NEW YORK — Hideki Matsui last played in the majors in 2012, but the international star still finds himself connected to the game.

Known as Godzilla during a 20-year career that spanned Japan, New York, California and Tampa Bay, Matsui is now doing what he can to give back to baseball at multiple levels. Speaking with Sporting News, he talked about retirement, working for the Yankees, transitioning to America and more.

The conversation has been edited for clarity and length. Answers were relayed by Roger Kahlon, Matsui’s interpreter.

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SPORTING NEWS: First off, congratulations on recently breaking Hideo Nomo’s record and becoming the youngest player inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame. How did you find out and what was your reaction?

HIDEKI MATSUI: Thank you very much. I actually received a phone from the Japanese Hall of Fame directly and they notified me of induction.

SN: Was this something you expected? Is there a lot of debate when it comes to the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame like there is in America?

HM: I had no expectations at all. I had heard through the media that I was eligible for the Hall of Fame. That was the extent. I really had no expectations. As far as the debate, it’s something that’s really beyond my understanding.

SN: You were obviously born and grew up in Japan, you played there for 10 years, you’re a star there. But you’ve been living in New York City and Connecticut with your wife and son. Why did you decide to live here and not back home in Japan?

HM: I ended my career here, I was here. We were expecting a baby at the time, so it was kind of the natural flow of events. We wanted to focus on our family once the baby was born. Before we knew, all the years had gone by and we’re still here.

SN: You’ve been retired for six years. Do you miss playing at all and how are you occupying your free time these days?

HM: I don’t really miss playing at the highest level, competing in the major leagues. That’s not something I really miss. I still enjoy playing baseball on a leisurely, casual basis. The love for the game is still there. As far as how I spend my time, I work as a special adviser for the Yankees, so I go around to minor league teams and share my knowledge and expertise. Aside from that, I just spend time with my family.

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SN: I wanted to ask you about the special adviser role. What does that entail and what have you learned from it being on the front-office side of things?

HM: My focus has been Double-A and Triple-A. So I go to the games, I work with the coaches, I observe the players and offer whatever feedback I can provide with hopes of helping the players. I also watch the games and how the players approach the game. Anything I can pick up and then provide feedback that I feel will help players is what I focus on. I also report back to [Yankees general manager] Brian Cashman with the progress of those players. As far as being in the front office, I don't think my perspective of baseball has really changed much. Even though I'm on the front-office side, I think that mindset of wanting to do whatever is necessary to help the ballclub is still the same. The context and my responsibilities may be different, but that mindset hasn’t really changed.

SN: What’s it like working with Brian Cashman?

HM: My primary duty is to report back to him on the progress and status [of players], and it's only on a periodic basis. There's not a whole lot to it. It's interesting because as a player, I always interacted with him on a regular basis… Having known him since my playing days, he’s very easy to work with.

SN: When you talk about the progress and feedback regarding these players, are you talking about off the field? Are you giving them pointers on their swings? What does that look like?

HM: It’s primarily two things: hitting mechanics and their approach to the game. So those are the things I watch and provide feedback to the player and the coach.

SN: Over the years we’ve seen more and more Japanese players make the transition to America. You were one of, if not the, first former Japanese players to hold a front-office position. With that in mind, do you feel there is enough Japanese representation in MLB front offices as more players make the switch?

HM: It’s hard to say. I could see that as players come here and sort of relay their experience back to Japan, I could see a lot of value there that could help Japanese baseball. As far as more players coming here and then staying here and eventually representing the ballclubs, it’s hard for me to say because that’s really up to the individual whether they decide to stay or if that opportunity is even there.

SN: On that note, let’s talk about Shohei Ohtani. Have you had a chance to see him play at all? What are your expectations for him on the mound and at the plate?

HM: I’ve watched him a little bit on TV. I’ve watched clips of him, so I really don’t have much knowledge about him, but he’s played five years in Japan and he’s come over here. There’s definitely a lot of expectations from fans around what he can do, what he’s going to do, what he’s able to do, how he’s going to be able to perform here. There seems to be enormous expectations for him, but no one really knows how well he’s going to perform here. That’s something to be seen.

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SN: Now, you do know a little bit about Mike Scioscia and the Angels. You spent some time with them at the end of your career. What can Ohtani expect from his new team and manager?

HM: As far as I know, the people that were there with the Angels at the time when I played, a lot of them are still there. So he’s with a good ballclub, he’s surrounded by a great support environment, the Angels have a great fan base, so from my experience, I think he made a really great choice in signing with the Angels.

SN: Take me back to when you first came over from Japan. Is there anything you wish you knew back then or advice you would give to Ohtani and other Japanese players making the same transition?

HM: I can look back at myself when I first came to the majors and, based on experiences that I had, give advice that would apply to me. But I don’t know if that advice would apply to him. It’s hard to say because he’s a different type of player. He’s not just a hitter, he’s also a pitcher. There are things I learned looking back that I wish I had known, but I don’t know if that sort of advice would apply to him. There are things that even though people tell you about it, you really won’t understand and have a feel for it until you experience it.

SN: What were those things that you wish you had known or been better prepared for?

HM: My advice would really be about baseball because that’s the primary focus. Everything that would lead to better results.

SN: When you came over, you weren’t just on a new team, but in a new city and country. The people around you didn’t speak the same language. How difficult of an adjustment was that for you and how did you overcome some of the cultural challenges?

HM: Personally, I don’t think I really struggled that much with the adjustment. I was single at the time, so there weren’t many things I needed to be concerned about. As long as I eat and get some sleep, that was pretty much the extent of my concerns. I may have been fortunate with the city I played in, New York.

SN: Why do you say that?

HM: Just New York offers a lot options in terms of Japanese food, there’s a Japanese community here, people who speak Japanese. So it wasn’t an isolated environment. There was a lot of options, so I was able to express myself in that sense, which made the transition a lot easier.

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SN: Now, you also had your own press contingent following you around, too. Other Japanese stars like Ichiro, Yu Darvish and Masahiro Tanaka are in the same boat. Ohtani is, as well, now. How did you handle that constant media attention?

HM: For me it was a normal thing to have a following like that. The amount of media was much larger when I was in Japan. The difference was that that media following focused not just on me, but the team when I was in Japan.

SN: You said being in New York City offered you an abundance of Japanese culture. What about when it came to communicating with your teammates and coaches. Did you have any trouble there?

HM: Obviously, I couldn’t directly communicate with my teammates, but it wasn’t something that was entirely necessary. Once you get on the field, it’s baseball. We all play baseball and that’s a universal language. It’s not like we need to be talking to each other, per se. Fortunately, I was surrounded by great teammates and great coaching staffs. Communication wasn’t really an issue.

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SN: There’s been so much talk lately about ways to improve baseball, both on and off the field. Is there anything MLB could borrow from Nippon Professional Baseball that you think would work?

HM: My focus has been on working with children, because the baseball population has been dwindling in Japan. So that’s something I’ve been really focused on. I haven’t actually thought much about how Major League Baseball can be improved.

SN: Why do you think that is regarding the Japanese baseball population?

HM: Well, the actual population has been dwindling in recent years, so I think that’s contributing to it. And compared to my time, when I was young, almost everyone was playing baseball. Nowadays, there are a lot more different sports that are available in Japan. So I think it’s those two reasons.

SN: It seems like you’ve made it a point to stay involved in the game since retiring. Do you see yourself continuing to work within baseball and why is that something you want to do?

HM: I don’t really have a specific vision or plan going forward. I enjoy what I do. Baseball is something I have a lot of appreciation of what it’s given me, so I feel like I want to give back in some capacity.