Japan Prime minister leads celebrations of first Japanese participant Matsuyama’s Masters win in Golf

 Japan Prime minister leads celebrations of Matsuyama’s Masters win in 

               

celebrated golfer Hideki Matsuyama’s victory in the Masters-AP/images

TOKYO — Led through Japan’s Prime Minister minister, the united states celebrated golfer Hideki Matsuyama’s victory in the Masters — the first Japanese participant to win at Augusta National and pull at the well-known green jacket.

“It changed into surely wonderful,” Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga stated together along with his united states suffering to drag off the postponed Tokyo Olympics in only over 3 months. “As the coronavirus drags on, his success moved our hearts and gave us courage.”

Masashi “Jumbo” Ozaki, who tied for 8th withinside the Masters in 1973, stated he was hoping extra Japanese male golfers might be inspired through Matsuyama.

“This is a tremendous success for the Japanese golf world,” he stated in remarks on Japanese media. “And it came about due to Mr. Matsuyama’s personal cappotential to soak up challenges, his braveness and all of the attempt that went into that.”

Isao Aoki completed 2d to Jack Nicklaus in the 1980 U.S. Open, the preceding nice end through a Japanese male golfer in a major.

Two Japanese ladies have received golfing majors: Chako Higuchi on the 1977 LPGA Championship and Hinako Shibuno on the 2019 Women’s British Open.

Aoki recalled how Matsuyama received the low amateur identify in the 2011 Masters simply weeks after the earthquake, tsunami and the meltdown of 3 nuclear reactors devastated the northeastern Fukushima vicinity of Japan.

About 18,000 human beings died in the catastrophe and the vicinity continues to be suffering to recover.

“This time, your Masters win got here at a time while many human beings have been feeling down, with many sports limited in Japan amid a coronavirus pandemic, and also you gave desire to such a lot of people,” Aoki stated in remarks carried on line in Japanese in Golf Digest.

Aoki added: “This win, which changed into the primary for a Japanese in addition to an Asian, changed into a second we have been all ready for, now no longer simply myself however all of the Japanese golf lovers and people concerned in the golf world.”

Nicklaus changed into as similarly effusive on social media.

“I’ve been blessed to spend a whole lot of time in Japan and I realize they love the sport of golf,” Nicklaus stated. “They’re additionally very proud human beings and they’re even prouder today!

“I competed towards the great Isao Aoki, and realize how respected he changed into and is. Hideki will even now all the time be a hero to his united states. The day and second belongs to Hideki Matsuyama . . . that is a tremendous day for him, for Japan, and for the global recreation of golfing!”

The U.S. Embassy in Japan despatched its congratulations to Matsuyama as “the primary Japanese golfer to win The Masters.”

Outside busy Shimbashi teach station in crucial Tokyo, retired employee Takashi Atsumi known as it a “outstanding result.”

“For him, I assume it changed into a intention that changed into tough to attain no matter his outstanding efforts over the last 10 years,” Atsumi stated. “I think it’s without a doubt top notch that he changed into capable of reap the intention today. I assume he set a tremendous milestone for the following generation of Japanese people.”