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Japan national baseball team
Japan national baseball team
Information
Country	Japan
Federation	Baseball Federation of Japan
Confederation	Baseball Federation of Asia
Manager	Hirokazu Ibata
WBSC ranking
Current	1 (27 November 2024)
Highest	1 (8 times; latest in December 2021)
Lowest	3 (December 2012)
Uniforms
World Baseball Classic
Appearances	6 (first in 2006)
Best result	1st (3 times, most recent in 2023)
Olympic Games
Appearances	6 (first in 1992)
Best result	1st (1 time, in 2020)
WBSC Premier12
Appearances	2 (first in 2015)
Best result	1st (1 time, in 2019)
World Cup
Appearances	15 (first in 1972)
Best result	2nd (1 time, in 1982)
Intercontinental Cup
Appearances	15 (first in 1973)
Best result	1st (2 times, most recent in 1997)
Asian Games
Appearances	7 (first in 1994)
Best result	1st (1 time, in 1994)
Asian Championship
Appearances	25 (first in 1954)
Best result	1st (17 times, most recent in 2017)

The Japan national baseball team (野球日本代表, Yakyū Nippon Daihyō or Yakyū Nihon Daihyō), also known as Samurai Japan (侍ジャパン), is the national team representing Japan in international baseball competitions. It won the World Baseball Classic in 2006, 2009, and 2023 as well as WBSC Premier12 in 2019. The team is currently ranked 1st in the world by the World Baseball Softball Confederation and is a baseball powerhouse.^[1]

The team has participated in every Summer Olympic Games since the first demonstration tournament in 1984, through when baseball was discontinued following the 2008 Beijing Games. Until 2000, the team was made up exclusively of amateur players. Since the 2000 Summer Olympics, the team has been composed of players from Nippon Professional Baseball. The team that played in the 2006 World Baseball Classic included Japanese players from Major League Baseball as well.

The team won the 2006 Classic. It played at the Beijing Olympics in 2008, as it had qualified through the Asian Baseball Championship in 2007. Unlike the WBC roster, the Olympic team was composed exclusively of NPB players (though it included one amateur player, who was drafted during the tournament's progress). Japan participated in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, finishing third.

Team Japan won the 2019 WBSC Premier12 Tournament. At the Olympics in 2021 it faced Israel, Mexico, South Korea, the United States, and the Dominican Republic, and won gold. At the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Japan was able to defeat the defending champion United States to become the champions. Their 2023 win was their third World Baseball Classic championship, and have the most championships.

Current roster

Japan – 2024 WBSC Premier12 roster

Players

Coaches

Pitchers

Catchers

Infielders

Outfielders

Manager

89 Hirokazu Ibata

Coaches

Nickname

The team has been nicknamed "Samurai Japan" (侍ジャパン).^[2] Like other national teams in Japan, the nickname is usually prefixed with the surname of the manager. However, in the 2009 World Baseball Classic, the team used Samurai, a symbol of Japan's history, instead of Hara, the surname of their manager. In 2012, it was adopted officially.

Results and fixtures

The following is a list of professional baseball match results currently active in the latest version of the WBSC World Rankings, as well as any future matches that have been scheduled.^[3]

Legend

Win Lose Void or postponed Fixture

2019

Friendly	March 9	Mexico	4–2	Japan	Kyocera Dome, Japan
			Boxscore

Friendly	March 10	Mexico	0–6	Japan	Kyocera Dome, Japan
			Boxscore

Friendly	August 28	Japan	15–2	France	Hall de Saint-Exupery, France
			Boxscore

Friendly	August 30	Japan	22–0	France	Gymnase Maréchal, France
			Boxscore

Friendly	August 31	Japan	15–5	France	Templiers Stadium, France
			Boxscore

Friendly	September 1	Japan	6–7	France	Templiers Stadium, France
			Boxscore

Friendly	September 1	Japan	18–8	France	Templiers Stadium, France
			Boxscore

Asian Championship GS	October 15	Japan	2–0	Chinese Taipei	Douliu Stadium, Taiwan
	18:30 TST		Boxscore

Asian Championship GS	October 16	Hong Kong	0–15 (F/5)	Japan	Taichung Field, Taiwan
	18:30 TST		Boxscore

Asian Championship GS	October 17	Sri Lanka	0–15 (F/5)	Japan	Taichung Field, Taiwan
	12:00 TST		Boxscore

Asian Championship SR	October 18	China	1–11 (F/7)	Japan	Taichung Stadium, Taiwan
	12:00 TST		Boxscore		Attendance: 346

Asian Championship SR	October 19	South Korea	3–11	Japan	Taichung Stadium, Taiwan
	12:00 TST		Boxscore		Attendance: 362

Asian Championship F	October 20	Chinese Taipei	5–4	Japan	Taichung Stadium, Taiwan
	18:30 TST		Boxscore

WBSC Premier 12 GS	November 5	Venezuela	4–8	Japan	Taoyuan Stadium, Taiwan
	18:00		Boxscore		Attendance: 3,868

WBSC Premier 12 GS	November 6	Puerto Rico	0–4	Japan	Taoyuan Stadium, Taiwan
	18:00		Boxscore		Attendance: 4,209

WBSC Premier 12 GS	November 7	Japan	8–1	Chinese Taipei	Taichung Stadium, Taiwan
	18:30		Boxscore		Attendance: 20,465

WBSC Premier 12 SR	November 11	Australia	2–3	Japan	ZOZO Marine Stadium, Japan
	19:00		Boxscore		Attendance: 17,819

WBSC Premier 12 SR	November 12	United States	4–3	Japan	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	19:00		Boxscore		Attendance: 27,827

WBSC Premier 12 SR	November 13	Mexico	1–3	Japan	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	19:00		Boxscore		Attendance: 31,776

WBSC Premier 12 SR	November 16	South Korea	8–10	Japan	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	19:00		Boxscore		Attendance: 44,224

WBSC Premier 12 F	November 17	South Korea	3–5	Japan	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	19:00		Boxscore		Attendance: 44,960

2021

2020 Summer Olympics GS	July 28	Dominican Republic	3–4	Japan	Azuma Stadium, Japan
	12:00 JST	LP: Jairo Asencio	Boxscore	WP: Ryoji Kuribayashi

2020 Summer Olympics GS	July 31	Japan	7–4	Mexico	Yokohama Stadium, Japan
	12:00 JST	WP: Masato Morishita Sv: Ryoji Kuribayashi HR: Tetsuto Yamada (1), Hayato Sakamoto (1)	Boxscore	LP: Juan Pablo Oramas HR: Joey Meneses (1)

2020 Summer Olympics R2	August 2	United States	6–7 (F/10)	Japan	Yokohama Stadium, Japan
	19:00 JST	LP: Edwin Jackson HR: Triston Casas (2)	Boxscore	WP: Ryoji Kuribayashi HR: Seiya Suzuki (1)

2020 Summer Olympics SF	August 4	South Korea	2–5	Japan	Yokohama Stadium, Japan
	19:00 JST	LP: Go Woo-suk	Boxscore	WP: Hiromi Itoh Sv: Ryoji Kuribayashi

2020 Summer Olympics F	August 7	United States	0–2	Japan	Yokohama Stadium, Japan
	19:00 JST	LP: Nick Martinez	Boxscore	WP: Masato Morishita Sv: Ryoji Kuribayashi HR: Munetaka Murakami (1)

2022

Haarlem Week GS	July 8	Japan	1–0	Curaçao	Mulier Stadium, Netherlands
	15:30 CET		Boxscore

Haarlem Week GS	July 9	United States	0–1 (F/8)	Japan	Mulier Stadium, Netherlands
	13:00 CET		Boxscore

Haarlem Week GS	July 10	Cuba	3–4	Japan	Mulier Stadium, Netherlands
	19:30 CET		Boxscore

Haarlem Week GS	July 12	Japan	9–0	Italy	Mulier Stadium, Netherlands
	12:00 CET		Boxscore

Haarlem Week GS	July 13	Netherlands	0–5	Japan	Mulier Stadium, Netherlands
	19:30 CET		Boxscore

Haarlem Week SF	July 14	Netherlands	2–1	Japan	Mulier Stadium, Netherlands
	19:30 CET		Boxscore

Haarlem Week 3rd	July 15	United States	5–1	Japan	Mulier Stadium, Netherlands
	14:00 CET		Boxscore

Friendly	November 9	Australia	1–8	Japan	Sapporo Dome, Japan
			Boxscore

Friendly	November 10	Australia	0–9	Japan	Sapporo Dome, Japan
			Boxscore

2023

World Baseball Classic GS	March 9	China	1–8	Japan	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	19:00 JT	LP: Wang Xiang (0–1)	Boxscore	WP: Shohei Ohtani (1–0) HR: Shugo Maki (1)	Attendance: 41,616 Umpires: HP – Stu Scheurwater, 1B – Cuti Suarez, 2B – Ben May, 3B – Delfin Colon

World Baseball Classic GS	March 10	South Korea	4–13	Japan	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	19:00 JT	LP: Kwang-hyun Kim (0–1) HR: Yang Eui-ji (2), Park Kun-woo (1)	Boxscore	WP: Yu Darvish (1–0) HR: Kensuke Kondo (1)	Attendance: 41,629 Umpires: HP: Laz Díaz, 1B: Stu Scheurwater, 2B: Delfin Colon, 3B: Cuti Suárez

World Baseball Classic GS	March 11	Czech Republic	2–10	Japan	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	19:00 JT	LP: Ondřej Satoria (0–1)	Boxscore	WP: Rōki Sasaki (1–0) Sv: Hiroya Miyagi (1) HR: Shugo Maki (2)	Attendance: 41,637 Umpires: HP: Ben May, 1B: Ramon De Jesus, 2B: Cuti Suárez, 3B: Fabrizio Fabrizzi

World Baseball Classic GS	March 12	Japan	7–1	Australia	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	19:00 JT	WP: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1–0) HR: Shohei Ohtani (1)	Boxscore	LP: Will Sherriff (0–1) HR: Alex Hall (1)	Attendance: 41,664 Umpires: HP – Pat Hoberg, 1B – Cuti Suárez, 2B – Adam Hamari, 3B – Chan-Jung Chang

World Baseball Classic QF	March 16	Italy	3–9	Japan	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	19:00 JT	LP: Joe LaSorsa (0–1) HR: Dominic Fletcher (1)	Boxscore	WP: Shohei Ohtani (2–0) HR: Kazuma Okamoto (1), Masataka Yoshida (1)	Attendance: 41,723 Umpires: HP – Pat Hoberg, 1B – Laz Díaz, 2B – Delfin Colon, 3B – Cuti Suárez

World Baseball Classic SF	March 20	Japan	6–5	Mexico	LoanDepot Park, United States
	19:00 ET		Boxscore

World Baseball Classic F	March 21	United States	2–3	Japan	LoanDepot Park, United States
	19:00 ET	LP: Merrill Kelly (0–1) HR: Trea Turner (5), Kyle Schwarber (2)	Boxscore	WP: Shōta Imanaga (1–0) Sv: Shohei Ohtani (1) HR: Munetaka Murakami (1), Kazuma Okamoto (2)	Attendance: 36,098 Umpires: HP – Lance Barksdale, 1B – John Tumpane, 2B – Edward Pinales, 3B – Ramiro Alfaro, LF – Jong Chui Park, RF – Quinn Wolcott

2024

Friendly	March 6	Europe	0–5	Japan	Kyocera Dome, Japan
	19:00 JT	LP: Tom de Blok	Boxscore	WP: Kaima Taira	Attendance: 27,698

Friendly	March 7	Japan	2–0	Europe	Kyocera Dome, Japan
	19:00 JT	WP: Yumeto Kanemaru Sv: Atsuki Taneichi	Boxscore	LP: Markus Solbach	Attendance: 25,379

Friendly	November 9	Czech Republic	1–7	Japan	Vantelin Dome, Japan
	19:06 JT	LP: Jan Tomek	Boxscore	WP: Hiroto Saiki	Attendance: 33,758

Friendly	November 10	Japan	9–0	Czech Republic	Vantelin Dome, Japan
	19:08 JT	WP: Takahisa Hayakawa	Boxscore	LP: Ondřej Satoria	Attendance: 23,223

WBSC Premier 12 GS	November 13	Australia	3–9	Japan	Vantelin Dome, Japan
	19:00 JT	LP: Lewis Thorpe	Boxscore	WP: Haruto Inoue	Attendance: 30,691

WBSC Premier 12 GS	November 15	South Korea	3–6	Japan	Taipei Dome, Taiwan
	18:00 NST	LP: Do-Kyu Kwak	Boxscore	WP: Chihiro Sumida Sv: Taisei Ota	Attendance: 20,028

WBSC Premier 12 GS	November 16	Japan	3–1	Chinese Taipei	Taipei Dome, Taiwan
	18:00 NST	WP: Hiroto Saiki Sv: Taisei Ota	Boxscore	WP: Po-Ching Cheng	Attendance: 34,882

WBSC Premier 12 GS	November 17	Cuba	6–7	Japan	Tianmu Baseball Stadium, Taiwan
	18:00 NST	LP: Liván Moinelo	Boxscore	WP: Tatsuya Shimizu Sv: Shōma Fujihira	Attendance: 4,955

WBSC Premier 12 GS	November 18	Japan	11–3	Dominican Republic	Tianmu Baseball Stadium, Taiwan
	18:00 NST	WP: Haruto Inoue	Boxscore	LP: Héctor Pérez	Attendance: 2,572

WBSC Premier 12 SR	November 21	United States	1–9	Japan	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	19:00 JT	LP: Darrell Thompson	Boxscore	WP: Chihiro Sumida	Attendance: 25,428

WBSC Premier 12 SR	November 22	Venezuela	6–9	Japan	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	19:00 JT	LP: José Álvarez	Boxscore	WP: Haruto Inoue	Attendance: 33,300

WBSC Premier 12 SR	November 23	Chinese Taipei	6–9	Japan	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	19:00 JT	LP: Po-Ching Cheng	Boxscore	WP: Koki Kitayama	Attendance: 41,674

WBSC Premier 12 F	November 24	Chinese Taipei	4–0	Japan	Tokyo Dome, Japan
	19:00 JT	WP: Yi Chang	Boxscore	LP: Shosei Togo	Attendance: 41,827 Umpires: Angel Campos

Regional competition

Asian Baseball Championship

Japan have dominated the Asian Baseball Championship since its inception, and have competed in every year. Japan have never missed out on placing in the top 3 in any tournament, and is the only team to have achieved this feat. Japan also holds the record for most consecutive Asian Championships, having won four times in a row on two occasions.

Asian Games

In all four Asian Games to include baseball, Japan have placed in the top 3 in every tournament, though they have only won the tournament once in the first event held in Hiroshima in 1994.

International competition

World Baseball Classic

2006

Japan won the inaugural 2006 World Baseball Classic, defeating Cuba in the Final.

2006 WBC roster

2009

Japan also won the 2009 World Baseball Classic, hosting the Pool A games in the Tokyo Dome. Japan started the tournament opener with a 4–0 win over China. Japan then secured advancement into the second round with a 14–2 win in seven innings over arch-rival South Korea. The game was shortened due to the WBC's mercy rule. Japan then played South Korea again to determine seeding for the second round. In the rematch, the Koreans shut out Japan 1–0, making Japan advance as the Pool A runner-up. In Pool 1 of the WBC quarter-finals, Japan defeated Cuba 6–0, but lost to Korea again 4–1. In the elimination match that followed, Japan secured a spot in the semi-finals with a 5–0 win over Cuba. Japan defeated South Korea in the Finals 5–3 partly because of an Ichiro Suzuki base hit in the 10th inning.

2009 WBC roster

2013: The end of the championship streak

Japan, the two-time world defending champions, entered the 2013 World Baseball Classic, hosting Pool A games in the Fukuoka Dome, facing off against Cuba, China, and newcomers Brazil. Despite their first loss against the Cuban team, they secured their position for the second round in 2013 World Baseball Classic Pool 1 to face off the Netherlands and Chinese Taipei. The Japanese team narrowly won against Chinese Taipei 4–3, before proceeding to face off against the Dutch team, winning against them twice before proceeding to the semi-final round, along with the Netherlands, as they faced off against Puerto Rico. Despite Japan's efforts, they eventually lost 3–1 against the Puerto Rican team right after Alex Ríos scored two additional runs from a home run. Japan finished third in the 2013 WBC, as their two-time championship streak ended. The Japanese team bowed out to both the crowd and the Puerto Rican team as a gesture of respect.

2013 WBC roster

2017

In the 2017 World Baseball Classic, Japan hosted Pool B games in the Tokyo Dome. They finished first round play with a 3–0 record and advanced to the second round.^[4] After batting .364, outfielder Yoshitomo Tsutsugoh was named the Pool B MVP.^[5] In the second round, Japan hosted Pool E games in the Tokyo Dome and again finished pool play with a 3–0 record, advancing to the championship round. However, Japan lost to the United States 2–1 in the semifinal. They finished the tournament in third place. Pitcher Kodai Senga was named to the All-World Baseball Classic Team.

2017 WBC roster

Olympic Games

2008

2008 Summer Olympics roster

2021

Baseball was featured at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in Tokyo, for the first time since the 2008 Summer Olympics.^[6] Six national teams are competing in the tournament: Israel, Japan (host), Mexico, South Korea, the United States, and the Dominican Republic. It will be held from July 28 to August 7, 2021.^[7]

2020 Summer Olympics roster

Baseball World Cup

Intercontinental Cup

Premier12 Tournament

2015

Team Japan came in third in the 2015 WBSC Premier12 Tournament.

2019

Team Japan won the 12-team 2019 WBSC Premier12 Tournament, which was held from November 2 to 17, 2019.^[8]

International tournament results

World Baseball Classic

World Baseball Classic record							Qualification record
Year	Round	Position	W	L	RS	RA	W	L	RS	RA
2006	Final	1st	5	3	60	21	No qualifiers held
2009	Final	1st	7	2	50	16	No qualifiers held
2013	Semifinal	3rd	5	2	44	27	Automatically qualified
2017	Semifinal	3rd	6	1	47	24	Automatically qualified
2023	Final	1st	7	0	56	18	Automatically qualified
Total	3 titles	5/5	30	8	257	106	-	-	-	-

Olympic Games

Summer Olympics record							Qualification
Year	Round	Position	W	L	RS	RA	Qualification
1964	Exhibition only		0	1	2	6	No qualifiers held
1984	Finals	1st ^[a]	4	1	33	11	Invited
1988	Finals	2nd ^[a]	4	1	27	17	1984 Summer Olympics
1992	Bronze Match	3rd	6	3	70	22	1991 Asian Baseball Championship
1996	Finals	2nd	5	4	77	59	1995 Asian Baseball Championship
2000	Bronze Match	4th	4	5	42	29	1999 Asian Baseball Championship
2004	Bronze Match	3rd	7	2	60	23	2003 Asian Baseball Championship
2008	Bronze Match	4th	4	5	36	28	2007 Asian Baseball Championship
2020	Gold Match	1st	5	0	25	15	Qualified as hosts
Total ^[b]	6/6		31	19	310	176

^ ^a ^b No medals awarded; tournament was a demonstration sport only
^ Totals only include years 1992 to 2008 and 2020, during which baseball was an official medal sport.

WBSC Premier 12

Year	Round	Position	W	L	%	RS	RA
2015	Semifinals	3rd	7	1	.875	54	22
2019	Finals	1st	7	1	.875	52	24
2024	Finals	2nd	8	1	.889	63	33
Total	2 Titles	3/3	22	3	.880	169	79