Japan manager Hirokazu Ibata named Yomiuri Giants slugger Kazuma Okamoto and Chunichi Dragons pitcher Hiroto Takahashi to his 28-man roster for November’s Premier12 tournament, while omitting the nation’s hardest-throwing pitcher, the Lotte Marines’ Roki Sasaki. “I have high hopes for the young players because it is important for Japanese baseball to continue to be strong,” Ibata told a Tokyo press conference. Ibata will also be without injured Yakult Swallows slugger Munetaka Murakami as Japan seeks to win its second straight championship in the postseason tournament. Murakami is currently su…