Tetsuyuki Nakai, the former manager of Koryo High School in Hiroshima whose tenure ended amid a club bullying scandal, has been appointed special advisor to the newly launched baseball division of KIKUZAKI Electric, an electrical construction company based in Tama, Tokyo, Yahoo News Japan reported.
Nakai will advise on the division’s overall philosophy, development policy and team building, and will also take part in player development, scouting and community baseball outreach, including free baseball clinics at kindergartens and elementary schools in the Tama area.
Nakai’s departure from Koryo High
In January 2025, a bullying incident within the team came to light. That summer, Koryo won its first-round game at the national high school baseball championship, the Summer Koshien, but then withdrew from the tournament. Nakai stepped down as manager in August 2025.
Company outlines safeguards around the hiring
KIKUZAKI Electric said it “takes seriously” the harsh findings of the third-party committee that investigated the incident, including its criticism of Nakai’s own words and actions and of the team’s coaching and organizational management at the time. The company said it decided on the appointment after repeated meetings with Nakai, on the condition that the company, as the operating body, can continuously monitor and verify coaching practices.
The company said it does not tolerate violence, verbal abuse or intimidating coaching. It plans harassment training for coaches, activity checks by employees and a consultation channel for concerns about Nakai. If problems are confirmed, it said, it will respond by suspending his activities or removing him from coaching.
Middle school hardball team set for next spring
KIKUZAKI Electric has long been involved with the local youth team Suwa Indians, and in 2025 former Nippon-Ham Fighters player Yudai Furukawa joined the company as an employee. It runs the KZ Baseball Academy, a weekday school for elementary school students, and plans to fully launch a middle school hardball team in spring 2027, deciding that children entrusted to the company on an ongoing basis require responsible operation as a formal business rather than volunteer work.
Alongside the advisory role, Nakai is slated to become manager of the new middle school hardball team, the Tama Guardians Pony, and general manager of the Suwa Indians, starting next spring.
Through the company, Nakai said he takes seriously what happened in the past and the strict criticism from the third-party committee, and that he must carry that into his future work. He said he wants to build an environment where children enjoy baseball and feel glad they played the sport.
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