TOKYO -- Even the prime minister found time to praise Ichiro Suzuki.

Suzuki, who won seven batting titles in Japan and then left to play in America, was selected as the AL MVP on Tuesday. Last week, he won the AL Rookie of the Year award.

"That's incredible, but that's Ichiro for you," Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Wednesday at his official resident.

Suzuki's former coaches and Japanese baseball officials reacted with pride after the Seattle outfielder took another trophy.

"To have him win the Rookie of the Year and MVP awards is really something," commissioner Hiromori Kawashima said. "He proved himself with his hitting and speed in the majors and I hope he continues to excel next season."

Kenichiro Kawamura, who coached Ichiro when he played for the Orix BlueWave, said he expects more great seasons to come.

"I'm looking forward to seeing how he plays in the next few years as he gets more and more used to the majors," he said.

Suzuki narrowly edged Oakland's Jason Giambi in MVP balloting by the Baseball Writers' Association of America.

The Seattle outfielder received 11 first-place votes and 289 points while Giambi had eight first-place votes and 281 points.

Last week, Suzuki received 27 out of 28 first-place votes in balloting for the AL Rookie of the Year. He became the first player to win both awards since Fred Lynn of the Boston Red Sox in 1975.

"It's an incredible achievement," said Hisashi Yamada, who manages the Central League's Chunichi Dragons. "I have a lot of respect for him, not only as friend but as a baseball person."

Suzuki led the major leagues with a .350 average and 56 stolen bases. His 242 hits were a rookie record and the most for anyone since Bill Terry's 254 for the 1930 New York Giants.