Japan wins World Baseball Classic title

Mar 22, 2023 | News On Japan

Mar 22, 2023 (NHK) - Japan has won the World Baseball Classic for the third time, beating the defending champion United States 3 to 2 in the final. It's their first title since 2009.

Japan trailed by one run in the second inning when Murakami Munetaka tied the score with a towering homerun. It was his first of the tournament. Japan tacked on another run in the inning to take the lead.

Okamoto Kazuma added some insurance in the fourth with a solo home run of his own. Japan's bullpen protected the lead, limiting the US to just one run through the 8th.

Japan's two-way star, Ohtani Shohei, took the mound in the 9th. He struck out his Los Angeles Angels teammate Mike Trout for the final out.

Japan finished the tournament undefeated and Ohtani was named the Most Valuable Player.

Typhoon No. 7 (Mekkhala) Intensifies as It Tracks Toward Japan

Typhoon No. 7 (Mekkhala) was continuing north with very strong intensity as of 6 p.m. on June 22, with forecasters warning that a rainy-season front already stalled near Japan and a newly formed tropical depression to the south could combine to increase the risk of heavy rain in western and eastern Japan while making the typhoon’s track after the weekend highly uncertain. The immediate concern is not only the typhoon itself, but the way its warm, moist air is expected to interact with the rainy-season front near Japan. Even if the main body of the storm remains some distance away, moisture drawn northward around the typhoon could flow into the front and make rain clouds more active, creating conditions for heavy rain or prolonged rainfall.

Japan Moves to Ease Thinner Shortage as Naphtha Shock Hits Builders

Japan will begin a new system on June 23 to sell paint and thinner directly from manufacturers to construction firms and other businesses, aiming to ease supply bottlenecks and curb price increases as worsening conditions in the Middle East make such materials harder to obtain.

Three Bear Cubs Seen Climbing Tree Putting Town on Alert

Three bear cubs were spotted climbing a tree in Hirogawa, Wakayama Prefecture, on the morning of June 22, prompting the town to put up warning signs and call on residents to stay alert, although no injuries or damage have been reported.

Risk Of Major Mosquito Outbreak This Summer

Mosquitoes are appearing earlier than usual this year, raising fears of a major summer outbreak as experts warn that warm May weather and repeated light rain have created ideal breeding conditions across residential areas.

Bears Growing More Aggressive in June and July

Bear attacks and sightings are increasing across Japan, with multiple people injured on June 17 and experts warning that bears are becoming more accustomed to human environments, potentially leading to more dangerous and unpredictable encounters in the years ahead.

MEDIA CHANNELS

MORE Sports NEWS

Japan Crush Tunisia 4-0 to Move Closer to World Cup Knockout Stage

Japan delivered their strongest performance of the World Cup so far with a 4-0 victory over Tunisia in Monterrey on June 21, moving to four points in Group F and putting themselves in a strong position to reach the knockout stage ahead of their final group match against Sweden.

Japan Finds Unexpected Support in Monterrey

Japan will face Tunisia in its second match of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on June 21 in Monterrey, a northern Mexican city known for its mountains, modern skyline and unexpectedly strong connections with Japan.

Japan Arrives In Monterrey For Tunisia Match On June 21

Japan's national soccer team arrived in Monterrey, Mexico, after holding a mostly closed training session near Nashville, Tennessee, on June 18 as it prepares for a key Group F match against Tunisia on June 20 local time, or June 21 in Japan, at Monterrey Stadium.