News On Japan

Japan wins World Baseball Classic title

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.

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Large Typhoon No. 25 was moving northwest over waters south of Japan at 3 p.m. on September 19 and is forecast to strengthen as it approaches Kanto and the Izu Islands from September 20 through September 21, bringing the risk of torrential rain, violent winds and further damage in areas still recovering from last year's typhoon.

A black bear has been spotted near one of the most popular hiking trails on Mount Takao in western Tokyo, prompting authorities to urge visitors to take precautions ahead of the five-day Silver Week holiday and the approaching autumn foliage season.

Starbucks is considering selling a majority stake in its Japanese business, potentially valued at as much as $3 billion, or about 470 billion yen, as the U.S. coffee chain seeks to concentrate management resources on its struggling North American operations.

Japan's Halloween Jumbo Lottery went on sale nationwide on September 16, offering a combined top payout of 400 million yen for the first prize and its adjacent-number prizes.

A new top-tier "Supreme Class" offering fully private compartments above the level of Green Car service will debut on the Tokaido and Sanyo Shinkansen on October 1, with passengers able to experience the new seating at a demonstration booth at Shin-Osaka Station.

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