Ohtani's disgraced ex-interpreter cut from Japan textbook

TOKYO: Shohei Ohtani's disgraced former interpreter will be removed from a school textbook that had celebrated his work, a Japanese publisher said on Thursday (Jun 20).

Ippei Mizuhara this month pleaded guilty in the United States to stealing nearly US$17 million from the Los Angeles Dodgers megastar, his long-time friend.

In the textbook for students aged 14-15 studying English, pages titled "People Who Support Success" feature a short conversation about Mizuhara's role.

The pages were illustrated with a photo of Ohtani and Mizuhara sitting next to each other smiling.

Prosecutors accused Mizuhara of taking the money from the Major League Baseball player's bank account to finance an "insatiable appetite" for illegal sports gambling.

Since the scandal that erupted in March "we've decided to replace that part", publisher Kyoiku Shuppan said in a statement.

Its request to revise the textbook has been approved by the education ministry, the company said.

The conversation included lines such as, "He helps (Ohtani) fit in with the team and supports his private life" and said how Mizuhara was "Most Valuable Interpreter".

Mizuhara will be replaced in the book by Yoshiteru Nishi, a chef who worked for Japan's football team.