Japan baseball, softball federations launch historic new joint body for Baseball5, youth promotion
Baseball5 Japan will be in charge of the five-on-five version of baseball/softball in the country.
The Baseball Federation of Japan (BFJ) and the Japan Softball Association (JSA) have announced an historic cooperation to form a new joint national governing body dedicated to the five-on-five discipline of Baseball5. The blockbuster announcement was made at a press conference at the Meiji Jingu Gaien Indoor Baseball Field in Tokyo.
The two national governing bodies also revealed the new website and logo of Baseball5 Japan, the body in charge of the five-on-five version of baseball/softball in the country.
Japanese Hall of Famer and BFJ President Masatake Yamanaka said: "Both baseball and softball require various conditions to be met, such as the size of the stadium. We can start with 'Baseball 5' and then have them continue with baseball, softball, or even Baseball5 as it is. We would like to promote Baseball 5 as the third pillar.”
Former Women's Baseball World Cup MVP and certified WBSC Baseball5 instructor Ayako Rokkaku also attended the press conference.
Baseball5 Japan will be in charge of selecting the National Team representing Japan in official WBSC-sanctioned international Baseball5 competitions.
On the sidelines of the Olympics this summer, the WBSC partnered with The Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan's largest media conglomerate, to showcase Baseball5 in the Tokyo 2020 Fan Park sports experience zone. The WBSC five-on-five discipline attracted more than 3,000 people on the sidelines of the Paralympics, which ran from 24 August to 5 September, helping to pave the way for the historic establishment of Baseball5 Japan.
The launch of Baseball5 has been a boost to baseball and softball's international development, particularly within Africa and Europe. The inclusion of Baseball5 in the Youth Olympic Games for the first time at Dakar 2026 in Senegal, Africa, is testament to the growing popularity of the sport around the world.
