Direct answer: The most recent Japanese player widely recognized as an MVP in major professional leagues is Shohei Ohtani, who has won MVP honors in MLB multiple times (American League MVP in 2021 and National League MVP in 2024). If you meant a different MVP award (e.g., a specific league's MVP or a youth/college award), please specify which league or tournament you have in mind and I can tailor the answer. Does this refer to MLB, or another Japanese player MVP in a different competition or year?