez: “At first the sumo guys looked overweight and I didn‟t want them to land on top of me, but when I tried it was a lot of fun.”

Faybian Pearce: “Today we had a bus tour of Tokyo and we heard some exciting stuff about Tokyo that I‟ve never heard before.”

Chris Deloucherey: “Tokyo Tower was very fun and high up and allowed us to view the different sites in Tokyo”

Mike Ward: “Tokyo Tower was great – it was a bigger version of the Eiffel Tower.”

A meeting with the Japanese Commissioner of Baseball was another high point of the Boston boys’ visit to Tokyo, Commissioner Ryozo Kato, the head of Nippon Professional Baseball, had formerly served as Japan’s Ambassador to the United States, and he greeted the boys warmly with happy memories of baseball games he had attended in the U.S. He said that when he had been the boys’ age, baseball was the sport that gave him the most hope growing up. He also shared his favorite joke by comedian George Carlin abut the differences between baseball and football.

A visit to the Tokyo office of Japan‟s Commissioner of Baseball, Ryozo Kato, formerJapanese Ambassador to the U.S., who embraced the boys warmly and shared many of his lifelong memories of baseball.

Both in Chiba and in Kyoto, each of the boys developed a close relationship with his host family and with the family’s neighborhood friends. These friendships are certain to last, and the homestay experience provided a vital window for each boy into the daily life of Japanese people.

Jessey Valdez: “Today is the day I leave my Chiba family. I am so sad because I felt at home and really liked it. We spent the last evening playing cards and I showed them some magic tricks and stayed up until late now wanting to sleep because in the morning I had to leave.”

Andrew Diaz: “Today we had to say good bye to our host family in Chiba. This was very sad – so sad that my host mother started to cry but also relieved that she was not happy to see me go.”

Winston Guerrera Pena: “We left the windows of the bus open so we can say good bye. My host mother was crying, she said „these six days are a treasure in my heart‟ I felt very grateful.” In Kyoto, the boys enjoyed many cultural experiences, visits to ancient shrines and temples, as well as visits to modern high-tech factories. Since Kyoto is Boston’s Sister City in Japan, their visit was eagerly anticipated by many citizens and they were treated like dignitaries wherever they went.

They were greeted especially warmly by Kyoto Mayor Daisaku Kadokawa, who told them how much he looked forward to seeing them again when he visited Boston for the celebration of the 50th Anniversary of the sister-city relationship. (In fact, less than a month later, Mayor Kadokawa did enjoy a happy reunion with the boys at “Japan Night at Fenway Park” on the evening of August 26.)

A cheerful exchange of gifts with Mayor Kadokawa of Kyoto.

One afternoon in Kyoto, the Boys from Boston played two short games, about one hour each, against two Kyoto teams. By now, they were fully imbued with Japanese baseball etiquette and began and ended each game with deep bows and handshakes with members of the opposing teams. Many members of their Kyoto host families turned out to cheer for the Boston team, as well as representatives of Funai Corporation, the principle corporate sponsor of the U.S.-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange. They played valiantly, but depite enthusiastic support from the stands they nonetheless lost both games. The Boston boys earned their first runs in the second game of the day, against the All Yamashiro Baseball Club. Brendon Kerrigan, one of the heroes of the game stole home on an overthrown ball in the second inning and in the third he an RBI double to bring home Cruz Santana. The game was covered by local Kyoto television, and despite their losses the boys had a wonderful time.

Before traveling to Japan, the Boston boys had studied about Hiroshima and the A-bomb attack that had destroyed the city on August 6, 1945, but nothing could fully prepare them for the experience of being there. They visited the rebuilt city of Hiroshima on August 9th, the 65th anniversary of the date when a second A-bomb destroyed the city of Nagasaki in 1945. As they were being led through the Hiroshima Peace Park by a volunteer guide, they all paused at 11:02 am and faced Nagasaki to observe a moment of silence in sympathy for the innocent civilians who had died in both cities.

The Boys from Boston at the Hiroshima A-Bomb Memorial Park

The Peace Park and the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum made a deep and lasting impression on the boys. Though they had been born more than fifty years after the end of World War II and had not yet learned much about the war in school, they were visibly moved by the exhibits in the Museum, and spoke solemnly about the experience for days afterward. Later, some of them reflected in their journals:

Brendon Buccelli: “Hiroshima is very touching place. It was very sad to see some of the facts... and it was very moving to visit the museum on the anniversary of the day the US bombed Nagasaki, the other city”

James Ditomassi: “… the one thing that stuck out the most in my mind was the wristwatch that has its hands right at 8:15 – the exact time the bomb was dropped... this has been the saddest part of this trip so far…”

Mike Ward: “The trip to Hiroshima was very emotional – I was blown away by how much destruction there was. I joined the group folding paper cranes with volunteers in hopes of peace on earth”

On their last full day in Japan, the boys from Boston had a chance to visit Koshien, the famous Osaka ballpark where the annual High School Championship Baseball Tournament was being played. This was the tournament where Red Sox stars Daisuke Matsuzaka, Hideki Okajima, Junichi Tazawa and Takashi Saito had all played as high school ball players. Before leaving for Japan, the boys had seen a fine documentary film about Koshien, called Kokoyakyu (Japanese High School Baseball), and they were full of awe when they were ushered into the ballpark at 8:30am on August 10 to watch Kochi High School play Hiroshima Joshuikan High School. Unfortunately, heavy rain from an approaching typhoon delayed the start of the game that morning, and it was eventually called off after the 5th inning. Nevertheless, the Boston boys were thrilled to watch even part of a highschool baseball game in that hallowed Japanese ball park. Japanese highschool baseball players throw themselves into the Koshien tournament heart and soul, and their hometown fans and school cheerleaders cheer with incredible passion. “I had no idea that Japanese people were so emotional!” said one boy. “Japanese High School baseball is crazy emotional,” exclaimed another.

Brendon Kerrigan: “I woke up and was excited to go to Koshien today. We saw the winning flag of Yokohama High School when Dice-K pitched a miraculously long game for Yokohama. It was exciting despite the rain – I saw the nerves in the 1st inning because the Kochi team‟s error – but all in all a great game. I‟m amazed by how devoted the Japanese are to baseball and everything else”

After the rained out game at Koshien, the Boys from Boston made a brief tour of Osaka Castle, and then spent the afternoon visiting the headquarters of the principle corporate sponsor of the US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange, Funai Electric Company. To the delight of Funai executives, each young boy introduced himself (some in Japanese) and spoke briefly about his impressions of Japan. Many of the boys spoke about the bullet trains, the subways, the cleanliness of the country, and the delicious Japanese food – and all spoke with admiration and enthusiasm about the great skill and discipline of the young Japanese baseball players they had met.

Finally, on that last evening in Japan, the Red Sox Foundation hosted a farewell party for the boys and their Japanese host families and friends. Many people from Kyoto City Hall also attended. The party was a bittersweet event as the boys happily traded stories about their experiences in Japan and sadly prepared to leave their homestay families. Clearly, they had bonded strongly with their Kyoto host families, just as they had done earlier with their families in Chiba.

Farewell Reception in Kyoto

Andrew Diaz: “I had a great day but as the day came to an end I became very sad that I had to say good bye again to my host family”.

Clearly, the exchange trip to Japan had been a positive experience in every conceivable way for the Boys from Boston. They learned much and they gave back much to the Japanese people they had met. Here are some reflections from their journals:

Brendon Buccelli: “I had a great time in Japan and learned a lot about the culture during the preparatory class but also in real-life and in real time living with host families. They were so nice to welcome us into their homes. Someday, I want to visit Japan again”

Andrew Diaz: “I hope that this program continues again and if it does, I want to share my experiences with the new team so that they can hear from who experienced the amazing trip – this trip changed my life and outlook – I now see things differently and am sure that I‟ve grown from the experience.

Jack Ditomassi: “I learned to try new things, living a whole new lifestyle and making new friends and although we didn‟t speak the same language, we communicated by actions. I hope to go back some day.”

James Ditomassi: “The best thing about this trip was that we stayed with host families! They were so nice – I don‟t think that there were any of us that didn‟t connect with them on the first day – they welcomed us into their homes and opened their hearts to us. I am really grateful!”

Winston Guerrero Pena: “This was truly a once in a lifetime experience for me. I hope to remember all of the experiences and emotions for as long as I live. “

Brendon Kerrigan: “I learned so much from the experience. Being away from home really makes you think about how you take for granted what you have” “This was really an eye opening experience for me – I learned more than Japanese culture – I learned responsibility and how to be a better leader. I learned to set an example for the people who look up to you. I have made lifelong friends over in Japan that I will stay I touch with and all of my team mates whom I hope to stay in touch with for a long time”

Faybian Pearce: “Not many kids my age can say that that they went to Japan on a Red Sox exchange! I am grateful to have had the experience and will never forget the people who were so kind and generous to me” Brandon Ruiz: “There are things over there that I would never forget about... my host family, the baseball games and having fun with my teammates who I hope to continue to keep in touch for a long time. I hope they decide to do this again and give other kids a chance to experience what I have.”

Cruz Santana: “I learned to appreciate everything you have – I learned to never be ungrateful... I realize more and more everyday how lucky I was to have an experience like this one – I am proud to say that I went to Japan and enjoyed every minute of it!”

Jessey Valdez: “This is my last day here I am sad but also glad that I can now say, I‟ve done this – overcame the language barrier through the game of baseball – Thank you for this opportunity!”

Mike Ward: “I don‟t know where to begin. This has been an incredible experience of a lifetime for me. I am grateful for Meg, Rico and the Red Sox Foundation staff and coach Brad who offered advice and was very supportive.”

The Boys of Boston with Kyoto host families –Farewell gathering at Kyoto Station, Aug. 11, 2009

The US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange experience was similarly positive for all the Japanese people who met the Boys from Boston in Japan. Most deeply impressed were the homestay families who had thrown open their homes to the boys and had developed lifelong friendships with them. The homestay families were also asked to share their thoughts about the experience, and here are some of their comments:

Mayumi Fuse – host mother of Brendon Kerrigan (Chiba) It was extremely helpful that the goals of the program were understood and we received the profiles before hand in planning Brendon‟s arrival. Also meeting other host family members prior to the arrival of the boys was very reassuring.

Kyoko Yuma – host mother of Chris Deloucherey (Chiba) I was very nervous to host an American boy, but with support and helpful guidance from Ms. Mochizuki and Ms. Hayashi of Chiba Lotte Marines our family enjoyed our time with Chris. With such positive experience through this program, I have now signed up to host another student from America early next year. Having foreign students allowed our kids to realize how studying English can broaden their world.

Tomoko Mori – host mother of Jessey Valdez (Kyoto) As soon as I read about this program through the community papers, I knew that I had to be involved. Youth exchange programs are so important and to me personally as I spent a year during high school in America with my host family. To this day, my host family and I continue to communicate and are involved with each others lives. I hope that my daughter Ayaka, who is only 3, will remember the great relationship she had with Jessey, her American brother, and realize how important to be an active participant in international exchange.

Sayuri Ikegami – host mother of Jack Ditomassi (Kyoto) I believe this was the best gift I was able to provide for my two kids. Our lives have revolved around my work schedule and meeting the basic needs of my kids. When I read about this program in the Kyoto community paper, I thought our involvement will add another dimension to our rather regimented lifestyle and allow my son and daughter an opportunity to experience something greater, now they can dream about one day traveling abroad and making new friends in a global community.

NOTE: A day-by-day journal, written by Bhaird Campbell of the Japan Society staff, provides detailed descriptions (with photographs and video) of the travels in Japan by the 2009 US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange group is reprinted in Section III of this report, and may also be found on the website at of the Japan Society of Boston at: http://www.us-japan.org/boston/2009_Baseball_Exchange.html

VIDEO:

Televised Coverage of the 2009 US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange may be found at the following links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpE7EthylAs

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=6154031&c_id=bos&topic_id

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbkK4FaxWLE

Televised coverage of the previous year’s 2008 US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange may be found at the following link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbkK4FaxWLE

PHOTOGRAPHS:

An album of photographs of the 2009 US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange trip in Japan, taken by Bhaird Campbell of the Japan Society staff, may be viewed at: http://www.us-japan.org/boston/My_Albums/Pages/Baseball_Exchange.html

II. Preview of 2009 U.S.-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange (Pre-Departure) (from JSB website – July, 2009)

Fenway Park, Boston; July 5, 2009 – Pre-Departure Recognition of Boston participants in the 2009 US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange (photo by Mika Iga, Consulate-General of Japan in Boston)

“Me in Japan? I never thought I’d go to Japan!” exclaimed 14-year old Brandon Ruiz from Jamaica Plain, and his remark was echoed by many in a group of Boston teenagers who will participate in the 2009 U.S.-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange, jointly sponsored by the Red Sox Foundation and the Japan Society of Boston. This summer, in the second year of this wonderful bi-national sports-exchange program, twelve young baseball players from Boston will spend two weeks in Tokyo, Chiba, Kyoto, and Osaka, living with Japanese families, playing games and enjoying baseball clinics, and experiencing life in a country they never expected to visit. The U.S.-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange is sponsored by the Freeman Foundation and the National Association of Japan-America Societies, and Boston’s participation in the program has received special additional funding from the U.S-Japan Foundation and Funai, the Japanese electronics corporation that has generously supported the Red Sox Foundation.

During the summer of 2008, twelve young Japanese ball players from Kyoto and Chiba came to Boston for an experience they will never forget. Living with families all over the city, they experienced the full flavor of American life: barbecues and picnics, baseball games and scrimmages nearly every day, clinics with top Red Sox coaches and players, visits to Fenway Park to meet Daisuke Matsuzaka, Hideki Okajima, and other baseball heroes, whale watches and Duck Tours, and special meetings with Mayor Tom Menino and Gov. Deval Patrick. This summer, Japan will reciprocate in hosting the boys from Boston. Their schedule, from July 30 to August 12, will be packed with sports and soba, bullet-train rides and sumo, museums and mayors, and everything in-between. It promises to be a life-changing experience … and the Boston boys are up for it! They will be hosted in Chiba by the Lotte Chiba Marines (the Japanese pro-baseball team that has a special relationship with the Boston Red Sox), and in Kyoto they will be guests-of-honor at a reception hosted by Mayor Daisaku Kadokawa just a few weeks before his own official visit to Boston. Highlights of the trip will be visits to Hiroshima’s A-Bomb Memorial Museum and to the famous All-Japan High School Baseball Tournament at in Osaka.

Boston Boys with Red Sox pitcher Hideki Okajima and Japanese Consul General Masaru Tsuji at Fenway Park, July 5, 2009 (Photo: Mika Iga)

Their friends in Japan are ready to greet the boys from Boston. "I'm delighted that it's now our turn to host twelve young ballplayers from Boston here in Japan, which has been my 'home country' for the past 5 years,” says the Marines’ Manager Bobby Valentine. “I'm sure that these children will enjoy their visit as much as I have enjoyed living here, and that the experiences and knowledge they gain here will continue to foster the beautiful friendship between our two countries."

Boston’s participation in the U.S.-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange program is a highlight of this year’s 50th Anniversary of the Boston-Kyoto Sister-City Relationship – and that is why the visit to Kyoto (hometown of pitcher Hideki Okajima) will be such a special part of the Boston boys’ stay in Japan. The entire baseball exchange between Boston and Japan has been spearheaded by Meg Vaillancourt, Sr, VP of the Boston Red Sox and Executive Director of the Red Sox Foundation, and Rico Mochizuki, former Executive Director of the Japan Society of Boston. Their vision for strengthening U.S.-Japan relations through sports is enthusiastically supported by the Red Sox and the Japan Society of Boston – as well as the Boston boys themselves. Each recognizes his role as a “young ambassador,” and each is eager to meet Japanese boys on the playing fields and in their homes. The strong friendships and sportsmanship that are bound to result from this remarkable program will be thanks to the Freeman Foundation, the U.S.- Japan Foundation, and Funai Corporation which have joined in funding it.

The Boston boys come from all over the city: Roslindale, Mattapan, Beacon Hill and downtown Boston, Jamaica Plain, Brighton, Hyde Park and Dorchester. Their excitement is palpable. For many, this will be their first trip outside of America, and some will be experiencing airplane travel for the first time. Caught up in the anticipation of this fun-filled international adventure, what are they thinking about? “Can’t wait to see those Japanese highschool teams play at Koshien!” said one. “They’re amazing baseball players,” said another. “We don’t have to win all our games in Japan – we just hope to win one or two!” They’ve given each other informal nicknames: Brian Kerrigan, the Hyde Park slugger on the team has been called “young Papi,” and pitcher Cruz Santana was called “our Papelbon” by one of his teammates. The boys have already been featured in stories in their local town papers and covered by NESN in an exciting pre-game session on July 5 at Fenway Park, where they were invited down to the field to meet Okajima and Wally. They’re raring to get going in Japan, but not without a few predictable concerns: “I’m not too good with chopsticks. Hope I don’t starve over there!” Japanese hospitality being what it is, that’s not likely!

III. Journal of the U.S.-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange Trip to Japan

(The following day-by-day illustrated account of the travels in Japan by the 2009 Youth Baseball Exchange group, from August 1 to August 11, 2009, was written by Bhaird Campbell of the Japan Society of Boston staff. It can also be found on the website of the Japan Society of Boston at: http://www.us-japan.org/boston/2009_Baseball_Exchange.html

In addition, a short video document of the trip can be found at: http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=6154031&c_id=bos&topic_id )

The Japan Society of Boston

The Japan Society of Boston  420 Pond St, Boston, MA 02130 | 617-451-0726

© 1999-2009 Japan Society of Boston, Inc

2009 U.S.-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange

Background of the US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange

A Video of this year’s trip can be viewed here. The US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange is a program of the Red Sox Foundation and the Japan Society of Boston, funded by Funai Electric, Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc., The US-Japan Foundation, The Freeman Foundation, with additional support from The National Association of Japan-America Societies, the City of Kyoto and the City of Boston, the Chiba Lotte Marines, and Extra Innings of Watertown, MA.

Culmination of the 2009 US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange: “Japan Night at Fenway Park” – the Boys of Boston enjoy a reunion with Mayor Kadokawa of Kyoto, August 26, 2009 (Photo: Dom Miguel Photography)

The Boys from Boston arrived in Japan on July 31st. After the long trans-Pacific flight and a bus ride from Tokyo’s Narita Airport, they were met by their Japanese host families and quickly taken off to what would be their homes for the next 5 days.

The following day was spent with the host families adjusting to their new surroundings. August 1 in Japan is a day of many summer festivals, and the boys all came back with stories of attending local festivities, eating festival food and watching fireworks.

The Red Sox staff, led by Meg Vaillancourt, and including Rico Mochizuki, Ann Zeigler, Justin Prettyman, Jonathan Batista, and coach Brad Reynolds, enjoyed a day at their hotel in Chiba to adjust to the 13-hour time difference, the hot humid weather and their new surroundings. Bhaird Campbell, of the Japan Society of Boston, accompanied them throughout the trip.

August 2nd – Chiba The morning of August 2 began serious business for the "Boys from Boston." They were put through baseball practice drills Japanese style, practicing alongside Japanese boys from four local junior high schools. This professional coaching was thanks to the generosity of the Chiba Lotte Marines, who dispatched their coaching staff to teach the boys how the pros practice.

After running through catching, pitching and fielding drills, the "Boys from Boston" and the Japanese players mixed up and practiced together. It was great to watch the interaction between the two groups, and amazing to see how easily they could communicate through the common language of baseball. Very little translation was needed for them to understand exactly what was going on. After fielding practice came batting practice. A few of the boys from Boston received some hands-on coaching tips from the Chiba Lotte Marines' head batting coach, and the results were instantly visible. An experience that will not soon be forgotten. After a few hours of practice the boys hit the showers and then headed to Chiba Lotte Marines Stadium to see their first Japanese pro-baseball game. Pre-game, they were invited to watch warm-up on the field and received a warm welcome from Bobby Valentine, head coach of the Marines, and a couple of the team’s professional American players.

Valentine is a huge star in Chiba, as evidenced by the 112,000 signatures that were gathered from fans to petition against letting him go when rumors surfaced that a change was coming at the beginning of this season. His smile is infectious and has been imprinted on t-shirts as well as giant flags that many of the fans waved continuously throughout the game. His smile was also reflected on the boys’ eager faces as they spoke to this American who has become a Japanese baseball icon. Bobby Valentine’s stardom just stretched a little further, all the way from Chiba into the neighborhoods of Boston.

Once again the Chiba Lotte Marines were fabulous hosts, reserving the entire Grand Deck seating area to the Red Sox Youth Baseball Exchange Group and the host families. All were treated to dinner and souvenirs.

The group made the evening news when, between the 1st and 2nd innings TV cameras were aimed at the Boston boys and the electronic board encircling the stadium displayed “Welcome to Japan! Red Sox US- Japan Youth Baseball Exchange.” Host families and the Boys from Boston cheered on the Marines together as they enjoyed the game.

The Marines won the game, but the real highlight of the evening was a short visit to the cheering section, an area similar to the bleachers at Fenway in location, but a bit larger. The roar there was deafening, and the boys were welcomed by Japanese fans with handshakes, high-fives, and big grins. Once again, it was amazing to see how baseball bridges Japan and America. They were quickly offered seats in the stands and took up cheering for the Marines alongside diehard Marines fans. Boston is known for its dedicated fan base, but all were impressed by the energy exerted by the Marines’ fans. Not one of the boys knew what the cheers were saying, but that didn’t keep them from shouting and clapping and doing their best impersonation of a Marines fan.

All that in just their first full day of ! They slept well that night, back at the homes of their Japanese host families.

August 3rd -- Tokyo

The group gathered at 8 am, some with host parents and their children, for a day-long bus tour of Tokyo, The first stop, Tokyo Tower, provided an excellent view of Tokyo and gave the boys a great perspective of just how large the city is. Buildings as far as the eye can see.

From Tokyo Tower they went to visit the Commissioner of Japanese Professional Baseball, the Japanese equivalent to Bud Selig. Commissioner Ryozo Kato welcomed them as foreign major leaguers and spoke to them at length, responding to their many questions about baseball in Japan. Commissioner Kato, a consummate diplomat who was formerly Japan’s Ambassador to the U.S., deftly avoided naming his favorite team, and explained that first and foremost he loves the game of baseball, the game he grew up with. Many Americans are unaware that the history of baseball in Japan is only a few years younger than it is in the U.S., and that baseball is as American as apple pie and as Japanese as sushi.

The boys received a number of presents from Commissioner Kato, the most popular being chopsticks made from bats broken during professional play in Japan. In return, the Boston Red Sox and the “Boys from Boston” presented Commissioner Kato with an official Red Sox jersey with his name on it. He left the meeting still wearing it under his suit jacket, with a big grin on his face: the grin of a man who has loved the game of baseball since childhood.

From the Commissioner's office, located in the Imperial Hotel building, the boys ventured on to Ryogoku, an area of Tokyo that is famous for Sumo. There they enjoyed a lunch of Chanko Nabe, a dish traditionally eaten by Sumo wrestlers. Their willingness to try new and sometimes “strange” foods was impressive. All twelve boys made a point of trying at least a bite of everything, and most were very surprised to find that they liked many things not usually found on their dinner tables back home.

After eating a meal fit for a sumo wrestler, they toured the Tokyo Sumo Stadium, guided by the head of one of the sumo stables, and then they were given the very unusual honor of being able to practice with actual sumo wrestlers

Each of the boys got a chance to enter the sumo ring with a professional sumo wrestler and do his best to defeat a huge man 2 to 3 times their own weight. Even the adults, coach Brad Reynolds, Justin Prettyman, and Jonathan Batista, gave it a shot, but none was a match for the giant Japanese wrestlers.

All were amazed by how athletic the Sumo wrestlers were, totally shattered was the stereotype that they are just fat guys pushing each other around a ring made of dirt.

From Ryogoku the group went on to Asakusa, an area famous for its large temple and its many shop-lined streets, for a bit more sightseeing and souvenir shopping. Then they returned back to Chiba and were picked up by their host families, most of whom were by then being referred to as “my family” and “my parents.”

August 4th – Chiba In the morning the boys visited Tokyo Disney Sea, an amusement park with an ocean theme. They enjoyed the rides and lunch at the park and then went directly to the campus of Chiba Institute of Technology, were they played their first game against a Japanese team. The student ballpark was amazing, complete with dugouts, a scoreboard in the outfield, as well as a full staff of bat boys and field groomers who resurfaced the field between various innings. It took a while for the group from Boston to get used to not having to down foul balls.

The boys played an excellent game. Chris Deloucherey pitched the entire time, eventually giving up 5 runs in the final few innings. Given that the “Boys from Boston’ range in age from 12 to 15 and the Japanese team were all 15, and that the opposing team went through 4 , it was a great game. Both teams walked off the field with a deeper respect for the other. Members of all the host families filled the stands cheering their boys on with signs with the kids’ names on them. The Boston team also had a special cheering section made up of members of the Boston Association of Japan, an enthusiastic group of Japanese former residents of Boston and Cambridge, led by Mr. Sam Tanahashi, a retired NEC executive who had spent several years at MIT.

After showering, the boys headed to a restaurant for a farewell party for the Tokyo/Chiba half of the trip. It was amazing to watch the boys interact with their host families, talking laughing and eating together like they were old friends, a friendship that was actually only 5 days old but one certain to make a lifetime impression. Then off for one last night at their “homes” to pack and get ready for a ride on the bullet train to Kyoto where they will meet a new host family, play more baseball, and have 6 more days of adventure in Japan. . .

August 5th – Shinkansen (Bullet Train) to Kyoto

Early on the morning of Aug. 5, after bows and waves to their Chiba host families, the boys headed to Tokyo Station excited about boarding the super-modern Shinkansen (“Bullet Train”), which sped them in less than three hours to Boston’s sister city Kyoto. With more than 1200 years of history, Kyoto was Japan’s capital during pre-modern times, and is a city full of ancient temples, shrines, palaces and beautiful gardens. At Kyoto Station, the Boys from Boston were met by their new host families, and by representatives from city hall, who treated them like official dignitaries That evening and the following day were spent getting to know their new Kyoto families, and exploring their surroundings. The staff from the Red Sox and Japan Society checked into their hotel for the night.

August 6th – Kyoto

The morning of Aug. 6 was free time, allowing the boys time to explore Kyoto with their new Japanese families. In the afternoon, Kyoto’s charismatic Mayor Daisaku Kadokawa hosted a large welcome reception for the group. Over 200 hundred people attended, including members of the baseball teams that the boys from Boston would practice with and play against in the following days. Also in the welcoming crowd were some of the Japanese boys and Kyoto-based coaches who had visited Boston during the summer of 2008 for the first year of this Boston-Japan youth baseball exchange.

Meg Vaillancourt thanked Japan for sending so many great pitchers to Boston, and especially Kyoto for giving us Okajima. Mayor Kadokawa looked great wearing a Boston jersey over his traditional kimono, which he wears to his office every day. The jersey was a gift presented by the Red Sox, along with signed by each of the team’s Japanese players.

August 7th – Kyoto

In the morning, the boys were up and out early for a scrimmage with the Kyoto Dragons. The teams were mixed together so all got the experience of playing with and against players from a different culture. The baseball field was beautiful and as always meticulously maintained. Instead of the green monster as back drop to the outfield stood Momoyama castle. One couldn’t ask for a more perfect picture to show the exchange between America and Japan.

Finishing up their scrimmage on the baseball field, the boys boarded a bus and headed to a public onsen hot spring bath to clean up and have lunch.

After lunch the bus took the group to the Murata Manufacturing Company, where the boys met two robots, Murata boy (who rides a bicycle) and his little sister, Murata girl (who is still working on learning how to ride a unicycle

After Murata Manufacturing, the entire group went on to the Shoyeido incense company, where they were greeted in excellent English by Mr. Masataka Hata, the hereditary owner of the company. Shoyeido is a privately held company that has been producing the world’s finest incense since 1705. Mr. Hata traces his family’s ancestry back through nearly 1000 years of Kyoto history, and he is a frequent visitor to Boston and a longtime friend of the Japan Society of Boston. After touring the facilities, the boys were invited to make their own incense fragrance, and each boy took home a small pouch of his own unique blend of incense.

On the way back to City Hall to meet their host families, a quick stop at Kyoto tower provided a view of how large Kyoto is. Viewed at street level this city, known for its history, tradition and many temples, seems to be rather small, but from the 330 ft high observation deck, one can see that its population of more than 1 million residents is spread out over a very large area.

August 8th – Kyoto

The Boys from Boston played against two Japanese teams for one hour each. They played valiantly but lost both games, each of which went about three innings. The boys earned their first runs in the second game of the day. Brendon Kerrigan stole home on an overthrown ball in the second inning. In the 3rd inning Brendon Kerrigan hit a RBI double to bring home Cruz Santana. Members of Funai Corporation and Kyoto host families were there to cheer on the boys, and though they didn’t win, all had a great time.

After the games, the boys visited Eiga Mura, a Edo period theme park where many samurai movies are produced. Then came a tour of Kyoto’s famous Kiyomizu Temple and some shopping at the many stores that line the streets leading to the temple complex. A couple of the boys took a liking to green tea ice cream and were delighted to learn that you can find it back in Boston.

August 9th – Hiroshima

Early on the morning of August 9th, 65 years and 2 days after the A-bomb destruction of Hiroshima and on the exact anniversary day of the Nagasaki bombing, the boys boarded a bullet train bound for Hiroshima.

They had guides for a walking tour of the Hiroshima Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Memorial Dome. The atomic bomb that was dropped on Hiroshima detonated not on impact with the ground like a standard bomb, but by a fuse system that was designed to detonate the bomb at the most destructive altitude. Ironically, the antennae employed in this fuse system was designed in Japan in 1924 for use with radar and amateur radio. The boys stood at the hypocenter at Hiroshima, directly below where the bomb exploded, and faced towards Nagasaki at 11:02 to observe a minute of silence to mark the exact time and day of the bombing there. Although they had all been born about fifty years after these devastating wartime events, some of the boys knew a little bit about the history of World War II, and they and the guides spoke about the atomic bombings to the boys who were hearing about them for the very first time. The response of all the boys was somber and thoughtful, and it was clear that they felt a strong sympathy both for the hundreds of thousands of Japanese people who had died because of the bombs and for the American soldiers who had fought in World War II. At the end of the walking tour, they learned how to fold paper cranes – traditional Japanese symbols of peace -- before heading into the memorial museum.

The Atomic Bomb Memorial Museum has a quieting effect on people as they pass through it, looking at artifacts that stood witness to the bombing of Hiroshima. Most of the boys had not yet studied the history of World War II, and they were very curious about the events leading up to the bombing of Hiroshima. Staff and kids alike were all visibly moved by the memorial. A number of our Japanese friends said that they were impressed that time was taken in the boys’ tight schedule to make the trip to Hiroshima.

Afterwards the boys enjoyed a lunch of Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki, a dish that is most often described as a Japanese-style pancake, though not the sort of pancake that would go well with maple syrup. It is somewhere between a pancake and a pizza. The batter is similar to pancake batter, but the flavor is savory not sweet. Okonomiyaki roughly translates to “cooked to your liking,” which refers to the wide range of ingredients that you can put into it. The boys ate Hiroshima-style Okonomiyaki cooked with bacon, shrimp, calamari, noodles, cabbage and scallions. Most plates were empty at the end of the meal.

After lunch they boarded the bullet train again for the return ride to their host homes in Kyoto.

August 10th – Osaka

Fortunately, none of the games that the boys played over their two weeks in Japan was rained out. That is surprising given the unusually long rainy season in Japan this year and the early typhoon season. Koshien, the Japanese National High School Baseball championship tournament, wasn’t so lucky.

The game the Boys from Boston attended at Osaka’s famous Koshien stadium – a game pitting the Kochi High School champions from Shikoku against Hiroshima’s Josuikan High School -- was delayed due to rain after the 5th inning, and then cancelled. It still provided enough time to see how seriously baseball is taken in Japan, even at the high school level. The young boys on the two teams played extremely well, and they were passionately (and loudly) cheered on by fans and cheerleaders from their hometowns. This national Japanese high school baseball tournament is one of the biggest events in Japan every summer, and it has the entire nation riveted to their TV sets cheering for their favorite local teams. The summer high school baseball tournament has been played annually at Koshien since 1915. This year Koshien made a different kind of history: due to an approaching typhoon, this was the first tournament in 94 years to have five rained-out dates.

After the Koshien game, the Boys from Boston made a brief stop for lunch at Osaka castle, and then visited the Funai Corporate headquarters to express thanks to the electronics manufacturer for sponsoring a large part of the trip. Each boy was asked to introduce himself and to give his impressions of Japan and what he found most different and most interesting. The trains, the cleanliness, the food, but also the seriousness with which the Japanese go about playing baseball and other things were among the things that most impressed a number of the American boys.

Jack DiTomassi, the youngest member of the team at age 12, stood up and introduced himself in Japanese to the delight of the Funai executives present. A more perfect demonstration that the trip was a huge success could not have been scripted.

That evening, there was a large farewell party at the Kyoto Royal Hotel. It was amazing to see how quickly the boys had bonded with their Kyoto host families. Although no one really wanted to say goodbye, some of the boys expressed their readiness to go home. August 11th – Homeward Bound!

On the final day of this exciting trip, Japan gave the boys two experiences not typical back in Boston: a typhoon and an earthquake! Early that morning, a powerful earthquake dramatically woke the boys in their beds. Because of strict safety precautions on the super- speed Bullet Train line, every inch of the rail line must be carefully checked after any earthquake – something that generally delays all trains for the day. As the group gathered at Kyoto train station, waiting to find out how long the earthquake would delay their bullet train to Tokyo, Faybian Pearce, who just the night before said he was more than ready to go home, changed his mind and now thought the trip was “way too short.” Secretly, he must have hoped that the typhoon and earthquake might extend the trip by a few days!

All photographs in this Website report are by Bhaird Campbell (Japan Society of Boston)

-More Pictures- http://www.us-japan.org/boston/My_Albums/Pages/Baseball_Exchange.html

IV. Press Coverage of the 2009 U.S.-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange

As might be expected, the Japan trip of the Boston boys participating in the 2009 U.S. Japan Youth Baseball Exchange attracted considerable press attention both in Japan and in Boston. A selection of press coverage is included with this report.

Print media coverage included:

 Articles in Boston.com – the online edition of  Cover story in The Back Bay Sun (Aug. 18, 2009)  3-page story in the 2009 Red Sox Magazine  News story in the Asahi Shimbun (Aug. 9, 2009)  News stories in Kyoto Shimbun (Kyoto Newspaper) and Kyoto Shimin Shimbun (Kyoto Citizens Newspaper)  News story in The Boston Bulletin (Sept. 10, 2009)  News story in the South End Newspaper, Boston

Video & TV coverage:

Televised Coverage of the 2009 US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange may be found at the following links:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RpE7EthylAs

http://boston.redsox.mlb.com/media/video.jsp?content_id=6154031&c_id=bos&topic_id

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbkK4FaxWLE

Online coverage:

A day-by-day journal, written by Bhaird Campbell of the Japan Society staff, provides detailed descriptions (with photographs and video) of the travels in Japan by the 2009 US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange group is reprinted in Section IV of this report, and may also be found on the website at of the Japan Society of Boston at:

http://www.us-japan.org/boston/2009_Baseball_Exchange.html

Photographs:

An album of photographs of the 2009 US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange trip in Japan, taken by Bhaird Campbell of the Japan Society staff, may be viewed at: http://www.us-japan.org/boston/My_Albums/Pages/Baseball_Exchange.html V. Financial Reports

NOTE: The 2009 U.S.-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange was a joint project of the Japan Society of Boston and the Red Sox Foundation. In support of this project, the Japan Society of Boston raised a total of $54,000 from the following foundations:

 $30,000 grant from the U.S.-Japan Foundation  $24,000 grant from the Freeman Foundation (via the National Association of Japan-America Societies

The Red Sox Foundation raised a total of $100,000 from Funai Electric Co., Ltd., Millennium Pharmaceuticals Co., and other corporate or in-kind contributions.

The Red Sox Foundation assumed supervision of the financial and logistical management of the project, and has reported that the total cost of the project was $157,911.67. Of this amount, the Japan Society of Boston contributed $52,267.00 or approximately one-third of the total cost of the project.

In the following pages, the Japan Society of Boston account and the Red Sox Foundation accounts are reported separately.

FINANCIAL REPORTS – The Japan Society of Boston

REVENUE:

Grant from U.S.-Japan Foundation $30,000.00

Grant from Freeman Foundation (via NAJAS) $24,000.00

Funds remaining from 2008 Baseball Exchange Overhead $ 9,500.00

Total Revenue for 2009 Baseball Exchange Project $63,500.00

EXPENSES:

Contribution to Red Sox Foundation $52,267.00

Expenses for JSB staff member (Bhaird Campbell) to accompany baseball team to Japan (10 days): $ 4,637.33

Intl. transportation $1,473.60 Domestic Japan transportation $1,091.21 Meals $ 386.77 Lodging $1,382.85 Admissions $ 29.83 Gifts $ 85.04 Telephone $ 52.88 Miscellaneous $ 135.15 $4,637.33

______

Total Direct Expenses $56,904.33

Overhead (12%) $ 6,828.53

TOTAL JAPAN SOCIETY EXPENSE $63,732.86

FINANCIAL REPORTS – The Red Sox Foundation

Appendix 1: List of Collaborating Organizations & Funders

Co-Sponsors: The Red Sox Foundation (4 Yawkey Way, Boston, MA 02115)

The Japan Society of Boston (420 Pond St., Boston, MA 02130

Funders (listed alphabetically): The Freeman Foundation (through NAJAS) Funai Electric Company Ltd. Millennium Pharmaceuticals Inc. The United States-Japan Foundation

Collaborating Organizations: City of Boston (Mayor: Thomas Menino) City of Kyoto (Mayor: Daisaku Kadokawa) Chiba Lotte Marines Consulate General of Japan in Boston (Consul General Masaru Tsuji) Nippon Professional Baseball (Commissioner: Ryozo Kato)

Contributing Organizations: All Chiba Championship Team, Chiba All Yamashiro Team, Kyoto Boston Childrens Museum Boston Red Sox Brush Hills Continental Airlines Extra Innings, Watertown (Dan Pill, owner) Facing History and Ourselves Kokugikan Sumo Stadium KN Travel Kyoto Dragons National Association of Japan-America Societies NESN: New England Sports Network Northeastern University Red Bears Boys, Kyoto Takasago Sumo Stadium (Oyama Susumu, Master)

Assisting Individuals: Mina Hayashi (Chiba Lotte Marines) Masaki Imanishi (Continental Airlines, NY) Ikushi Kuno (Kyoto City Government) Etsuko Murata (Kyoto City Government) Makiko Murotani (NAJAS, Washington, DC) Hideki Okajima (Boston Red Sox, Boston, MA) Dan Pill (Extra Innings, Watertown, MA) Sam Shepherd (NAJAS, Washington, DC) Taichi Takahashi (Chiba Lotte Marines)

Appendix 2: 2009 U.S.-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange – Participants from Boston

Brendon B uccelli Chris Deloucherey Andrew Diaz Jack DiTomassi Brighton; Age 14 Roslindale; Age 14 Jamaica Plain; Age 13 Beacon Hill; Age 12 Catholic Memorial HS Dedham HS John D. O’Brien School The Advent School

James DiTomassi Winston Guerrero-Pena Brendon Kerrigan Faybian Pearce Beacon Hill; Age 13 Roxbury, Age 13 Hyde Park; Age 14 Dorchester, Age 13 Boston College HS Mary E. Curley School Boston Latin Academy W. Wilson Middle School

Brandon Ruiz Cruz Santana Jessey Valdez Michael Ward Jamaica Plain; Age 14 Roslindale; Age 14 Mattapan; Age 14 Boston; Age 14 Lila Frederick Pilot School Braintree HS Brighton HS Boston Latin School

Appendix 3: List of Host Families in Chiba & Kyoto

Host Families in Chiba Fuse Family * Hatako Family Imran/Taguma Family Kimura Family Mori Family Ohta Family * Odate Family Shiraishi Family * Suzuki Family * Takahashi Family Takeya Family Yuma Family *

Host Families in Kyoto Hida Family Ikegami Family Kurioka Family Matsuhashi Family Mori Family Murai Family Nagaoka Family Nakamura Family Sano Family * Tsuji Family Tanaka (M) Family Tanaka (T) Family

(*) Families whose sons had participated in the 2008 US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange program in Boston

Appendix 4: Draft Schedule in Japan (NOTE: This is the schedule prepared for the Japan trip by the Red Sox Foundation and distributed to all participants and families of the Boston boys prior to departure for Japan on July 30, 2009. Occasional changes to the schedule were made during the course of traveling in Japan.)

Red Sox US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange

Program: July 30-August 11, 2009 Schedule subject to change

BOSTON JULY 30 THU LEAVE BOSTON FOR JAPAN

Meet at Logan Airport

8:30am Leave Boston for Newark (CO1123) 9:49 Arrive Newark 11:10 Leave Newark for Tokyo (CO09) Arrive in Tokyo next day

CHIBA JULY 31 FRI ARRIVE JAPAN - Narita Airport

1:55pm Arrive in Tokyo Narita International Airport Airport  Apa Hotel (Airport Limousine Bus)

Meet with Host Families at Apa Hotel & Resort Hotel located near Chiba Lotte Marines Stadium

Boys stay with host families /RSF Staff remains at the Hotel

RSF Staff Hotel: APA HOTEL & RESORT: Tokyo Bay Makuhari http://www.tokyobay-makuhari.com/ 2-3 Hibino, Mihama-ku Chiba 261-0021 Phone: 043-296-1111

CHIBA AUGUST 1 SAT RELAX WITH CHIBA HOST FAMILY

Boys relax with Chiba host family

CHIBA AUGUST 2 SUN YOUTH BASEBALL CLINIC, LOTTE MARINES GAME &

WELCOME RECEPTION/REUNION

8:30 Meet at APA Hotel: Tokyo Bay Makuhari

9-12 Baseball Clinic with Chiba Marines Baseball Team Coaches

Venue arranged by Chiba Lotte Marines

1-4 Free Time – Swimming as first option, but in event of rain, shopping For Swimming: Inage Water Park (10min bus ride from hotel) http://www.cga.or.jp/004005/

For Shopping: Mitsui Outlet Park, Makuhari (rain activity) http://www.31op.com/makuhari/

5-8pm Boys Enjoy Professional Game at Lotte Marines Stadium Chiba Lotte Marines vs. Rakuten Eagles Game Meet with Lotte Marines manager Bobby Valentine, Former Manager of New York Mets

Reception/Reunion with 08 Chiba Exchange participants & parents, 09 American students & their host families at the Stadium

TOKYO AUGUST 3 MON DAY-TRIP TO TOKYO & SUMO WORKSHOP

7:30am Meet at Apa Hotel & Resort

8am Leave Hotel for Tokyo

9am Bus Tour of Tokyo – incl. Tokyo Tower, Tokyo Imperial Palace, Accompanied by children from host families

10am Visit Baseball Hall Of Fame Museum Courtesy Call with former Amb. Kato, Nippon Professional Baseball Commissioner

11:30 Leave for Ryogoku

12:30 Chanko lunch (Sumo cuisine) in Ryogoku

2-4:30 Introduction to “Sumo” wrestling workshop

5 pm Continue Bus Tour of Tokyo and shopping (Asakusa, Akihabara)

6:30 Return to Apa Hotel & Resort

Boys return to Host Families for the evening

CHIBA AUGUST 4 TUE HALF-DAY TOUR OF CHIBA & AFTERNOON YOUTH

BASEBALL GAME vs CHIBA YOUTH BASEBALL TEAM

7:30am Meet at Apa Hotel & Resort

8:00 Leave Hotel on Bus for Disney Sea (With at least 1 member of each Chiba Host Family Attending)

9:00 Arrive at Disney Sea http://www.tokyodisneyresort.co.jp/tds/index_e.html

Alternative Options: Chiba Boso no Mura Museum: Experience various aspects of traditional Japanese lifestyle and try using old- style tools. Also: origami paper folding, traditional children's games, making coasters using tatami materials, and fabric dyeing.

1:30 Leave Disney Sea for Hotel

Box lunch on the bus

2:30 Arrive back to the hotel/change & leave immediately for game

3-6:00 Local Youth Team Game vs. Chiba Youth Baseball league At Chiba Institute of Technology

7-9pm Farewell Dinner with Chiba Host Families at Y’s Viking Rest.

KYOTO AUGUST 5 WED TRAVEL TO KYOTO

10:00am Meet at Apa Hotel & Resort

10:15am Leave Hotel for Tokyo station by bus

12:03 Tokyo  Kyoto (bullet train# Hikari371/2.45hr) Japanese Box Lunch on the bullet train

2:48pm Arrive Kyoto Meet with Host Families at Kyoto station Shinkansen Hachijyo Entrance

Boys spend afternoon & evening with host families

RSF Staff Hotel: KYOTO ROYAL HOTEL & SPA http://www.ishinhotels.com/kyoto-royal/jp/stay/index.html

Sanjo-Agaru, Kawaramachi, Nakagyo-ku, Kyoto 604-8005 Phone: 075-223-1234

KYOTO AUGUST 6 THU DURING THE DAY, BOYS RELAX WITH KYOTO HOST

FAMILY & IN EVENING, WELCOME RECEPTION/REUNION

HOSTED BY KYOTO MAYOR

6pm Relax with host families

6pm Welcome Reception hosted by Kyoto Mayor Daisaku Kadokawa. Reunion with 08 Kyoto Participants & Parents and 09 Kyoto Host families

Host family to take each boy home

KYOTO AUGUST 7 FRI YOUTH BASEBALL CLINIC & TOUR OF MODERN AND

TRADITIONAL JAPAN

8 am Meet at Kyoto City Hall

8:15am Leave Hotel for Kyoto Youth Baseball park by bus

9-10:30 Baseball Clinic with Kyoto Youth baseball

10:50am Experience Japanese traditional public bath

11:30am Lunch

1pm Experience Modern & Traditional Japan Murata Manufacturing; interact with Murata Robot, Murata Seiko Shoyeido Incense Company: create your own incense

6pm Return to the Hotel

Host family to take each boy home

KYOTO AUGUST 8 SAT YOUTH BASEBALL GAME vs. KYOTO YOUTH BASEBALL

TEAM & TOUR OF KYOTO

7:45am Meet at City Hall

8am Leave Hotel to Nishi-Kyougoku Athletics Field Park by bus Home Stadium for J-League Soccer team Kyoto Sanga Baseball field located next to the complex

8:15-9 Warm-up

9-11am Game vs. Kyoto Youth Baseball Team

11am Shower (20min)

12:30 Lunch at area restaurant (1hr)

1:50pm Toei Uzumasa Movie Studio participate in a samurai workshop www.eigamura30.com/index.shtml

3:40pm Visit Kiyomizu Temple & enjoy souvenir shopping

www.kiyomizudera.or.jp 5:30pm Return to the Hotel

Host families to take each boy home

Due to extreme heat/humidity in Kyoto we will take precaution to heat and rest as we tour the sites

HIROSHIMA AUGUST 9 SUN TRIP TO HIROSHIMA PEACE MEMORIAL PARK

7:15am Meet at Kyoto Station

Host Families to bring students to Shinkansen Hachijo entrance

8:02am Kyoto  Hiroshima (bullet train# Hikari493/1.45hr)

9:35am Arrive Hiroshima

9:49am Hiroshima  Peace Dome (local train/15min)

10am Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park & Museum (5hrs)

Volunteer English Interpreter to help guide group

Lunch (Hiroshima-style Creperie)

OPTIONAL: shopping, playing outside the museum/park

3pm Leave Park for Hiroshima Station (local train / 15min)

4:15pm Hiroshima  Kyoto via Osaka (bullet train# Hikari568/1.35hr) 5:44pm Arrive Osaka

5:50pm Transfer Osaka  Kyoto (Kodama678/14min)

6:04pm Arrive Kyoto Meet with Host Families at Kyoto station Shinkansen Hachijyo Entrance Host family to take each boy home from Kyoto station

Everyone to pack their luggage. Leave next day clothing and toiletries with carryon bag for the next day

OSAKA AUGUST 10 MON DAY-TRIP TO OSAKA, VISIT TITLE SPONSOR FUNAI HEADQUARTERS & KOSHIEN HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL CHAMPIONSHIP Bring luggage to the HOTEL Each luggage will be transferred to Narita Airport

6:30am Meet at Kyoto City Hall Leave Hotel for Koshien Stadium in Osaka by bus

8:30am Koshien High School Baseball Game (3hrs) Lunch Osaka Takoyaki-workshop/lunch

Osaka Castle

3:30pm Courtesy Call with FUNAI Executives at FUNAI Corporate HQ. Meeting with President Hayashi and Mr. Sakata

4:30pm Take bus back to Kyoto Hotel

5:30pm “Manga” Comic Book Museum

6:30pm Return to the Hotel

Farewell Party for the Kyoto Host Families

Host family to take each boy home from the Hotel

BOSTON AUGUST 11 TUE LEAVE KYOTO FOR BOSTON

TRAVEL KYOTO  TOKYO  NARITA  BOSTON

ARRIVE BOSTON SAME DAY

Each boy should only have 1 carry-on bag with him

7:30 am Meet at Kyoto Station Host Families to bring students to Shinkansen Hachijo entrance

Kyoto Station to Itami Airport

12:30 Itami Airport to Haneda Airport (ANA)

1:30pm Haneda Airport to Narita Airport

2:40pm Arrive at Narita CANCELLED

9:29 Kyoto  Shinagawa (Bullet train#Hikari510/2.34hr) 12:03 Arrive Shinagawa 12:23 Shinagawa  Narita (Express N’EX#23/1.06hr) Japanese boxed lunch on train

1:29pm Arrive Narita Airport

4:35pm Leave Tokyo for Newark（CO09） 4:30pm Arrive Newark (arrive same day) 6:30pm Leave Newark for Boston（CO1190） 8:10pm Arrive Boston

Parents pick up at Logan Airport. RSF escort may be necessary for some boys

NOTE SCHEDULE IN JAPAN IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE