Sadaharu Oh Receives Order of Culture,

Oct 20, 2025 | News On Japan

Oct 20, 2025 (News On Japan) - Baseball legend Sadaharu Oh, 85, chairman of the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks, has been awarded this year’s Order of Culture, while voice actress Masako Nozawa, 88, known for voicing the protagonist Son Goku in the anime "Dragon Ball," has been named a Person of Cultural Merit — the first voice actor ever to receive the distinction.

Oh, who hit a record 868 career home runs in professional baseball, received the People’s Honor Award in 1977 and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1994. Reflecting on the honor, he said, "Baseball is a team sport, and we’re a group. So it feels like we all received this award together. I want to once again express my heartfelt gratitude to everyone."

Nozawa, whose decades-long career has defined some of Japan’s most beloved characters, said she was deeply moved by the recognition. "I feel immensely proud that this honor shines a light not only on my seniors and current colleagues, but also on the younger generations who will step into the world of voice acting in the future," she commented.

Source: TBS

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