Yakult Swallows player-manager Atsuya Furuta signed a new contract with Yakult Swallows yesterday. No surprises there, it’s his 18th year with the club. What will raise eyebrows, though, is that he accepted a 75% pay cut!

Next year, his playing salary will be ¥60 million - a ¥180 million reduction (though he’ll still take an additional ¥100 million yen for being manager).

Furuta’s reaction to the news was rather more graceful than you might expect.

“I was surprised when I first saw their initial offer, which had an 80 percent decrease, but it seems rational because I don’t think I deserved the money with what I did as a player last year.”