"Japan Night" Presented by JAPAN HOUSE Held at Dodger Stadium

Dodger Stadium glowed red and white on Thursday, July 26th with 47,000 spectators in attendance to celebrate its annual “Japan Night,” this year presented by JAPAN HOUSE. The red sun of the Japanese flag illuminated the game board over left field with the white JAPAN HOUSE name and logo displayed prominently around the stadium on all the available LCD screens.

The “Japan Night” program kicked off with an energetic performance by Kenichi Ebina, an internationally recognized Japanese dancer and winner of “America’s Got Talent” in 2013. He was followed by the Japanese national anthem performed by ATSUSHI, lead vocalist of the Japanese R&B mega-group EXILE, who donned a fabulous, glimmering red and white outfit. A powerful rendition of the “Star Spangled Banner” was then performed by soul singer/songwriter Judith Hill who is of Japanese and African-American descent. As part of the festivities, newly arrived Consul General of Japan in Los Angeles, Akira Chiba, threw the ceremonial first pitch—just above the strike zone—with the Dodgers’ resident Japanese pitcher Kenta Maeda behind home plate. As part of the promotional event, a Kenta Maeda bobblehead was given away for the first 40,000 fans in attendance.

All of the performers and the Consul General were joined on the field by the Nisei Week Foundation’s 2015 Nisei Week Queen and Court, ESP Chairman Hisatake Shibuya, JAPAN HOUSE Steering Committee member Gil Garcetti, and JAPAN HOUSE President Yuko Kaifu. Robert Izumi, U.S. Army and Air Force veteran of three wars and former Manzanar internee, was also honored as the “Military Hero of the Game.” The evening closed with cheers as the Los Angeles Dodgers defeated the Tampa Bay Rays 3 runs to 2.

“Japan Night” at Dodger Stadium was JAPAN HOUSE’s second pre-opening event leading up to its official launch at its Hollywood & Highland location in the summer of 2017. JAPAN HOUSE is an international project launched by Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs with three separate venues to be constructed in Los Angeles, London, and Sao Paolo. More information about JAPAN HOUSE can be found at http://www.japanhouse.jp/.