Japan national baseball team
| Japan national baseball team | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Information | |||
| Country | Japan | ||
| Federation | Baseball Federation of Japan | ||
| Confederation | WBSC Asia | ||
| Manager | Hirokazu Ibata | ||
| WBSC ranking | |||
| Current | 1 (31 December 2025) | ||
| Highest | 1 (8 times; latest in December 2021) | ||
| Lowest | 3 (December 2012) | ||
| Uniforms | |||
| |||
| Olympic Games | |||
| Appearances | 6 (first in 1992) | ||
| Best result | 1st (1 time, in 2020) | ||
| World Baseball Classic | |||
| Appearances | 6 (first in 2006) | ||
| Best result | 1st (3 times, most recent in 2023) | ||
| WBSC Premier12 | |||
| Appearances | 3 (first in 2015) | ||
| Best result | 1st (1 time, in 2019) | ||
| World Cup | |||
| Appearances | 15 (first in 1972) | ||
| Best result | 2nd (1 time, in 1982) | ||
| Intercontinental Cup | |||
| Appearances | 15 (first in 1973) | ||
| Best result | 1st (2 times, most recent in 1997) | ||
| Asian Games | |||
| Appearances | 7 (first in 1994) | ||
| Best result | 1st (1 time, in 1994) | ||
| Asian Championship | |||
| Appearances | 25 (first in 1954) | ||
| Best result | 1st (21 times, most recent in 2025) | ||
The Japan national baseball team (野球日本代表, Yakyū Nippon Daihyō or Yakyū Nihon Daihyō), also known as Samurai Japan (侍ジャパン), is the national team representing Japan in international baseball competitions. It won the World Baseball Classic in 2006, 2009, and 2023, as well as the WBSC Premier12 in 2019. The team is currently ranked 1st in the world by the World Baseball Softball Confederation.
The team has participated in every Summer Olympic Games since the first demonstration tournament in 1984, through when baseball was discontinued following the 2008 Beijing Games and again since it returned in Tokyo. Until 2000, the team was made up exclusively of amateur players. Since the 2000 Summer Olympics, the team has included players from Nippon Professional Baseball. The team that played in and won the 2006 World Baseball Classic included Japanese players from Major League Baseball as well. The team played in the Beijing Olympics in 2008, as it had qualified through the 2007 Asian Baseball Championship. Unlike the WBC roster, the Olympic team was composed exclusively of NPB players (though it included one amateur player, who was drafted during the tournament's progress). Japan participated in the 2017 World Baseball Classic, finishing third.
Team Japan won the 2019 WBSC Premier12 Tournament. At the Olympics in 2021, it faced Israel, Mexico, South Korea, the United States, and the Dominican Republic, and won gold. At the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Japan defeated the defending champion United States to become the champions. Their 2023 win was their third World Baseball Classic championship, the most championships for any country.
Team Japan began the 2026 World Baseball Classic tournament's Pool C play in March 6, 2026 by defeating Chinese Taipei 13-0.