Article: Baseball's Effect on Japan-United States Relations

[Maddie Landis]

With the Japan Series beginning tomorrow, a look at how baseball has shaped and deepened the ties between Japan and the US.

Walt Whitman, the preeminent American poet (and, briefly, baseball beat reporter) wrote, “I see great things in baseball. It's our game - the American game. It will repair our losses and be a blessing to us.” Whitman’s sentiments ring true - at least for the nineteenth century, when baseball was a provincial sport played in small rural towns. Today, baseball is a global sport. The World Baseball Classic features teams from six of the seven continents (Antarctica has thus far stubbornly declined to participate). Players hail from all over the world. The global spread of the United States' national pastime has benefited no country more than Japan. Baseball is a diplomatic tool in US-Japan relations, strengthening economic ties and fostering cultural unity through a shared love of the game.

Despite his perceived inability to speak English, Shohei Ohtani, a foreign-born Japanese baseball player, is the face of MLB. His two-way skill set distinguishes him from virtually every other player in baseball’s history. After inking a record-breaking 10-year $700-million contract with the Dodgers, he capped his historic 50-50 season with a World Series ring. He’s a symbol of national pride. Since joining MLB in 2018, he’s inspired a wave of Japanese players to join Major League Baseball.

• 2019: Yusei Kikuchi, signed with the Mariners
• 2022: Seiya Suzuki signed with the Cubs 
• 2023: Kodai Senga signed with the Mets, Masataka Yoshida signed with the Red Sox

• 2024: Yoshinobu Yamamoto signed with the Dodgers, Yuki Matsui signed with the Padres, Shoto Imanaga signed with the Cubs, Shintaro Fujinami signed with the A’s
• 2025: Rōki Sasaki signed with the Dodgers, Tomoyuki Sugano signed with the Orioles, Kōyō Aoyagi signed with the Phillies, Shinnosuke Ogasawara signed with the Nationals

These players have found success in America. Kodai Senga and Shoto Imanaga played as rookies in the All-Star Game and garnered the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award votes. Despite declining birth rates in Japan, the country continues to produce star-caliber baseball players. Munetaka Murakami, who broke the Nippon League’s single-season home run record in 2022, is expected to be posted in 2026. 

Ohtani’s influence extends beyond the baseball diamond. It usually takes some time to realize returns on long-term investments, but Ohtani’s contract is already paying dividends for the Dodgers, drawing Japanese sponsorships and increasing merchandise sales, viewership, and attendance. Justin Barnum of Forbes reported: “In 2024, the Dodgers added 12 Japanese-based partners and a total of $70 million in incremental sponsorship revenue thanks to the 30-year-old superstar, according to research firm SponsorUnited”. Below is an updated list of Dodgers partnerships with Japanese companies.

Company	Partnership Announced	Company	Partnership Announced
All Nippon Airways	April 1, 2024	THK	May 9, 2024
Toyo Tires	April 5, 2024	Yakult	May 16, 2024
Kowa Company	April 8, 2024	Tsukiji Gindaco	May 20, 2024
Daiso	April 22, 2024	AFEELA	June 25, 2024
Kanzai Center	April 25, 2024	ITO EN Ltd.	January 23, 2025
Kosé Corporation	April 29, 2024	Nokaido Shuzou Company	February 19, 2025
Kinishota Group	May 2, 2024	Hakkaisen Brewery Company	March 13, 2025

The Dodgers are very nearly leading the league in promotional giveaways, holding 21 different bobblehead nights, while the  the Red Sox only have eight total giveaway days . Japanese companies Kinoshita, Toyo Tires, and All Nippon Airways are listed as sponsors for multiple Dodgers giveaways.

Approximately 97% of Ohtani's $700 million contract is deferred, meaning the Dodgers only pay him $2 million annually. The aforementioned incremental sponsorship revenue essentially paid for his salary and provided additional revenue for the team. After the conclusion of Ohtani’s contract, the remaining $680 million will be paid out at $68 million annually from 2034 to 2043, effectively making Ohtani's contract function as a defined benefit pension plan. Most of us could retire and live comfortably with $2 million alone. However, Ohtani earns $100 million annually in endorsements.

Japanese sponsorship isn’t limited to the Dodgers. According to SportsUnited’s Marketing Partnerships Across North American Sports 2024 report, total team-sponsorship revenue increased 16% year-over-year, totaling $1.84 billion, with $300 million in new sponsorship revenue. MLB surpassed the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLS in new sponsorship revenue. Leading the charge in 2024, Japanese companies signed 25 new sponsorships. These deals not only broaden their exposure but help promote baseball worldwide.

Outside of Dodger Stadium, Japanese sponsorship’s presence is evident in backstop advertisements. Whenever Ohtani is on the mound or in the batter’s box at an away stadium, backstop ads display Japanese companies. During the first at-bat of Ohtani’s historic 50-50 game, you could see Cygames’ logo featured prominently behind him:

Ohtani has led the league in jersey sales in both of the last two years. His Dodgers jersey set a new Fanatics record for the highest sales within 48 hours of its release. Prominent Japanese artist, Takashi Murakami recently collaborated with MLB for a special clothing collection to commemorate the 2025 MLB Tokyo Series. Ohtani’s Kanji Murakami jersey reportedly sold out within an hour after the drop. It’s currently listed at $480 on StockX, almost double its $250 asking price. Given the success of the Murakami collaboration, future merchandise collaborations with other Japanese artists seem likely. Personally, I’d love to see a Kenji Yanobe cat-themed installation installed somewhere in the Chavez Ravine. 

The 2024 World Series set global viewership records. Ohtani garnered attention to the World Series in Japan and the first two games yielded about 15.2 million Japanese viewers, a new Japanese record. Meanwhile, viewership in the US averaged 13.9 million viewers for the first two games. Total US viewership jumped 67% from the previous year. Much to the chagrin of diehard fans, Fox’s World Series Broadcast featured an omnipresent Shohei Ohtani graphic:

The graphic was designed for casual fans attracted to Ohtani’s presence in the World Series, making it practical for those watching the games solely for him. Whether people like it or not, it benefitted the sport as viewership increased domestically and internationally. The Dodgers led the league in both home and road attendance by a wide margin in 2024. Their average home attendance was 48,657 fans per game, surpassing the Yankees, the second-highest team by 6,761 fans. On the road, the Dodgers' average attendance in 2024 increased to 36,253, up from 32,291 in 2023. Their 2024 road attendance exceeded the 2024 average home attendance of 25 teams.

Japan is the largest foreign investment source in the United States. Foreign direct investment (FDI) has grown 50% since 2018, amounting to $783 billion in 2023. Coincidentally, Shohei Ohtani moved from the NPB to MLB in 2018. 

Chart courtesy of the Japan External Trade Organization’s report on Japan’s US Investment Dynamic

FDI is cited as a key factor in the growth of the tourism industry. Following the launch of the “US-Japan Tourism Year” in November 2023, 2.7 million Americans visited Japan in 2024, marking an increase of 33% from the previous year. In 2022, 597,330 Japanese tourists visited the United States. In 2024, the United States welcomed 1,843,879 Japanese tourists, indicating a substantial 309% growth in just two years. 

Ohtani is recruiting droves of Japanese tourists to Los Angeles. In a CNN article, Adam Burke, the president and CEO of Los Angeles Tourism, said, “In 2023, LA welcomed 230,000 visitors from Japan which was a 91.7% increase from 2022.” Los Angeles Tourism’s website has a Japanese translation to accommodate Japanese tourists. Little Tokyo, a forgotten Los Angeles neighborhood, has been revitalized by lifelong Dodgers fans and tourists interested in Japanese culture. The Dodgers host stadium tours in Japanese, and Dodger Stadium sells several Japanese food options including takoyaki, sushi, chicken katsu, and tempura. Food promotes cross-cultural exchanges in a fun and accessible way that transcends language barriers. A young American-born Dodgers fan could be introduced to Japanese culture through a simple takoyaki dish at a Dodgers game. Trying traditional Japanese street food broadens culinary horizons and creates an opportunity to engage with and gain appreciation for a different culture. 

Japan leverages soft power through cultural diplomacy to strengthen its reputation, disseminating Japanese culture throughout the world. Compared to Baby Boomers and Gen X, Japanese culture is consumed heavily among Millennials and Gen Z. Baby Boomers and Gen X’s parents were directly impacted by World War II. Memories of Japan’s wartime atrocities resonate among these groups, who had a more personal connection to the war through firsthand accounts from relatives who fought in it. America's post-war sentiments emphasized Japan as a defeated enemy, marred by atomic bombs in retribution for its wartime atrocities. In comparison, Millennials and Gen Z grew up with a generational divide from World War II. Their views of Japan are shaped heavily by cultural exports, including anime, video games, technology, and superstar athletes.

Baseball is a nerdy sport with ever-evolving new analytical metrics for fans and players to obsess over. Statistics aside, nerd culture permeates clubhouses. Formerly a niche interest, anime has become increasingly popular among professional athletes. Mariners star centerfielder Julio Rodríguez is an outspoken fan of Naruto. Yankees infielder Jazz Chrisholm has custom Naruto and Black Clover cleats. Quinn Priester watches Dragon Ball Z. Dylan Cease, Pete Fairbanks, Matt Strahm, and Rhys Hoskins all collect Pokémon cards. In perhaps one of the nerdiest crossovers of 2024, Topps released anime-style baseball cards in its Bowman Series. Fiften to 20 years ago, professional athletes embracing their nerdy hobbies might’ve raised some eyebrows, but assumptions about the demographics of geeky interests and hobbies have changed. 

The Japanese are often credited with the ability to make things better. They emphasize continuous improvement in all facets of life. You can’t help but admire the Japanese demand for excellence and high standards. During the quarterfinals of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Yuma Akatsu caught Shohei Ohtani’s first World Baseball Classic home run and graciously shared the ball with nearby fans who politely returned to him. If you head east across the Pacific, home run possession often brings out the worst in fans.

Fans also noticed that the floor of Samurai Japan's dugout at LoanDepot Park wasn't covered in the usual layer of detritus:

 

 

You also can find various compilations of Shohei Ohtani picking up trash on YouTube.

It’s apparent that Japan is the market MLB is the most comfortable with. Over half of the league’s international national games have been played in Japan. This week the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs will open the 2025 season with the two-game Tokyo Series at the Tokyo Dome. This marks the sixth Opening Day played in Japan. The series highlights five Japanese superstars - Shoto Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki for the Cubs and Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Rōki Sasaki for the Cubs. MLB recently released a promo video with the popular anime series “Demon Slayer”: 

Japan’s relationship with the United States must remain intact. Baseball has helped build strong economic ties between Japan and the United States. It breaks barriers, facilitates positive cultural exchanges, and creates domestic and international communities. Baseball embodies American ideals and has at times acted as a catalyst for social change. Groundbreaking technological advancements are highlighted in games. Baseball impacts the economy, creating jobs and fueling tourism. Contemporary globalized society is reflected in the diversity of its players. Japanese superstars support baseball. MLB must maintain and continue to build upon its global partnerships, otherwise it might become an obsolete sport.

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[DaveDee]

Fantastic article, Maddy. The US-Japan cultural exchange of baseball is one of sports best endeavors. Its great to see something that started in the early 1900s, with baseball's barnstorming tours of Japan, leading up to the most significant one in 1934, continue to flourish. Also, during WW2 there was some backlash to Japanese baseball on both sides, with some Americans feeling that Japan shouldn't be playing "their game," and some Japanese feeling they should be repudiating the game of the enemy as well, but there was a formal reintroduction of the game post-war, which lead to the creation of the NPB. So much history tied up in the game. Great article, informative and fun to read! Thanks for writing it.