# Japan national baseball team

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.
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 and again when it returned in Tokyo. 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 defeated the defending champion United States to become the champions. Their 2023 win was their third World Baseball Classic championship, the most championships for any country.

## Nickname

The team has been nicknamed "Samurai Japan" (侍ジャパン). 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.

### Legend

Win  Lose  Void or postponed  Fixture

### 2025
#### World Baseball Classic record by opponent

Japanese World Baseball Classic record by opponent :
| Opponent | Tournaments met | W-L record | Largest victory | Largest victory | Largest defeat | Largest defeat | Current streak |
| Opponent | Tournaments met | W-L record | Score | Tournament | Score | Tournament | Current streak |
| Australia | 2 | 2–0 | 7–1 | Japan 2023 | – | – | W2 |
| Brazil | 1 | 1–0 | 5–3 | Japan 2013 | – | – | W1 |
| China | 5 | 5–0 | 18–2 (F/8) | Japan 2006 | – | – | W5 |
| Chinese Taipei | 2 | 2–0 | 14–3 (F/7) | Japan 2006 | – | – | W2 |
| Cuba | 4 | 5–1 | 6–0 | United States 2009 | 6–3 | Japan 2013 | W2 |
| Czech Republic | 1 | 1–0 | 10–2 | Japan 2023 | – | – | W1 |
| Israel | 1 | 1–0 | 8–3 | Japan 2017 | – | – | W1 |
| Italy | 1 | 1–0 | 9–3 | Japan 2023 | – | – | W1 |
| Mexico | 2 | 2–0 | 6–1 | United States 2006 | – | – | W2 |
| Netherlands | 2 | 3–0 | 16–4 (F/7) | Japan 2013 | – | – | W3 |
| Puerto Rico | 1 | 0–1 | – | – | 3–1 | United States 2013 | L1 |
| South Korea | 3 | 5–4 | 14–2 (F/7) | Japan 2009 | 4–1 | United States 2009 | W3 |
| United States | 4 | 2–2 | 9–4 | United States 2009 | 4–3 | United States 2006 | W1 |
| Overall | 5 | 30–8 | Against China | Against China | Against Cuba | Against Cuba | W7 |
| Overall | 5 | 30–8 | 18–2 (F/8) | Japan 2006 | 6–3 | Japan 2013 | W7 |

## 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. After batting .364, outfielder Yoshitomo Tsutsugoh was named the Pool B MVP. 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
#### 2023

In the 2023 WBC, Japan again hosted Pool B games in the Tokyo Dome, going undefeated in four games with a 38–0 run differential. Shohei Ohtani was named the most valuable player of the pool. In the quarterfinals, Japan hosted Italy and won 9–3. According to the Nikkan Sports, 48 percent of all households in Japan watched the game, making it the most watched Samurai Japan game ever, beating the previous record set during the pool game against South Korea six days earlier.
After traveling to the Miami, Japan faced Mexico in the semifinal. Thanks to a home run robbery and double from Randy Arozarena, Mexico led 5–3 after the top of the eighth inning. Japan scored once in the bottom of the eighth, then two decisive runs in the bottom of the ninth on a double by Munetaka Murakamifor a 6–5 win. In the championship, Japan beat the United States, with Ohtani striking out his then-MLB teammate Mike Trout to end the game. Ohtani was named the tournament MVP and the DH and a pitcher on the all-WBC team. Outfielder Masataka Yoshida was also selected to the all-WBC team.

##### 2023 WBC roster
### Olympic Games
#### 2021

Baseball was featured at the 2020 Summer Olympics, in Tokyo, for the first time since the 2008 Summer Olympics. 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.

##### 2020 Summer Olympics roster
### Premier12 Tournament
#### 2015

Japan came in third in the 2015 WBSC Premier12 tournament.

#### 2019

Japan won the 12-team 2019 WBSC Premier12 tournament, which was held from November 2 to 17, 2019.

#### 2024

Japan hosted the 2024 WBSC Premier12 tournament, with some group stage games held at the Vantelin Dome Nagoya and the Super Round and medal games held in the Tokyo Dome. After going undefeated in all five Group B games and all three Super Round games, Japan lost in the championship game to Chinese Taipei, finishing second in the tournament. Three players made the All-World team, catcher Shōgo Sakakura, second baseman Kaito Kozono, and outfielder Shōta Morishita.

## International tournament results
### World Baseball Classic

| World Baseball Classic record | World Baseball Classic record | World Baseball Classic record | World Baseball Classic record | World Baseball Classic record | World Baseball Classic record | World Baseball Classic record | Qualification record | Qualification record | Qualification record | Qualification record | Qualification record |
| Year | Round | Position | W | L | RS | RA | W | L | RS | RA |
| 2006 | Final | 1st | 5 | 3 | 60 | 21 | No qualifiers held | No qualifiers held | No qualifiers held | No qualifiers held |
| 2009 | Final | 1st | 7 | 2 | 50 | 16 | No qualifiers held | No qualifiers held | No qualifiers held | No qualifiers held |
| 2013 | Semifinal | 3rd | 5 | 2 | 44 | 27 | Automatically qualified | Automatically qualified | Automatically qualified | Automatically qualified | Automatically qualified |
| 2017 | Semifinal | 3rd | 6 | 1 | 47 | 24 | Automatically qualified | Automatically qualified | Automatically qualified | Automatically qualified |
| 2023 | Final | 1st | 7 | 0 | 56 | 18 | Automatically qualified | Automatically qualified | Automatically qualified | Automatically qualified | Automatically qualified |
| 2026 | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | To be determined | Automatically qualified | Automatically qualified | Automatically qualified | Automatically qualified |
| Total | 3 titles | 6/6 | 30 | 8 | 257 | 106 | - | - | - | - |

### Olympic Games

| Summer Olympics record | Summer Olympics record | Summer Olympics record | Summer Olympics record | Summer Olympics record | Summer Olympics record | Summer Olympics record | Qualification |
| Year | Round | Position | W | L | RS | RA | Qualification |
| 1964 | Exhibition only | Exhibition only | 0 | 1 | 2 | 6 | No qualifiers held |
| 1984 | Finals | 1st | 4 | 1 | 33 | 11 | Invited |
| 1988 | Finals | 2nd | 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 | 6/6 | | 31 | 19 | 310 | 176 | |
* 1 2 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 |

### Baseball World Cup

| 1972 : 4th 1976 : 3rd 1978 : 4th 1980 : 3rd | 1982 : 2nd 1984 : 4th 1986 : 5th 1988 : 4th 1990 : 5th 1994 : 3rd | 1998 : 5th 2001 : 4th 2003 : 3rd 2005 : 5th 2007 : 3rd 2009 : 10th 2011 : 12th |

### Intercontinental Cup

| 1973 : 1st 1975 : 2nd 1977 : 3rd 1979 : 2nd 1981 : 6th 1985 : 3rd | 1987 : 3rd 1989 : 2nd 1991 : 2nd 1993 : 3rd 1995 : 2nd | 1997 : 1st 1999 : 3rd 2002 : 5th 2006 : 4th 2010 : 5th |

### Asian Baseball Championship

| 1954 : 2nd 1955 : 1st 1959 : 1st 1962 : 1st 1963 : 2nd 1965 : 1st 1967 : 1st 1969 : 1st 1971 : 2nd | 1973 : 1st 1975 : 2nd 1983 : 2nd 1985 : 1st 1987 : 2nd 1989 : 2nd 1991 : 1st 1993 : 1st 1995 : 1st | 1997 : 2nd 1999 : 2nd 2001 : 3rd 2003 : 1st 2005 : 1st 2007 : 1st 2009 : 1st 2012 : 1st 2015 : 3rd | 2017 : 1st 2019 : 2nd 2023 : 1st |

### Far Eastern Championships

| 1913 : 1st 1915 : 2nd 1917 : 1st 1919 : 2nd 1921 : 2nd | 1923 : 2nd 1925 : 2nd 1927 : 1st 1930 : 1st 1934 : 2nd |