Samurai Japan Wrap Up Exhibition with Korea

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Samurai Japan wrapped up their weekend exhibition series against rivals Korea at the Tokyo Dome, with one win and one tie, in front of crowds of more than 41,000 each night. The world No. 1 squad cruised to an 11-4 victory in Game 1 and battled to a 7-7 draw in Game 2, offering an early preview of the upcoming East Asian clash in Pool C of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Both teams were without some of their biggest stars, but the series still showcased All-Star talent from Nippon Professional Baseball and the Korean Baseball Organization. The games also provided valuable live reps under WBC conditions, including the MLB baseball, enlarged bases, pitch clock, and PitchCom.

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Game 1: Japan 11, Korea 4

24-year-old southpaw Ryuhei Sotani (Buffaloes) started Game 1, delivering three perfect innings with two strikeouts. After Korea briefly surged ahead on back-to-back homers off Daisuke Moriura (Carp), Hirokazu Ibata’s lineup answered emphatically with three runs in the fourth and six runs in the fifth, highlighted by a pinch-hit three-run blast from Yukinori Kishida (Giants). It was a strong showing for the 29-year-old Kishida, who is vying for the starting catcher job at the WBC.

They continued to punish the shaky Korean staff and went on to win, 11-4. Central League batting champ Kaito Kozono (Carp) and rookie Misho Nishikawa (Marines) each had two hits. Taiki Ishikami (BayStars) pinch-ran and stole two bases.

It was the senior national team’s 10th consecutive win against Korea, dating back to 2017.

Japan Pitching Lines
Ryuhei Sotani: 3.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 2 K
Daisuke Moriura: 1.0 IP 3 H, 3 ER, 0 K
Yuki Matsumoto: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 K
Koki Kitayama: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 K
Shoma Fujihira: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 K
Kaima Taira: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 K

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Game 2: Japan 7, Korea 7

Game 2 featured standout work from 19-year-old Korean righty Woo Joo Jeong (Hanwha Eagles), who tossed three hitless innings with four strikeouts, and a back-and-forth affair driven largely by command struggles (Korean pitchers walked 12 batters, Japan walked 7).

Korea took a 3-0 lead against star rookie Yumeto Kanemaru (Dragons) in the third, led by a clutch two-run single by Sung Mun Song (Kiwoom Heroes) with the bases full. But Japan immediately responded for the second straight night, tying the game in the top of the fourth.

In the fifth, the Samurai went up 6-4 on Tai Sasaki’s bases-loaded walk and Taiki Ishikami’s two-run single. Both Sasaki (Carp) and Ishikami (BayStars) were late roster additions and are not expected to feature in the WBC, but each made meaningful contributions in the series.

Down 7-5 in the bottom of the eighth, 22-year-old superstar Hyun Min Ahn (KT Wiz) crushed a no-doubt homer off Dragons ace Hiroto Takahashi, his second of the series. The game ultimately ended in a tie after Korea’s Ju Won Kim (NC Dinos) launched a dramatic two-out, ninth-inning homer off closer Taisei (Giants).

Japan Pitching Lines
Yumeto Kanemaru: 3.0 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 4 K
Naoto Nishiguchi: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 ER, 2 K
Shinya Matsuyama: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 0 K
Chihiro Sumida: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K
Hiroto Takahashi: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 2 ER, 4 K
Taisei: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 1 ER, 1 K

MLB-bound slugger Kazuma Okamoto (Giants) only had two plate appearances in the series, flying out in Game 1 and drawing a pinch-hit walk late in Game 2.

Full rosters for both teams are available here