Japan's media are ready for today's arrival

MESA, Ariz. -- With Cubs right fielder Kosuke Fukudome set to hit camp today, the Japanese media are ready.

A host of reporters from Japan are at Fitch Park, and they're a friendly lot. One custom they seem to enjoy is exchanging business cards with American reporters.

As I was walking into Fitch Park on Thursday morning, I was stopped by a TV producer-director.

"Hello, my name is Takako Nakamichi," she said. "You can call me T."

Carlos Zambrano owns the letter Z, but T is all yours, T.

Welcome aboard.

Later, the overseas media surrounded Cubs pitching coach Larry Rothschild, asking about reliever Shingo Takatsu, who's in camp as a nonroster man.