The World-Renowned YAHAGI Arrives! Trainer Yoshito Yahagi Discusses the Path to 'Global Conquest'

〈For Media Personnel〉

Asahi Culture Center Co., Ltd., a group company of The Asahi Shimbun Company (President and CEO: Katsu Tsunoda), will host a talk event titled 'Trainer Yoshito Yahagi Discusses Japanese Horse Racing: A Challenge to the World' at its Shinjuku classroom on Friday, May 29, 2026. We will invite Yoshito Yahagi, a leading trainer of the Japan Racing Association (JRA), to talk about the appeal of Japanese horse racing. The interviewer will be Masanori Ariyoshi, a former Asahi Shimbun reporter who has covered the horse racing scene for over 40 years. Real-time and on-demand online streaming will also be available.

■ Asahi Culture Center: https://www.asahiculture.com/

■ Behind the Scenes of the Famous Races That Made Japanese Horse Racing Dreams Come True

This is a talk event by top trainer Yoshito Yahagi, known as 'World-class YAHAGI,' who has pushed Japanese horse racing onto the global stage. Trainer Yahagi has produced numerous famous horses, including the Triple Crown winner Contrail and Arima Kinen winner Lys Gracieux. His horse, Forever Young, achieved historic feats such as consecutive victories in the Saudi Cup, one of the world's highest-prize races, and a win at the Breeders' Cup Classic, considered the pinnacle of American horse racing, drawing significant attention and writing a new page in the history of Japanese horse racing.

At the talk event, we will delve into the 'racing philosophy' of Trainer Yahagi, who continues to fight on the world stage. He will talk extensively about the behind-the-scenes of numerous historic races, the experience gained from overseas expeditions, how Japanese horse racing has faced the world and increased its presence, the reasons for continuing to challenge at the forefront, his vision for the future of horse racing as a top trainer, and his thoughts entrusted to the next generation. The interviewer is Masanori Ariyoshi, a former Asahi Shimbun reporter who has covered the field for a long time. This is a valuable opportunity to hear directly from a master trainer. Please do not miss it.

■ Event Overview

Event Name: Trainer Yoshito Yahagi Discusses Japanese Horse Racing: A Challenge to the World

Date and Time: Friday, May 29, 2026, 19:00–20:30

Venue: Asahi Culture Center Shinjuku Classroom (10F, Shinjuku Sumitomo Building, 2-6-1 Nishi-Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo)

*Online streaming available (paid)

Participation Fee: [Asahi Culture Center Members] 4,290 JPY (tax included) / [General] 5,390 JPY (tax included) *Includes on-demand streaming

Capacity: [In-person] 100 people / [Online] 500 people

Organizer: Asahi Culture Center Shinjuku Classroom

Yoshito Yahagi: Born in Tokyo in 1961. His father was Kazuto Yahagi, a trainer at Oi Racecourse. He grew up in the stables at Oi Racecourse. After graduating from Kaisei High School, he entered the world of horse racing. After training in Australia, he joined the JRA Ritto Training Center in 1984. He passed the trainer exam on his 14th attempt in 2004. In 2025, his horse Forever Young won the Breeders' Cup Classic in the US and was selected as Horse of the Year. He has won the JRA Award for Most Winning Trainer five times and Most Money-Winning Trainer six times. He is called 'World-class YAHAGI' due to his many achievements overseas. His motto is 'Faith is power.'

Masanori Ariyoshi: Born in Fukuoka Prefecture in 1957. He started covering horse racing for a sports newspaper in 1982. After moving to The Asahi Shimbun in 1992, he continued to cover horse racing. In over 40 years of reporting, he has witnessed the birth of six Triple Crown winners. His books include '2133 Days of Oguri Cap' and 'The 5th Corner: Horse Racing Trivia Collection.'