Aomori Prefecture hosted the 2003 Asian Winter Games from 1 February to 8 February 2003. Approximately 1,200 athletes from 29 Asian countries participated in the games. Five venues across the prefecture held 51 different events. Aomori Prefecture is also slated to host the 80th National Sports Festival of Japan in 2025, though it is likely the event will be postponed for a year due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The prefecture has produced some professional athletes. Daisuke Matsuzaka, is a pitcher from the city of Aomori for the Saitama Seibu Lions of Nippon Professional Baseball who formerly pitched for the New York Mets and the Boston Red Sox. He was the winning pitcher for the Red Sox in Game 3 of the 2007 World Series in which Matsuzaka and the Red Sox would defeat the Colorado Rockies. Yoshisada Yonezuka from the town of Nakadomari was a martial arts instructor for USA Judo. He coached the team in the 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympics.