Yomiuri Giants manager Tatsunori Hara was named the recipient of the Matsutaro Shoriki Award on Thursday for his contributions to the development of Japanese baseball.
Receiving the accolade for the second time, Hara led Japan to its second consecutive World Baseball Classic title and Yomiuri to its third consecutive Central League pennant and first Japan Series crown in seven years.
Hara, who also won the Shoriki Award as the Giants manager when they took the Japan Series title in 2002, was unanimously chosen by the five-man selection committee.