The , also known as , is the national team representing Japan in international baseball competitions. It won the World Baseball Classic in 2006, 2009, and 2023, as well as the WBSC Premier12 in 2019. The team is currently ranked 1st in the world by the World Baseball Softball Confederation.
Japan is the only country to have participated in every edition Summer Olympic Games since it was first officially added to as a medal sport in 1992, through the last regular tournament at the 2008 Beijing Games and its return in 2020 Tokyo Games (the team also appeared in the demonstration tournaments of 1964, 1984, and 1988). Until 2000, the team was made up exclusively of amateur players. Since the 2000 Summer Olympics, the team has included players from Nippon Professional Baseball. The team that played in and won the 2006 World Baseball Classic included Japanese players from Major League Baseball as well. The team played in the Beijing Olympics in 2008, as it had qualified through the 2007 Asian Baseball Championship. 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.
Samurai Japan won the 2019 WBSC Premier12 Tournament. At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, 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.
Team Japan began the 2026 World Baseball Classic tournament's Pool C play on March 6, 2026, by defeating Chinese Taipei 13âÂÂ0.
The team has been nicknamed . 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.
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.
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.
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.
Japan won the inaugural 2006 World Baseball Classic, defeating Cuba in the Final.
Japan also won the 2009 World Baseball Classic, hosting the Pool A games in the Tokyo Dome. Japan started the tournament opener with a 4âÂÂ0 win over China. Japan then secured advancement into the second round with a 14âÂÂ2 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 1âÂÂ0, making Japan advance as the Pool A runner-up. In Pool 1 of the WBC quarter-finals, Japan defeated Cuba 6âÂÂ0, but lost to Korea again 4âÂÂ1. In the elimination match that followed, Japan secured a spot in the semi-finals with a 5âÂÂ0 win over Cuba. Japan defeated South Korea in the Finals 5âÂÂ3 partly because of an Ichiro Suzuki base hit in the 10th inning.
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 4âÂÂ3, 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 3âÂÂ1 against the Puerto Rican team right after Alex RÃÂos 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.
In the 2017 World Baseball Classic, Japan hosted Pool B games in the Tokyo Dome. They finished first round play with a 3âÂÂ0 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 3âÂÂ0 record, advancing to the championship round. However, Japan lost to the United States 2âÂÂ1 in the semifinal. They finished the tournament in third place. Pitcher Kodai Senga was named to the All-World Baseball Classic Team.
In the 2023 WBC, Japan again hosted Pool B games in the Tokyo Dome, going undefeated in four games with a 38âÂÂ0 run differential. Shohei Ohtani was named the most valuable player of the pool. In the quarterfinals, Japan hosted Italy and won 9âÂÂ3. 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 5âÂÂ3 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 Murakami for a 6âÂÂ5 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.
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.
Japan came in third in the 2015 WBSC Premier12 tournament.
Japan won the 12-team 2019 WBSC Premier12 tournament, which was held from November 2 to 17, 2019.
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 Shà Âgo Sakakura, second baseman Kaito Kozono, and outfielder Shà Âta Morishita.