In a recent game, Shohei Ohtani, a prominent baseball player in Japan, surprisingly underperformed, resulting in his team's loss. In the fourth round, Ohtani let the opposing team score five points, leading to his first loss of the season. Following this disappointing performance, Ohtani expressed an apology for not meeting the expectations of his fans and team.

Baseball holds a significant role in Japan's sports culture, with professional players like Ohtani being celebrated almost like pop stars. Given the high expectations for Ohtani, his underperformance and subsequent apology have been highly publicized throughout Japanese media.

Similar to the US, sports figures in Japan are often under intense media scrutiny, especially when performances are not up to their usual standards. Apologies from athletes are less common in the US, but in Japan, they are frequently given when an athlete has disappointed their fans or performed below expectations.