Popular Japan high school baseball 'Spring Koshien' tourney to open 19 March

Popular Japan high school baseball 'Spring Koshien' tourney to open 19 March
11/03/2021
The nationwide event will showcase players considered by Samurai Japan for the U-18 National Team.

The invitational Spring Koshien, the national tournament organized by the Japan High School Baseball Federation, is set to open on 19 March at historical Hanshin Koshien Stadium.

Teams qualify for the tournament by participating in the regional fall tournaments, but it is up to the Japan High School Baseball Federation to determine invitees. The final number of participants is 32.

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The Summer Koshien, played in August, is the National High School Baseball Championship. A total of 49 teams qualify for the tournament through regional tournaments held in June and July. The 2020 edition was cancelled because of COVID-19 restrictions.

The 2021 Spring Koshien will showcase most of the players considered by Samurai Japan for the U-18 National Team.

According to reports by the local press, as many as 13 players appearing in the tournament have previous international experience. This includes pitchers Sota Inoue, Shuya Furukawa, Shunya Honda, catcher Reiya Saka and outfielders Asahi Hanada, Isshin Obata, who helped Japan to a fourth-place finish in the WBSC U-15 Baseball World Cup 2018.

The Baseball Federation of Asia (BFA) cancelled the XIII BFA U-18 Asia Baseball Championship. Japan earned its spot in the WBSC U-18 Baseball World Cup 2021 thanks to a third-place finish in the XII BFA U-18 Baseball Championship.

First place Korea and second-place Chinese Taipei will be the other two Asia representatives.


U-18 Baseball World Cup