Yoshitaka Hara of the popular group "timelesz" attended the opening ceremony for the Volleyball Nations League 2026, a world volleyball tournament, held on June 4th at Akasaka Sacas Square (Minato Ward, Tokyo). Hara, who serves as a "supporter" for the tournament, engaged in a talk with men's players Yuki Ishikawa, Ran Takahashi, and Yuji Nishida.
When asked, "How do you switch between winning by bringing out the best in other players and going forward to score yourself?", Ishikawa, who serves as the captain of the Japanese men's national team, replied emphatically, "Rather than thinking of it as two separate things, I always have the mindset that I will score, and I want the players around me to think that way too. Rather than relying on one person, I want us to be a collective that is absolutely determined to score that one point."
Following that, Hara was asked, "How do you perceive your position within the group?" Hara replied, "I'm a behind-the-scenes supporter," and explained, "Instead of trying to be in the spotlight myself, I focus on helping the other members shine." However, he chuckled and added, "But the other members say I'm not a behind-the-scenes supporter, but rather someone who stirs things up in the spotlight."
During the ceremonial first pitch, Ishikawa's hit struck Hara directly. Although it was a soft hit, Hara fell to the ground, and Ishikawa apologized, saying, "I'm so sorry." Hara said, "It was an honor. He hit it so gently. Even though it was close, it was still powerful. I don't get opportunities like this often, so I'll put it in my treasure chest and take it home with me. It's a memory I'll cherish forever."
TBS will broadcast all men's and women's matches of the Japanese round of the "Volleyball Nations League 2026" starting July 8th. BS-TBS will broadcast all of Japan's men's and women's matches in the overseas rounds, which started on June 4th.
