Suzu Hirose Interviews Rui Hachimura Courtside at Japan–Korea Basketball Friendly

On Sunday, August 16, 2026, actress Suzu Hirose served as TV Asahi’s basketball special booster during the network’s coverage of Japan’s men’s national team against South Korea at Ariake Arena in Tokyo. Midway through the first quarter, with Akatsuki Japan holding a lead, Hirose conducted an on-air courtside interview beside Rui Hachimura — who was resting from the game for conditioning but still appeared in front of the home crowd. The exchange, broadcast during the SoftBank CUP 2026 finale, quickly circulated across Japanese social media.

Editor’s note: This article draws on TV Asahi program materials, Sponichi Annex, Mainichi Shimbun, Sports Hochi, and Tokyo Sports coverage, August 15–16, 2026.

Hirose’s role as TV Asahi booster

TV Asahi named Hirose its special booster (SPブースター) for the two-game Japan–South Korea friendly set ahead of Window 4 of 2027 FIBA World Cup Asian qualifying. The network carried the August 16 rematch from 19:00 JST under the title Basketball Men’s National Team — Pre–World Cup Qualifier International Match: Japan × South Korea.

Before tip-off, Hirose told TV Asahi News she was eager to see how Hachimura’s NBA experience would blend with the national team’s chemistry. “I want people to feel, this is what Japanese basketball is right now,” she said, adding that home fans rarely get to see the Los Angeles Clippers forward in a Japan uniform. She called the Ariake matchup a rare chance to watch bold, physical play up close.

Broadcast detail	Information
Date	Sunday, August 16, 2026
Venue	Ariake Arena, Tokyo
Booster	Suzu Hirose
Commentary	Kei Igarashi (former Japan guard)
Play-by-play	Shunpei Terakawa (TV Asahi announcer)

Hirose attended the game in person and joined the broadcast team for in-arena segments throughout the night.

Courtside exchange with Hachimura

Hachimura had scored a game-high 22 points in Japan’s 88-68 win on Saturday, August 15 — his first national-team appearance in roughly two years and his first game in a Japan jersey on home soil in about five to six years. Coach Dai Oketani held him out of the August 16 lineup for load management, but Hachimura still warmed up pre-game and joined Hirose on the sideline during the first quarter while Japan led.

According to Japanese sports media accounts of the broadcast:

• Hirose remarked that Hachimura looked even bigger up close, drawing a wry smile from the forward.
• She asked how it felt to play in Japan again after so long away.
• Hachimura replied that while national-team duty had returned after two years, competing domestically felt like a much longer gap — and that he was glad to have played the night before.
• He added that the team understands how much fans’ support matters and that players must deliver responsible, accountable play.
• When Hirose said she “couldn’t help but cheer” at his three-pointers on August 15, Hachimura smiled again.
• Hirose closed by urging the squad to fight hard with all of Japan watching; Hachimura thanked her.

The segment aired while Yuki Kawamura — starting again with Hachimura resting — was steering Japan’s offense on the floor.

Game context

Japan completed a two-game sweep of South Korea with a 95-66 victory on August 16. Kawamura led all scorers with 24 points, six rebounds, and three assists, including four three-pointers. Ryusei Sasaki added 17 points on four-of-four shooting from beyond the arc.

Japan–Korea friendly results (August 2026)	Score
Game 1 — August 15	Japan 88, South Korea 68
Game 2 — August 16	Japan 95, South Korea 66

South Korea absorbed back-to-back losses by 20 and 29 points after edging Japan 81-79 in Goyang during qualifying play in July. For Japan, the series was a final tune-up before Window 4 opens later in August with road and home fixtures against Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

Hachimura’s courtside appearance kept the NBA star visible to the Ariake crowd even on a rest night — a programming choice that paired TV Asahi’s entertainment draw with the team’s biggest name.

Why the crossover resonated

Hirose, 28, is one of Japan’s most prominent film and television actors, with major credits including Our Little Sister and The Third Murder. TV Asahi has used celebrity boosters to broaden basketball’s audience beyond hard-core fans, and pairing her with Hachimura — Japan’s highest-profile basketball export — created a rare overlap between mainstream entertainment and the national team.

Japanese outlets noted the easy rapport between the two during the segment: Hirose’s enthusiasm for Hachimura’s shooting from the previous night, and his measured answers about representing Japan again. For a squad positioning itself as the strongest Japanese men’s team in a generation, the moment underscored how national-team basketball is now crossing into general pop culture — not only on the court, but on prime-time television.

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Discussion

1. Do celebrity boosters like Suzu Hirose help grow basketball’s audience in Japan, or distract from the sport itself?

TV Asahi framed Hirose as a bridge to casual viewers. Does a courtside interview with a resting star add value, or pull focus from the players actually competing?

2. Should a star resting for conditioning still take a prominent broadcast role during the game?

Hachimura’s sideline segment kept him in front of fans without minutes on the floor — useful for TV, but a different kind of exposure than playing.

Share whether moments like this make you more likely to follow Akatsuki Japan ahead of World Cup qualifying.

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