Shinnosuke Abe, 47, manager of the Yomiuri Giants, Japan's most popular professional baseball team, has voluntarily resigned after being arrested by police on charges of assaulting his daughter, questioned, and released.
According to Japanese media outlets including Sports Hochi and Nikkan Sports on the 26th, the former manager was arrested at his home in Shibuya, Tokyo, by police who responded to a call to a child counseling center at around 7:10 p.m. the previous day, and was released slightly after midnight that day.
The former manager reportedly pushed his 18-year-old elder daughter while attempting to break up a fight between her and his 15-year-old younger daughter. As the situation rapidly escalated, the former manager conveyed his intention to resign to Yomiuri team owner Toshikazu Yamaguchi on the 26th, and Yamaguchi accepted.
The Yomiuri Shimbun conveyed Yamaguchi's remarks: "We take seriously the fact that (manager Abe) committed an act of violence and have determined that it is unacceptable for him to continue serving as manager."
The former manager's resignation had been somewhat anticipated following an apology statement by Toru Kunimatsu, representative director of the Yomiuri club, immediately after the incident. Kunimatsu also hinted at the possibility of dismissal, saying, "Violence is unforgivable and we take this matter very seriously," adding, "We will review manager Abe's disposition, including whether he stays or goes."
According to the Yomiuri Shimbun report, the former manager's elder daughter reported her father to the child counseling center on assault charges at the recommendation of conversational artificial intelligence (AI) ChatGPT.
At a press conference on the 26th, the former manager apologized in tears, saying, "I am only filled with deep regret for tarnishing the name of the storied Yomiuri manager," and "I am truly sorry for causing great worry and inconvenience to many baseball fans, professional baseball officials, and the company over my family matters." He repeatedly bowed his head, adding, "I think I have caused a great deal of trouble by leaving the team in this manner."
The Yomiuri club placed the team under the interim command of coach Hideki Hashigami, 60, starting with the game against the Pacific League's SoftBank Hawks on the 26th.
A franchise star of the Yomiuri club, manager Abe was an offensive-minded catcher who played for Yomiuri for 19 years, recording 2,132 career hits, 406 home runs, and 1,285 RBIs.
Immediately after retiring, Abe led Yomiuri's second-tier squad for two years from 2020, moved up to the first team in 2022, and after holding key positions such as strategy, head, and battery coach, took the helm of Yomiuri in 2024, leading the team to first place in the Central League that year.
With manager Abe stepping down, the status of former Doosan Bears manager Lee Seung-yuop, who joined Yomiuri this year as batting coach at Abe's recommendation, has also become a matter of interest. Manager Abe and former manager Lee have maintained a close friendship since their playing days as the heart of Yomiuri's lineup.
