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Ichiro Suzuki still a big hit in Japan as he closes in on No. 3,000

As Ichiro Suzuki closes in on the 3,000-hit mark, the reaction in the United States and Japan couldn't be more dissimilar.

It's just another headline in America, competing with the opening of NFL training camps, baseball's trade deadline and preparations for next week's Olympics.

Meanwhile, it's one of the biggest sports stories in Japan, where Ichiro remains an icon who still merits daily coverage.

The 3,000-hit plateau is one of baseball's greatest milestones, with Suzuki closing in on becoming the 30th player to reach the mark. The only other active player on the list is Alex Rodriguez, who had 3,114 hits entering Saturday.