Why This Topic Landed in Japan

Anything touching Shohei Ohtani is national news in Japan, and Tyson's remark hit a sensitive spot: how famous is Ohtani in America, really? The exchange was reported by Full-Count from the New York ceremony; how widely it was covered elsewhere is unclear. Vinicius Jr had just faced Japan's side of the World Cup bracket, so his Ibiza yacht holiday — reported mainly by tabloids — was read against the criticism Brazilian fans had aimed at a Japanese player, and many Japanese commenters took the striker's side. The BTS case runs on national embarrassment: the defendant, a Japanese woman in her 50s indicted for forcibly kissing Jin, failed to appear at her Seoul hearing after sending a document the judge said he could not interpret, and Japanese netizens winced at their compatriot's behavior.

Key Reaction Themes

  • Irony and grace for Tyson — Jabs about age and too many punches taken sat alongside calm reminders that baseball players simply are not household names in a football-first America.
  • Unexpected sympathy for Vinicius — Rather than piling on, many told Brazil's fans to let the man rest, contrasting their fury with the quiet dignity of Japanese players criticized during the tournament.
  • Disgust at the kiss-case defendant — The court no-show cemented the story as a national embarrassment, with side commentary on middle-aged fandom culture and perceived double standards in who gets held to account.

What Japanese Netizens Are Saying

Mike Tyson asks "Who's Shohei?" at a New York awards show

Presenting Ohtani's performance award, Tyson read out the winner's name and then asked who Shohei was, baffling the venue.

Sources: Yahoo! news, 2ch

Comments:

  • "So he's become America's Guts Ishimatsu?" [Translator's note: a former Japanese boxing champion turned TV personality famous for comedic gaffes.]
  • "Amazing that he can still stand on a public stage after all the incidents he's caused."
  • "Punch-drunk, huh… poor guy…"
  • "He's an old man who's taken plenty of heavyweight punches. Cut him some slack."
  • "Same as Japanese people not knowing foreign J-Leaguers — Naoko Nozawa genuinely didn't, remember?"
  • "Of course he doesn't know him."
  • "Tyson doesn't play baseball and has zero interest. No way he'd know."
  • "It's a bit, obviously. Tyson's treated as a comedian these days."
  • "The Japanese equivalent would be Naoya Inoue not knowing Shota Morishita or Teruaki Sato?"
  • "Some people just aren't into MLB. In America, football is the more popular sport anyway."

Vinicius Jr parties in Ibiza after World Cup exit

Reports said Brazil's Vinicius Jr faced criticism at home for staying abroad and holidaying in Ibiza with an influencer right after elimination.

Sources: Yahoo! news, 2ch

Comments:

  • "Who cares, let him lol"
  • "What do the Brazilians who lost their minds at Shiogai think when they see this?" [Translator's note: a Japanese player whom Brazilian fans had heavily criticized during the World Cup.]
  • "Shiogai's stock keeps rising without him doing anything…"
  • "Let the man rest."
  • "It's not like he can take a long vacation any other time."
  • "What's wrong with spending time in Ibiza with a beautiful woman after elimination? Would Nishikasai be acceptable?" [Translator's note: Nishikasai is an ordinary Tokyo suburb — the joke is the contrast with glamorous Ibiza.]
  • "The Brazil players themselves seem fed up with Brazilian fans."
  • "Though I do think he should at least do it quietly."
  • "Asking that of Vinicius is hopeless. If he could behave that sensibly, he'd have won the Ballon d'Or."
  • "He might get killed if he goes home, so he's having his last bit of fun."

BTS forced-kiss defendant skips her Seoul trial

The Japanese woman in her 50s indicted for forcibly kissing BTS's Jin failed to appear in court after mailing a document the judge could not interpret.

連れ去られ夫
連れ去られ夫
@tsuresari04
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まさにこれを体現した事件だったな。 いまだに被告は悪いことをしたと思ってなさそうだし。

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ライブドアニュース
ライブドアニュース
@livedoornews

【発表】BTS・JINにキスの性加害、被告の日本人中年女性は初公判に出廷せず延期に news.livedoor.com/article/detail… 14日、ソウル東部地裁・刑事9単独では、強制わいせつの罪に問われている50代の日本人女性の初公判が開かれた。ただ、被告の女性が出廷しなかったため、そのまま終了したという。

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Sources: livedoor News

Comments:

  • "'What color is your shame?!'" [Translator's note: a riff on a famous manga line "What color is your blood?!" from Fist of the North Star.]
  • "So she really is in her fifties or thereabouts."
  • "That's K-wave fans for you."
  • "Of the three people who groped a Korean female rapper, the two men showed their faces and apologized, but the remaining culprit, a woman, ran. Running from what you did is cowardly."
  • "And the feminists are dead silent lolololol"