Shohei Ohtani and four other Japanese players come home to start the MLB season

TOKYO (AP) — It's only two games to start the Major League Baseball season — the World Series-champion Dodgers against the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Tokyo Dome.

For the record, the MLB regular season consists of almost 2,500 games.

But it's much more for Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who was born in Japan. And for Shohei Ohtani and the four other Japanese players competing at home for the Dodgers and Cubs.

Then there's MLB, which opens its regular season for the second straight year in the Asian market. A year ago it was Seoul, South Korea, where the Dodgers and San Diego Padres split two games. It was also where the betting scandal broke around Ohtani's interpreter.

“It's hard to tell if this is the golden age for Japanese players in the United States,” Ohtani said Friday, speaking through an interpreter, as both teams trained at the Tokyo Dome.

“I know there's been a lot of Japanese players that came before me," Ohtani added. "But having five (Japanese players) is a big deal. It's truly a big deal.”

Asked what he was most looking forward to, Ohtani replied: “Eating good food, getting over the jetlag, and just being able to enjoy playing the game.”

It's a homecoming for Roberts, who was born on Japan's southern island of Okinawa to a Japanese mother and an American father. He's expecting relatives to attend from Okinawa, where last year he was honored by officials there.

“For me it's personal because I get to represent my mom's side of the family,” Roberts said. “I have a lot of relatives and family that can watch this baseball game — watch a Dodgers game at night instead of having to watch us in the morning.”

The time difference between Japan and the American east coast is 13 hours, and Japan is 16 hours ahead of Los Angeles.

Japan is Dodgers country, swept away by Ohtani, the World Series title, and pitchers Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki. They are expected to be the Dodgers starters against the Cubs

“I think our mission was accomplished painting the counry of Japan in Dodgers blue,” Roberts said.

Yamamoto and Ohtani talked about the joy of being home, as did Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki, the likely DH. Imanaga is expected to start against Yamamoto in the first game.

“I hope my teammates are really enjoying Japan right now,” Ohtani said. "But also I hope the fans get to see my teammates enjoying Japan.”

Ohtani was reminded that he has not thrown a bullpen session in several weeks as he hopes to return to pitching after missing out last season following elbow surgery.

“I want to prioritize the hitting aspect as we're getting into the season, to give a little breather mentally and physically to the pitching side of thing,” he said. “This is according to plan and I'm pleased with how things have been going.”

For Sasaki, it's different. The 23-year-old signed with the Dodgers two months ago and needs to prove himself, though many feel he's a can't-miss prospect.

“I literally was in Japan until a couple of months ago,” he said through an interpreter. “For me it’s more about being able to pitch in a different uniform on a differnt team and make sure I do perform at my best.”

Sasaki met Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Friday in his office and gave him an autographed Dodgers cap. He was accompanied by Dodgers owner Mark Walter.

"I’m truly happy that the Dodgers are opening the season in Japan,” Japanese media reported Ishiba as saying.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell talked about a party thrown Thursday by Imanaga and Suzuki to welcome the other Cubs to Japan. For most it's the first visit.

What impressed Counsell was a large tuna that was carved up in a ceremony at the party. Sashimi and sushi for all.

“We had tuna cut open," Counsell said. "Some of the players participated in that, which was scary for a second with players with knives in their hands. But other than that it was great.”

Counsell said the trip to Japan was about “kizuna,” which is the Japanese word for bonding. He's obviously been schooled by his Japanese players.

“That started for our team last night with the great party and being able to be together,” Counsell said.

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/mlb

Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani, left, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, center, and Roki Sasaki, right, pose for photographs during the official Press conference Friday, March 14, 2025, in Tokyo, as the Dodgers play their MLB opening games against the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome next week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Seiya Suzuki, right, and Shota Imanaga, left, of the Chicago Cubs, pose for photographers after attending an official news conference Friday, March 14, 2025, in Tokyo, before the Cubs play their MLB opening baseball games against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Tokyo Dome next week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Seiya Suzuki, right, and Shota Imanaga, left, of the Chicago Cubs prepare to pose for photographs after attending the official Press conference Friday, March 14, 2025, in Tokyo, as the Cubs play their MLB opening games against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Tokyo Dome next week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Seiya Suzuki, right, and Shota Imanaga, left, of the Chicago Cubs attend the official Press conference Friday, March 14, 2025, in Tokyo, as the Cubs play their MLB opening games against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Tokyo Dome next week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki attends the official Press conference Friday, March 14, 2025, in Tokyo, as the Dodgers play their MLB opening games against the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome next week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani attends the official Press conference Friday, March 14, 2025, in Tokyo, as the Dodgers play their MLB opening games against the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome next week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto attends the official Press conference Friday, March 14, 2025, in Tokyo, as the Dodgers play their MLB opening games against the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome next week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts attends the official Press conference Friday, March 14, 2025, in Tokyo, as the Dodgers play their MLB opening games against the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome next week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

Seiya Suzuki, right, and Shota Imanaga, left, of the Chicago Cubs prepare to pose for photographs after attending the official Press conference Friday, March 14, 2025, in Tokyo, as the Cubs play their MLB opening games against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Tokyo Dome next week. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)

THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte is scheduled to make his first appearance before judges of the International Criminal Court on Friday, days after his stunning arrest in Manila on murder charges linked to the deadly “ war on drugs ” he oversaw while in office.

The 79-year-old Duterte, the first Asian former leader arrested on an ICC warrant, will be read his rights and formally informed of the charges of crimes against humanity that the court's prosecutors filed against him after a lengthy investigation.

Estimates of the death toll during Duterte’s presidential term vary, from the more than 6,000 that the national police have reported up to the 30,000 claimed by human rights groups.

The court will also seek to set a date for a key pretrial hearing — likely months from now — at which judges will assess whether there is enough evidence to proceed to a full trial, which could take years. If Duterte is convicted, he faces a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.

His daughter, Philippines Vice President Sara Duterte, met supporters outside the court Friday and said she was seeking to visit Duterte and to have the hearing moved. She did not elaborate.

“Well, our expectation is that they will allow us visit, they will give us permission to visit the former president, and (the) other one is we hope that they will allow our request to move the initial appearance,” she said.

Duterte was arrested Tuesday amid chaotic scenes in the Philippine capital after returning from a visit to Hong Kong. He was swiftly put on a chartered jet and flown to the Netherlands. After a series of medical checks on arrival, he was taken to the court's detention center, located behind the high brick walls of a Dutch prison complex close to the North Sea coastline.

Prosecutors accuse him of involvement as an “indirect co-perpetrator” in multiple murders, amounting to a crime against humanity for allegedly overseeing killings from November 2011 until March 2019, first while he was mayor of the southern city of Davao and later as president of the Philippines.

Duterte will not be required to formally enter a plea at Friday's hearing.

According to the prosecution request for his arrest, as Davao mayor Duterte issued orders to police and other “hitmen” who formed so-called “Davao Death Squads” or DDS.

He told them “that their mission was to kill criminals, including drug dealers, and provided clearance for specific DDS killings,” prosecutors allege, adding that he recruited, paid and rewarded the killers and “provided them with the necessary weapons and resources, and promised to shield them from prosecution.”

The document seeking an ICC warrant for Duterte said that prosecutors built their case using evidence including witness testimony, speeches by Duterte himself, government documents and video footage.

Human rights groups and victims' families have hailed Duterte’s arrest as a historic triumph against state impunity, while the former president's supporters have slammed what they call the government’s surrender of a rival to a court whose jurisdiction they dispute.

“We are happy and we feel relieved,” said 55-year-old Melinda Abion Lafuente, mother of 22-year-old Angelo Lafuente, who she said was tortured and killed in 2016.

"Duterte’s appearance before the ICC is a testament to the courage and determination of the victims, their families, and Filipino activists and journalists to pursue justice no matter how long it takes,” said Bryony Lau, deputy Asia director at Human Rights Watch. “Other leaders facing ICC arrest warrants, like Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu, should take note that even those who seem untouchable today can end up in The Hague.”

Duterte’s legal team said President Ferdinand Marcos Jr.’s administration should not have allowed the global court to take custody of the former leader because the Philippines is no longer a party to the ICC.

“Our own government has surrendered a Filipino citizen — even a former president at that — to foreign powers,” Vice President Sara Duterte, the ex-president’s daughter and a political rival of the current president, said Tuesday before her father was flown out of Manila.

Judges who approved Duterte's arrest warrant said the court has jurisdiction because the crimes alleged in the warrant were committed before Duterte withdrew the Philippines from the court in 2019.

Jim Gomez, Joeal Calupitan and Aaron Favila in Manila and Ahmad Seir in The Hague contributed to this report.

A general view of the exterior of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

FILE - Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte stands in front of the presidential seal during a ceremony with the Armed Forces of the Philippines at the Malacanang presidential palace in Manila, Philippines on July 18, 2017. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)

A general view of the exterior of the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Supporters of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte wave a flag and banner during a demonstration outside the International Criminal Court detention center near The Hague in Scheveningen, Netherlands, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

Supporters of former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte hold flags and banners during a demonstration outside the International Criminal Court detention center near The Hague in Scheveningen, Netherlands, Wednesday, March 12, 2025. (AP Photo/Omar Havana)

FILE - A plane carrying former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to The Hague takes off in Manila, Philippines on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)

FILE - Former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte speaks during a senate inquiry on the so-called war on drugs during his administration at the Philippine Senate Monday, Oct. 28, 2024, in Manila, Philippines. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila, File)