TOP > What's up around the Prime Minister > December, 2006

Awards Ceremony for the Japan Professional Sports Grand Prize Wednesday, December 20, 2006 JAPANESE The Awards Ceremony for the Japan Professional Sports Grand Prize was held at the Prime Minister's Official Residence. Sponsored by the Japan Professional Sports Association, the Japan Professional Sports Grand Prize is awarded each year to the individual or group that is deemed to have made the largest contribution to Japan's overall professional sports. The Grand Prize for the year 2006 went to the Japanese national baseball team, which won the world championship at the 2006 World Baseball Classic (WBC) held in March. On the day of the ceremony, Manager Sadaharu Oh of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, and players Michihiro Ogasawara and Koji Uehara, both of the Yomiuri Giants visited the Prime Minister's Official Residence as representatives of the team, and Prime Minister Shinzo Abe presented them with the Prime Minister's Award. Prime Minister Abe then received an official WBC uniform signed by all three men.