LAUSANNE, Switzerland – The opening game of the World Baseball Softball Confederation-sanctioned international softball series between world’s No. 1 Japan and No. 2 United States attracted a record softball crowd of 31,448 fans to the iconic Tokyo Dome, reinforcing the sport’s rapid growth and its universal appeal.

TOKYO – Japan defeated USA, 5-1, in front of 31,448 fans at the Tokyo Dome in a battle of the top ranked women’s national teams in the world. This is the first time a softball event has been held at the historic facility as both teams make their final preparations for the 2016 WBSC Women’s World Championship next month in Surrey, Canada.

The WBSC today welcomed the announcement by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board to support the inclusion of baseball and softball among a new sports package for the 2020 Olympic Games Tokyo.

TOKYO — Japanese baseball icon and sports hero Sadaharu Oh was selected to reveal the new official emblem of the XXXII Olympiad in Tokyo.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland — The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) today joined players and leadership from leagues around the world in welcoming the landmark decision by the hosts of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to propose adding baseball and softball among five new sports for the Games in 2020.

TOKYO — The World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) concluded a two-day interview from 7-8 August in the Japanese capital with Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games organisers to outline the viability and potential value added to the Tokyo 2020 Games with baseball and softball, Japan’s national sport, included.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland – World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) President Riccardo Fraccari today welcomed the news that men’s baseball and women’s softball have been included on the shortlist of additional sports (events) being evaluated by Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games organisers for potential inclusion at the 2020 Games.

LAUSANNE (Switzerland) – World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) President Riccardo Fraccari today welcomed the news that men’s baseball and women’s softball have been included on the shortlist of additional sports (events) being evaluated by Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games organisers for potential inclusion at the 2020 Games.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland – The president of the World Baseball Softball Confederation, Riccardo Fraccari, today announced that the world governing body has submitted an official proposal to the Tokyo Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (TOCOG) for the addition of men’s baseball and women’s softball at the 2020 Games.

With the international sporting calendar now firmly focused on 2015, the WBSC continues to campaign for possible inclusion in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, boosted by the endorsement late last year of the IOC’s popular Olympic Agenda 2020 reforms, paving the way for Tokyo Olympic Games organisers to nominate one or more extra sporting events for the Tokyo 2020 Olympiad.