Hanshin Tigers prospect Keito Mombetsu threw five perfect innings to lead his team to a 3-0 win over the Chicago Cubs on Saturday in the first of four exhibition games between MLB and Nippon Professional Baseball teams The warmup games will be followed by the MLB season-opening series between the Cubs and the Los Angeles Dodgers in Tokyo on Tuesday and Wednesday a 20-year-old left-hander who has not won a game in his seven-game NPB career shut down a Chicago lineup that included Kyle Tucker and Seiya Suzuki at Tokyo Dome Miguel Amaya was the first Cub to reach base with a one-out single in the sixth inning Suzuki and Michael Busch also singled later in the game "I prepared well to start the game in usual fashion," Mombetsu said "(Catcher Ryutaro) Umeno-san called a great game "I hope to get my first win out of the way once the season starts And then I'll try to be in postgame interviews like this more." managed by former Cubs reliever Kyuji Fujikawa scored one run in each inning between the third and fifth Baseball: Japanese stars of Tokyo Series pay tribute to trailblazers Baseball: Cubs' Imanaga says ready to face Dodgers in season opener Baseball: Pitching rehab going as planned, focused on hitting: Ohtani To have the latest news and stories delivered to your inbox Simply enter your email address below and an email will be sent through which to complete your subscription Please check your inbox for a confirmation email Thank you for reaching out to us.We will get back to you as soon as possible Koji Chikamoto, Ukyo Maegawa and Teruaki Sato each drove in a run to lead the Central League team. Hanshin starter Keito Mombetsu had a strong start going five scoreless innings with no hits and two strikeouts to pick up the win The near sell-out crowd of 41,978 at Tokyo Dome, complete with the notorious Hanshin Tigers cheering section, was something new for the Cubs, who will also play the Yomiuri Giants on Sunday before opening the season on Tuesday, March 18 against Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers "The fans in the right-field bleachers were very fun they seem like very loyal fans who were supporting their team," Chicago manager Craig Counsell said Counsell was equally impressed with the Tigers who hope to contend in the Central League this season "They have some players who can run and they take advantage of that If their starter pitches like that throughout the season With Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, the Dodgers are the big draw on this trip but the Cubs have a huge following and many loyal fans have arrived in Tokyo to support the team Their two Japanese players ― designated hitter Seiya Suzuki and starting pitcher Shota Imanaga ― will also have many fans cheering them on at the Big Egg for the Tokyo Series The Cubs finished third in the National League Central Division last season. With the addition of three-time All Star outfielder Kyle Tucker from the Houston Astros Counsell's team is hoping to contend this season Tucker had a chance to tie the game in the top of the ninth but flew out to deep left field with two men on for the second out before Suguru Iwazaki struck out Justin Turner to end the game and earn the save. gave the fans a thrill with a single to left in the seventh inning only the second hit of the game for the Cubs "I have a lot of good memories at this stadium," Suzuki said "I could definitely hear the cheers when I stepped up into the box and overall today this was a great experience." Hanshin took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the third when Chikamoto drilled a double off the wall in right that scored Ryutaro Umeno from third The Tigers doubled their lead in the next inning Designated hitter Maegawa hit an opposite-field double to left that scored Shota Morishita Sato made it 3-0 in the fifth on a single to right that scored Takumu Nakano from second who is entering his third season and hoping to be a regular in Hanshin's rotation was the most impressive player for Hanshin "I had good control and command of my pitches," the 21-year-old left-hander said "This is a result that will definitely give me confidence going forward." Japan's first major leaguer Masanori Murakami threw out the ceremonial first pitch with a strike over the plate for the former San Francisco Giants pitcher Author: Jim Armstrong The author is a longtime journalist who has covered sports in Japan for over 25 years. You can find his articles on SportsLook You must be logged in to post a comment ' + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.webview_notification_text + ' " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_title + " " + scriptOptions._localizedStrings.redirect_overlay_text + " Japan; Hanshin Tigers starting pitcher Keito Mombetsu (30) is interviewed after defeating the Chicago Cubs at Tokyo Dome Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images A Triumphant Homecoming Returning to the clubhouse felt like stepping into a familiar yet transformed world Electrifying Introduction A surge of raw talent and an unyielding spirit catapults Trea Turner from the ranks of the underdogs to the grand stage of Major League.. A Farewell That Strikes a Chord In an era where athletes are often encased in elaborate retirement ceremonies and orchestrated fanfare one former Dodgers All-Star broke from tradition.. A Season Altered by Adversity The unfolding of recent events on the field has turned the spotlight onto the relentless nature of baseball Introduction The crack of the bat and the roar of the crowd marked the rise of a prodigious talent in 2024—a season that elevated an emerging star to.. © 2025 M Sports - Premium news & magazine M Sports Please enter your username or email address to reset your password © 2025 M Sports - Premium news & magazine M Sports Today's print edition Home Delivery There are probably not many MLB fans who are familiar with Keito Mombetsu or Hiroto Saiki Maybe not Teruaki Sato or Tatsuya Ishikawa either They and their teammates on the Hanshin Tigers and Yomiuri Giants were the supporting act for the MLB Tokyo Series while Shohei Ohtani and the other Japanese stars from the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs were cast in the lead roles The Japanese MLB stars — the Dodgers’ Ohtani and the Cubs’ Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki — are some of the most recognizable faces in the game in Ohtani’s case.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); What the four exhibition games between the MLB and NPB clubs over the weekend showed is that the well of talent in Japan runs deeper than the nation’s big leaguers In a time of both misinformation and too much information quality journalism is more crucial than ever.By subscribing Your subscription plan doesn't allow commenting. To learn more see our FAQ Sponsored contents planned and edited by JT Media Enterprise Division Suzuki was showered with applause in his return to Japan as a member of the Chicago Cubs Ukyo Maegawa and Teruaki Sato drove in runs in a 3-0 win at Tokyo Dome on Saturday afternoon.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); Twenty-year-old Tigers pitcher Keito Mombetsu — who has seven career NPB appearances including three starts — struck out two batters in five perfect innings Please view the main text area of the page by skipping the main menu. The page may not be displayed properly if the JavaScript is deactivated on your browser A surge of unexpected brilliance has ignited hope for a team in need of redemption as two players transform challenges into opportunities on the field © 2024 Motociclismo - All rights reserved Motociclismo © 2024 Motociclismo - All rights reserved Motociclismo A Japanese fishing boat collided with a 662-ton Russian ship and capsized off Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido on Wednesday 8 belonging to a fishery cooperative based in Hokkaido's Mombetsu was catching hairy crabs when the collision occurred at around 6 a.m. One of the two crew members rescued alive was slightly injured according to the coast guard and local rescue workers The Russian vessel Amur with 23 crew members was transporting seafood to Mombetsu from Sakhalin in Russia's Far East Russian officials said in a statement the Japanese vessel did not send a signal amid low visibility due to fog and that they will investigate the actions of the Russian vessel's crew members told the coast guard "it was the Russian vessel that collided into" their boat were taken from the sea by the Amur and then brought back by the coast guard to their home port roughly 23 kilometers away from the accident site The deaths of the three men were then confirmed A dense fog advisory had been issued in the sea off Mombetsu port at the time according to a local meteorological observatory The coast guard quoted the Hokko Maru crew as saying they were unable to move the boat before the collision with the Russian vessel as they were catching crabs with ropes A Russian crew member was arrested Monday over the deaths of three men aboard a Japanese fishing boat that capsized after colliding with a ship he was in charge of near Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido in late May was in charge of the 662-ton Russian ship Amur on May 26 at the time of the collision with the Hokko Maru No according to the Mombetsu Coast Guard Office belonging to a fishery cooperative based in Mombetsu were catching hairy crabs when the collision occurred at around 6 a.m The Russian vessel with 23 crew members aboard was transporting seafood to Mombetsu from Sakhalin in the Russian Far East was arrested on charges of professional negligence resulting in death as well as endangering traffic due to negligence for allegedly failing to avoid the collision when sailing the Russian vessel through the Sea of Okhotsk off Mombetsu The local coast guard did not reveal whether the suspect has admitted to the charges The Hokko Maru crew was quoted by the coast guard as saying they were unable to maneuver the boat away as they were catching crabs by rope and the Russian ship collided into their vessel Russian officials have said in a statement that the Japanese vessel did not send a signal amid low visibility due to fog A dense fog advisory had been issued for the waters off Mombetsu port at the time The Asahikawa District Court seized the Russian ship as collateral for compensation on June 2 following the request of the Hokko Maru side Japan protests Russia's impounding of fishing boat, detention of crew 3 Japan fishing boat crew dead after collision with Russian ship Your browser does not support JavaScript, or it is disabled．Please check the site policy for more information National Report Hokkaido--Air travelers from Tokyo whose sole purpose is to ratchet up air miles to stay ahead of reward programs are descending in droves at Okhotsk Monbetsu Airport here in far northern Japan--and then often taking the return trip back to Tokyo just 30 or so minutes later Local businesses offering snacks and souvenirs at the airport are laying out the red carpet for what are known as “touchers.” The nickname derives from the touch-and-go style of the travelers making quick round trips between Monbetsu and Haneda Airport in the capital they account for up to half of all passengers on the route Touchers share a common goal: gaining higher status and receiving better services under loyalty programs offered by airlines based on miles flown “The route is a lifesaver for the region,” said Kazuhiko Nakajima vice president of Mombetsu Tourism Promotion Corp The early afternoon of April 10 offered a typical insight into the welcome visitors receive Two local people were showing off large blue hand-shaped goods at the observation deck of Monbetsu Airport Beside them was a sign reading “Monbetsu touch” and “welcome back.” They are usually on hand to greet day-trippers to the airport offers only one regular flight from Haneda to Monbetsu each day passengers reach Monbetsu Airport at 12:30 p.m A one-way flight takes one hour and 45 minutes That gives the touchers little time to waste once they touch down Their first order of business is to get a certificate card stamped at the tourism corporation’s counter Set up behind the counter is a panel displaying the names and arrival numbers of travelers on quick turnarounds One individual has visited more than 50 times Seventeen day trippers flew back to Tokyo on the lunchtime flight that day accounting for almost half of the flight’s 36 passengers Frequent flyer programs targeting mainly business travelers and sightseers offer rewards to regular customers based on air miles flown Flyers try to maintain the highest ranking by catching flights as efficiently as possible They are at times likened to “monks in training” due to their stoic approach to the task frequent flyers based in Japan relied on international routes But after international travel became a no-go area they began picking out long-distance flights within Japan and the trip to Monbetsu from Haneda Airport offered a reasonable alternative as the flight costs 48,000 yen ($370) Although other domestic destinations offer mileage benefits Monbetsu proved especially popular due to the efforts of noted mambo musician Paradise Yamamoto which spread awareness within the tourism industry of the rich pickings to be had Yamamoto got involved in exchanging information with aggressive air mile collectors through the Clubhouse voice chat app Tanaka at Mombetsu Central Hotel heard about it and approached Yamamoto for advice 70 touchers boarded the last Boeing 737-700 flight in June last year during the COVID-19 state of emergency he approached ANA about allotting more seats to touchers to increase occupancy rates and attract more visitors to this city in Japan’s northernmost main island stamp cards and stickers were prepared at Monbetsu Airport Local officials also mounted a campaign last September that awarded special T-shirts to frequent flyers the seat occupancy ratio rose to 42.0 percent 5 points higher than the annual average for the fiscal year that ended this past March Of the 28,732 passengers during that period This translated into 30 people visiting Monbetsu daily on average simply to notch up air miles A spin-off from all of this is that the main hospital center in the region is now assured of having a sufficient number of doctors on hand which serves as the core institution for medical care in the area was concerned that if flights from Haneda Airport were suspended or reduced physicians may not be able to reach Hokkaido from other areas in Japan quickly Labeling the route a lifesaver for the region Nakajima said: “I am really grateful to the touchers for coming here I was astonished to learn that they account for 20 percent of passenger traffic.” A question on the minds of many people here is whether the day-trippers actually contribute significantly to the local economy most travelers said they started making overnight trips to Monbetsu after sampling the local culture on earlier visits “Even we feel like staying after repeatedly coming here and looking at the snow crabs and other goods on display in the souvenir shops,” said one traveler It realizes it needs to come up with more ideas to attract visitors to take advantage of the boom “Touchers will revert to taking international flights once the pandemic dies down if we’re not careful,” said Nakajima “We need to carefully consider how to utilize this precious asset,” adding that local authorities will continue to weigh steps to keep the flight route prosperous Airlines join push to produce aviation fuel from recycled waste Airlines offer rewards for ground travel to boost customers Court orders food review site to pay damages to store for rating change Parco store apologizes for using ‘sex booth’ to promote event price rises cause ‘tide to turn’ against small businesses Information on the latest cherry blossom conditions Please right click to use your browser’s translation function.) A series based on diplomatic documents declassified by Japan’s Foreign Ministry Here is a collection of first-hand accounts by “hibakusha” atomic bomb survivors chefs and others involved in the field of food introduce their special recipes intertwined with their paths in life A series about Japanese-Americans and their memories of World War II In-house News and Messages No reproduction or republication without written permission SAPPORO--Three crew members of a fishing vessel died following a collision with a Russian cargo ship off the coast of Hokkaido on the morning of May 26 according to the Mombetsu Coast Guard Office and other sources a 9.7-ton fishing vessel belonging to the Mombetsu fisheries cooperative a 662-ton cargo ship flying the Neberisk flag about 23 kilometers northeast off Mombetsu Port at around 6:40 a.m A representative of the Russian vessel reported the accident to the Coast Guard office Five crew members aboard the fishing vessel were rescued But three of them died--chief engineer Masayoshi Numahata There were 23 crew members aboard the Russian vessel The fishing vessel capsized in the collision The bottom of the ship could be seen and oil leaked from the vessel The crew of the Daihachi Hokko Maru was fishing for hairy crabs Korean coast guard’s order to halt sea survey Japan searches for 5 crew from capsized Chinese fishing boat Japanese coast guard finds second survivor from capsized cattle ship VOX POPULI: World watching how Japan firm will respond to Mauritius spill TOKYO — About 19,000 households on Japan’s northern island of Hokkaido were cut off power for an unknown reason on Sunday morning citing the electricity regulator.According to the Hokkaido Electric Power Company nearly 13,500 houses were left without electricity in the city of Mombetsu about 3,000 houses in the city of Omu and some 2,6000 more houses in the city of Okoppe the report said.The cause of the power outage is yet to be determined The Japan Self-Defense Forces have been deployed to help with the ongoing repair work the broadcaster said.Local authorities established temporary accommodation centers for residents across the cities for the period of repair work People can receive food and charge their mobile phones on the spot.As of Sunday afternoon several dozen people have already used this opportunity.Severe snowfall hit northern and western Japan earlier this week causing electricity and network outages delays in rail services and traffic jams.Heavy snow from a wintry low-pressure system caused power outages in Hokkaido and train delays in the Tokai region on Saturday.The storm caused a transmission tower to collapse in Monbetsu in Hokkaido’s Okhotsk region on Friday temporarily cutting power for up to 24,000 homes in the region including the entire city of Monbetsu.In response to Hokkaido’s request for disaster relief about 20 members of the Ground Self-Defense Force stationed in Camp Engaru helped provide relief at a shelter set up in the city lending out stoves and other items.Nagoya meanwhile observed its first snowfall of the season early Saturday morning 10 centimeters of snow had accumulated as of 9 a.m. according to the Nagoya Local Meteorological Observatory.People walked carefully in front of Nagoya Station with delays on some JR and Meitetsu Nagoya Railroad lines and the Nagoya Expressway closing all lanes to traffic The requested content cannot be loaded.Please try again later many municipalities in Hokkaido are facing the problem of how to stop the flight of the young working age generation in order to sustain their community As overseas workers have become more and more important municipalities are coming up with ideas to welcome them as members of communities while trying to stop young people from leaving their hometowns.googletag.cmd.push(function() { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-1499653692894-0'); }); The Hokkaido Shimbun visited some cities and towns that continue to seek coexistence with foreign residents even under the coronavirus pandemic An icebreaker carrying tourists sails through drift ice in the Sea of Okhotsk off Abashiri on Japan's northernmost main island of Hokkaido The decks are a lot emptier this year due to coronavirus fears Japan -- This winter's tale of two small cities on Japan's northernmost large island of Hokkaido starts hundreds of kilometers to the north in the ice-cold estuary of the Amur River in Russia's Far East freshwater from melting snow mixes with seawater and freezes into ice floes that travel east around the island of Sakhalin and then south into the Sea of Okhotsk the drift ice bumps up against the Hokkaido coastline from late January until March creating a winter tourism business for Mombetsu and Abashiri Japanese version Aku who is a 28 years old male and Weather who is a 2 years old female The staff of Mombetsu Land gifted Aku a stuffed spotted seal soft toy He was absolutely overjoyed by the gift and was captured smiling and hugging his cute new doppelgänger and squeezing the toy to its heart.” Aku and Weather live together in a breeding pool on the Mombetsu Land premises Adult spotted seals can dive to depths of over 300m and can live at least 35 years The spotted seals are affected by the current climate change Spotted seals spend much of their time and bear their pups on the ice front this may cause a retreat of the ice edge and front we think these images of Aku are too adorable and we hope they bring you a smile Tyler Leigh Vivier is a writer for Good Things Guy Her passion is to spread good news across South Africa with a big focus on environmental issues Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id" "a525f2a57cf2d2845dbce850a88f60fc" );document.getElementById("d2d9e305b5").setAttribute( "id" and website in this browser for the next time I comment Would you like to receive truly phenomenal inspirational and good thing stories right to your inbox Then subscribe to our weekly GoodThingsGuy newsletter today I accept GTG’s Privacy Policy GoodThingsGuy is the home of everything good and those are the things that really matter We believe that there is good news all around us and over 1 million readers a month agree with us GoodThingsGuy was officially launched on the 1 August 2015 in order to only promote good news inspirational stories and promote only positive multi-platform media company that distills unique content across multiple media platforms We consider individual and corporate contributions through the website or mail us directly here. Be sure you have your GPS enabled and try again a special lecture was given by Toku Oshima at Mombetsu Citizens’ Hall as a part of The 34th Okhotsk Sea & Polar Oceans 2019 Symposium events She supports our glacier and ocean research activities in Qaanaaq during summer She drives her boat for our ocean measurements in ice-covered fjords as well as she plays a central role in a workshop with local residents she introduced traditional hunting and crafts cultures in Greenland and presented her activities to maintain the traditions She stressed that traditional Greenlandic culture will be forgotten unless young people are educated and encouraged she volunteers for teaching the traditional Greenlandic culture to the next generation parents do not have enough time to teach how to make traditional clothes to their child This is the reason why I am teaching’’ she said Her strong message impressed more than 150 people in the hall Photograph of special lecture by Toku Ohshima Photograph of Ice Breaker Ship “Garinko Go” ▲ Page Top Link Copied!0DebateWhat if a 20-year-old pitcher could silence a lineup of Major League stars with nothing more than a quirky delivery and a baffling curveball That’s exactly what Keito Mombestu of the Hanshin Tigers did on Saturday afternoon In an exhibition game against the Chicago Cubs the Hanshin Tigers’ young lefty completely baffled some of the world’s best hitters The young lad delivered 5 perfect innings on just 59 pitches the Cubs were eager to see Tokyo and expected a battle with Japan’s top talents What they didn’t anticipate was Mombetsu’s flawless performance From the very first pitch, Mombetsu commanded the game. The slow curveballs looked like slow-motion spirals It wasn’t just about speed; Mombetsu’s ability to change the pace and throw pitches with such subtlety and deception baffled even the most experienced MLB hitters the players couldn’t do anything but exchange puzzled glances as the game went on and the Tigers were firmly in control of the game the Cubs were left to wonder just how they’d been so thoroughly dominated by a pitcher they had never seen before As Mombetsu’s masterclass on the mound left the baseball world in awe fans couldn’t stop buzzing about the young star Was it the youngster’s sheer brilliance or was there something deeper at play with Japan’s infamous ‘dead ball’ era he debate quickly became as electric as the Tokyo Dome itself and fans were eager to voice their thoughts As the dust settles after Mombetsu’s historic performance against the Chicago Cubs The reactions have been as fast and furious as the young pitcher’s curveballs What’s your perspective on:Did Mombetsu's curveball expose a weakness in MLB hitters some games become instantly iconic for the way one player takes over and Mombetsu’s five-inning masterpiece against the Cubs will likely be one of those moments usually capable of adjusting to various pitching styles simply couldn’t touch Mombetsu’s offerings The “dead ball” era of Japanese baseball has long been a subject of debate and Mombetsu’s performance only adds fuel to the fire His ability to dominate hitters without relying on overwhelming velocity speaks to the unique nature of NPB pitching “20-year-old Japanese pitcher perfect through 5 against an MLB lineup This performance is exactly why baseball fans know better than to bet on the sport. Mombetsu’s dominant outing against a powerhouse MLB lineup is the kind of unpredictable madness that makes the game so thrilling you think you’ve got a handle on the game -the next a 20-year-old rookie is putting on a masterclass “This further confirms my prediction that the Tigers will win their division.” Mombetsu’s dominance against the Cubs is just another reason to believe the Hanshin Tigers are primed for success this season and Mombetsu’s five perfect innings showcase the type of pitching depth that could propel them to the top of their division Whether it’s sparking debates about the future of Japanese pitching or fueling speculation about his MLB future, Mombetsu left a mark. His five-inning masterpiece against the Cubs isn’t just a highlight; it’s a statement. The baseball world is watching, and Mombetsu’s journey is only just beginning. 0 DebateWhat's Your Perspective OnDid Mombetsu's curveball expose a weakness in MLB hitters, or is he just that good? 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Full Spectrum Services LLP © 2025 | All Rights Reserved Link Copied!0DebateThe Chicago Cubs’ first game in Japan didn’t go as planned and a 20-year-old left-handed pitcher named Keito Mombetsu completely stole the show The Hanshin Tigers blanked the Cubs 3-0 at the Tokyo Dome in a preseason exhibition Cubs manager Craig Counsell didn’t sugarcoat it “He threw a lot of strikes,” Counsell said in a recent interview on Dodgers Blue Mombetsu did more than just throw strikes—he dominated The young southpaw faced 15 batters and retired all 15 putting together a perfect five-inning outing that had the Cubs completely out of sync but that was part of the problem for Chicago—he forced contact and nothing they hit was particularly dangerous with Miguel Amaya finally breaking up the perfect game in the sixth inning the lone Japanese player on the Cubs roster A third-inning RBI double from Koji Chikamoto off Caleb Thielbar got the scoring started Ukyo Maegawa doubled home Shota Morishita after Morishita had singled and stolen second playing with the kind of midseason form that Chicago lacked Of course, the Cubs had some built-in excuses. They had just arrived in Japan and were adjusting to the time difference They were also facing unfamiliar pitchers in an exhibition setting and they likely weren’t fully locked in yet But Counsell wasn’t interested in making excuses He said that they needed to make some corrections in their timing and showed optimism about getting adjusted What’s your perspective on:Did the Cubs underestimate Keito Mombetsu or was it just an off day for their hitters The Cubs have little time to regroup before their season opener against the Dodgers and fixing their offensive struggles will be a top priority which includes pitchers with more experience and better scouting reports They need to sharpen their timing and refine their approach at the plate Craig Counsell stressed the urgency of adjustments noting that the team will use the next few days to fine-tune their techniques and better prepare for tough competition to Japan was a development for the team; however the Cubs require more than just standout performances from individuals in order to triumph on the field The batters must focus on prolonging their at-bats by not swinging at pitches outside the strike zone and capitalizing on opportunities to make contact the Cubs can’t afford another flat offensive showing 0 DebateWhat's Your Perspective OnDid the Cubs underestimate Keito Mombetsu, or was it just an off day for their hitters? Are you sure you want to post this? We're asking people to rethink comments that seem similar to others that have been reported or downvoted this warning is a mistake Continue with Facebook Please use a standard web browser (like Safari, Chrome, Firefox, Edge) to log in with Google or Facebook. Social logins don’t work in some apps. or Enter your email address or username and we’ll send you a link to reset your password An email with a link to reset your password was sent to the email address associated with your account Please enter your email to complete registration Your account isn't active yet. We've emailed you an activation link. Please check your inbox and click the link to activate your account 0, text: success" style="display: none;"> For Bored Panda Members Only, Join Our Weekly Newsletter Yes, subscribe me to Bored Panda Weekly Newsletter! Continue × Join the Fun! Join 1.2 million Panda readers who get the best art, memes, and fun stories every week! You're on the list! Expect to receive your first email very soon! If there’s anything cuter than a seal it’s a seal with a plush version of itself an attraction in Japan’s Hokkaido district got a special present from the zoo staff – a plushie that looks just like the ‘mini me’ version of the seal We wonder if the seal thinks the toy is its baby One thing is for sure – this is cuteness overload More info: Mombetsu (h/t) Anyone can write on Bored Panda. Start writing! Follow Bored Panda on Google News! Follow us on Flipboard.com/@boredpanda! This lazy panda forgot to write something about itself. So cute ! but its sad , maybe its a female in a zoo who wants to have kids ? Audrey, I thought the same. Or maybe he/she is lonely. Either way, cute but sad. :( That's what it looked like to me, too Yup I´m pretty sure about this. Maybe she is pseudopregnant. Of course animals dream of motherhood. It´s an instinct. Something emotional, not mental. She is a He Ikr I doubt that animals can dream of motherhood Maybe just their instinct Do your research. Female animals in captivity have hysterical pregnancies. of course, these comments are highly influence by anthropomorphism Probably depends on the animal. From what we know, I don't think that seals would be mentally advanced enough, though I imagine that various dolphin and ape species in a community with mothers could feel such a thing if it's in their personality. It looks like an animal that should be in the sea and not at a Japanese amusement park. I agree. :) Instead of investing in zoos and captivities, people should invest in educational movies about animals for example That and rescue facilities. I've seen rescue facilities that have tours where people can go through them, like a zoo and see the animals they are healing and/or that are kept there because they are unable to be released back into the wild. because as we all know, zoos do absolutely no rescue work and apparently contribute nothing to conservation at large -_- Except for #Fukushima poisoning the oceans... He isn't alone in there, That's his injection day toy he is actually living with other seals..the zoo keepers must have just give him a gift for his birthday and he just loves it zoo = prison Sorry...but it is adorable....especially when all you see is the heartache & heartbreak with these preciousanimals At least...even maybe for a short time in his life That's better than nothing at all...don't you think look around...I guess what little comfort these critters get is better than nothing at all 4comments 25 points 0comments 18 points 0comments 21 points 1comment 27 points 5comments 30 points 3comments 18 points 3comments 27 points 3comments 21 points 12comments 36 points 1comment 19 points