Hagoita wooden paddles featuring Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and 10 other people who made headlines this year were unveiled by Tokyo-based doll-maker Kyugetsu on Wednesday.
Ohtani was named MLB¡¯s MVP for the third straight year, while Takaichi became Japan¡¯s first female prime minister.
University of Osaka professor Shimon Sakaguchi and Kyoto University professor Susumu Kitagawa, who won this year¡¯s Nobel Prizes in physiology or medicine and chemistry, respectively, were also featured on the paddles.
Actors Ryo Yoshizawa and Ryusei Yokohama, who appeared in the film ¡°Kokuho,¡± Japan¡¯s highest-grossing live-action film, were portrayed as well.
¡°There were a variety of topics this year, such as Ohtani¡¯s achievements and the popularity of ¡¯Kokuho,¡¯¡± Kyugetsu President Hisatoshi Yokoyama, 43, said. ¡°I hope next year will be even brighter, making it difficult to select people (to feature on paddles).¡±
This year marks the 40th year that the company has made hagoita paddles featuring newsmakers. The paddles will be on display at the company¡¯s head office in Tokyo¡¯s Taito Ward until Sunday before being exhibited at department stores in 12 prefectures, including those in the cities of Sapporo, Shizuoka and Kanazawa.
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