SoftBank Hawks right-hander Nao Higashihama will return to active duty on Wednesday after three weeks on the sidelines to start Game 1 of the Pacific League Climax Series.

Higashihama tied for the Pacific League lead with 16 wins, but hasn't pitched on the first team since Sept. 23 due to lower back stiffness. In the meantime, however, he has been tuning up in instructional league games.

"I'll trust in my teammates and I try to put my soul into each and every pitch," he said Tuesday at Yafuoku Dome, a day before he is slated to pitch against the Rakuten Eagles.

"They have that core of foreign batters, and they can hit. You can't give them an opening. You just to focus on the one batter in front of you."

Higashihama's return is good news for the Hawks, who will be without one of their MVP candidates, center fielder Yuki Yanagita. Offsetting that loss somewhat is the presence of captain Seiichi Uchikawa, who was out for nearly two months due to injury before returning at the end of September.

Because the Hawks' starting rotation was beset by injuries for much of the season, SoftBank's starting rotation posted a less-than stellar 3.86 ERA this season, ranking them ninth in Nippon Professional Baseball. But with Higashihama's return, manager Kimiyasu Kudo's rotation will be close to full strength, while his bullpen, with record-setting closer Dennis Sarfate at the business end, was by far the best in NPB.

Although the Hawks went 5-7 in their 12 games this season against Rakuten at Yafuoku Dome, SoftBank begins the series, with a one-win advantage and will advance to the Japan Series if it is tied after six games.