Baseball was introduced into Japan in the second half of the nineteenth century from the United States. Since 1934 it's been played professionally, and now it's one of the most popular sports in Japan, along with sumo and football (soccer). There are two professional leagues, the Central and the Pacific, and each has six teams. Last season, a total of 23 million people attended pro baseball games. The season opens in April after a month or so of exhibition games, and the pennant race to decide the league champions lasts through October. In 1999, the first game in the Central League was held on April 3 and a day later in the Pacific League. In October, the champions from both leagues meet in the Japan Series, similar to the World Series in the United States, to determine the very best in the nation. In the summer, all-star games are played among the best players from each league. The most popular of the 12 teams is the Yomiuri Giants, based in Tokyo. Sadaharu Oh, who beat Hank Aaron's record of 868 career home runs, played for the Giants. Hideo Nomo, meanwhile, used to play for the Kintetsu Buffaloes in the Pacific League before he moved to the North American Major Leagues as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. There are also a lot of foreign players on Japanese teams, many of whom have also played in the Major Leagues. Amateur baseball is popular, too. There are tournaments among teams sponsored by corporations as well as leagues of university teams. The biggest amateur event, though, is the high-school baseball tournament that takes place in spring and summer at Koshien Stadium in Hyogo Prefecture, near Osaka and Kyoto. It has a history that goes back over 70 years, and the games are broadcast live nationwide on radio and TV. This tournament acts as a showcase for young baseball talent, and exceptional players go on to professional careers. Photo: The American sport is also a big hit in Japan. (Kyodo)

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