Murakami, in his first year in the major leagues, participated in the ball game as a substitute. Along with his long-awaited return, big news spread throughout Japan and the United States. On the 10th (11th Japan time), it was announced that White Sox infielder Munetaka Murakami will participate in the All-Star Game. It was decided that Murakami would become the second Japanese player to participate in the Home Run Derby after pitcher Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers), and the topic of Murakami was widely covered in the US media.