Samurai Japan Baseball5 name roster for Asia Cup

The Japanese Baseball5 National Team, a programme managed by the Baseball Federation of Japan (BFJ) and the Japan Softball Association (JSA), will be officially known as Samurai Japan Baseball5.

World No. 6 Japan will compete in the second Baseball5 Asia Games, scheduled from 13 to 16 April in Seoul, Korea.

Manager Kenta Wakamatsu and coach Mizuki Nakahama announced the eight-player (four men and four women) roster for the event: Ayano Kazuta, Shun Mikami, Harutomo Tsuji, Takuya Shima, Saki Kiyahara, Meiko Karaki, Taichi Motoike and Ayako Rokkaku.

Japan finished second in the inaugural WBSC Baseball5 World Cup but didn't qualify for last year's Youth Baseball5 World Cup.

"We finished second in the first Baseball5 Asia Cup," commented Wakamatsu. "This time, we aim to become the Asian Champions, qualifying for the Baseball5 World Cup.

"Each team is improving, and we will need to go one game at a time. I hope everybody will be able to enjoy Baseball5 on the world stage," the manager said.