FUNAI Electric and Boston Red Sox
Announce Year Two ofRed Sox US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange
US Youth to Visit Japan this summer
after kids from Japan visited Boston last year
For Immediate Release
July 6, 2009
BOSTON, MA - The Boston Red Sox and global electronic giant Funai today jointly announced thestart of Year Two of the Red Sox U.S.-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange. The program allows
youngsters from Japan and the United States to visit one another’s homelands and learn lessons oflife and culture through baseball.
Following last year’s exchange in which a dozen Japanese youngsters visited Boston, a dozen boys
from Boston will travel to Japan and participate in various baseball and cultural activities between
July 30 and August 11, 2009.
“Japan is a deeply respected member of Red Sox Nation and since the arrival of Daisuke Matsuzaka,
Hideki Okajima, and Takashi Saito, interest in Japan among our fans has grown exponentially,” said
Red Sox Chairman Tom Werner. “With this exchange program, we will be part of lifetransforming experience for children in Boston and Japan as they explore each other’s cultures
through their shared love of baseball.”Funai is the presenting sponsor of the Red Sox US-Japan Youth Baseball Exchange program,generously supporting this international youth athletics and cultural exchange program for two years
since 2008. This year Red Sox Foundation is happy to include Millennium: The Takeda Oncology
Company as supporting sponsor and Extra Innings in Watertown as in-kind sponsor for this program.
The Red Sox Foundation is the organizer of this unique exchange program with support by the Japan
Society of Boston.
“Boston’s connections to Japan are deep and long lived,” said Tomonori Hayashi, President &CEO of Funai Electric Co., Ltd., “This exchange will be a home run for everyone involved. It will
be a life changing experience for the children, and a great reminder of how much we can sharethrough terrific educational exchanges like this one, and through our shared beloved pastime ofbaseball.”
The Boston boys will also experience the many charms and cultural and educational attractions ofChiba, Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto -- Boston’s sister city, which in 2009 is celebrating the 50thanniversary of this remarkable international relationship. The boys also will also take part in a YouthBaseball Clinic at the Chiba Lotte Marines Academy, led by former Manager, Bobby Valentine andsee traditional and contemporary sites in Japan. The youngsters also will attend the legendary
Koshien High School Baseball Championship, the pinnacle of youth baseball in Japan, where during

the summer of 1998 at the age of 18, Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka powered Yokohama HighSchool to the championship with a no-hit performance in the final.
In Japan, the 12 day program will include baseball clinics and games with young Japanese teams of
the same age, and the opportunity to explore a variety of cultural and educational activities that will
help promote greater understanding between Japan and the United States and encourage a greaterappreciation of each other's traditions, history and customs. The Just as the Japanese boys stayedwith Boston host families last summer, the Boston boys will spend time with Japanese host families.
Participants in the Exchange program were selected not only on their baseball skills but theirdemonstrated interest in exploring other cultures. Young Bostonians are not only interested in theinternational sport of baseball, but are also curious about the world, have demonstrated leadershipcapacity and value the opportunity to foster international friendships.
Considered a national sport in both the US and Japan, baseball in recent years has provided auniquely effective cultural bridge between the two countries. The addition of Daisuke Matsuzaka,Hideki Okajima and Takashi Saito to the Red Sox roster, raised interest in Japan, its culture andcustoms among New Englanders virtually overnight. Likewise, the presence of these three superstars
on one American team underscores the interest Japanese youth have in American and in New
England in particular.
As was proven last year, this youth baseball exchange can be a life changing experience to all who
have a role in the program -- whether its the boys participating or the Japanese and American
families who host them.
For more information about this unique exchange program, which is sponsored by Funai andorganized by the Red Sox Foundation in association with the Japan Society of Boston, please visit
www.redsoxfoundation.org.
You can also see a video of last years program on YOU TUBE keywords "Red Sox Foundation" and"japan exchange" or at :http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AbkK4FaxWLE
OTHER QUOTES
Bobby Valentine, Manager Chiba Lotte Marines“I'm delighted that it's now our turn to host twelve young ballplayers from Boston here in Japan, which
has been my 'home country' for the past 5 years. I'm sure that these children will enjoy their visit as muchas I have enjoyed living here, and that the experiences and knowledge they gain here will continue tofoster the beautiful friendship between our two countries."
Daisaku Kadokawa, Kyoto Mayor“We are very pleased to participate in the second year of the Red Sox US-Japan Youth Baseball
Exchange Program commemorating the 50th Anniversary of the Sister City Relationship between our twogreat cities, Kyoto and Boston. As Boston Red Sox’s Daisuke, Okajima, Saito, and other Japanese players
in the MLB have proven, baseball has increased awareness between our respective cultures and bringing
our countries closer together. I hope that the twelve boys from Boston participating in this wonderfulexchange will use their skill and interest in baseball as a powerful communication tool in making new
friends and communicating with host family while in Japan. Kyoto, like Boston, is a vibrant, thriving cityrenowned for its history, education, culture and world heritage sites, as well as for the world’s leading
technology companies. I hope that the 12 participants will fully take advantage of the variety of eventsand opportunities offered to them as cultural ambassadors in Japan and enjoy the once in a lifetime
experience. I look forward to welcoming you all to Kyoto this summer!”

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ABOUT RED SOX FOUNDATIONThe official team charity, the Red Sox Foundation is committed to using the power of the Red Sox
fan base to improve health, educational and recreational and social service programs for children andfamilies in New England. A registered 501(c)3 charity, the Foundation was founded in 2002,
immediately after the group led by Principal Owner John Henry, Chairman Tom Werner, President
CEO Larry Lucchino and the team's partners bought the fabled franchise. With the support of fans,
NESN and through special fundraising events, the Red Sox Foundation has quickly become thelargest team charity in Major League Baseball. For more information, visit
www.redsoxfoundation.org.
ABOUT PRESENTING SPONSOR: Funai Electric Co., Ltd.
Founded by Mr. Tetsuro Funai, the company was established in 1961 in Osaka, Japan. Funai ElectricCo., Ltd. in Japan is engaged in development/design, manufacture, marketing and distribution ofaudio/visual products such as LCD TVs, DVD Recorders and Blu-Ray Disc Players. Funai now also
produces ink-jet/laser printers, digital still cameras, and IP/Wi-Fi phones. Funai has sites in Japan,Poland, Republic of China, and Thailand. For more information on Funai Group, please visit:
http://www.funaiworld.com.
Funai Corporation in the United States was established in 1970, as wholly-owned subsidiary of Funai
Electric Co., Ltd. Funai Corporation, Inc. was reorganized in May 1991, and is engaged in the import,
export, servicing, marketing and distribution of Funai products in order to serve customers acrossUnited States. For more information, please visit http://funai.us/.
ABOUT CONTRIBUTING SPONSOR: Millennium: The Takeda Oncology Company
Founded in 1993, Cambridge based Millennium is a biopharmaceutical company with an innovative
pipeline of novel molecules. In May 2008, Millennium was acquired by Japan based Takeda
Pharmaceutical Company Limited. Millennium is focused on oncology research and development.
For more information, please visit: http://www.millennium.com.
ABOUT IN KIND SPONSOR: Extra Innings, Watertown
Extra Innings’ mission is to improve the performance of baseball and softball players at all skill
levels and ages by providing high quality personal and group instructions. Extra Innings’
professional training facility in Watertown includes six indoor hitting & pitching tunnels, a fully
stocked pro shop, members training room, softball batting tunnels, and a birthday area. For more
information, please visit: http://www.extrainnings-watertown.com.
Contacts:
Red Sox Foundation
Meg Vaillancourt, Executive
Director
617-226-6614
megv@redsox.com

Boston Red Sox
Marty Ray, Manager, Public
Affairs617-226-6435
mray@redsox.com

Millennium
Karen Gobler, Director of
Corporate Communications
617-444-1392
Karen.Gobler@mpi.com

Extra Innings, Watertown
Dan Pill, owner617-393-3858
danpill@extrainningswatertown.com--RED SOX FOUNDATION--

Funai Corporation
Koshiro Hashimoto
201-727-4512
khashimoto@funaicorp.com