July 10, 2013
Excitement is high among Japanese baseball fans waiting for the 84th National Inter-City Championship hosted by the Japan Amateur Baseball Association (JABA) and The Mainichi at Tokyo Dome for 12 days from July 12. The Championship is a special feature of summer in Japan that forms part of the nation’s common culture, along with National High School Baseball Championship in Koshien in August, provides the forum for highly competitive and intense baseball as the top of amateur baseball in Japan. JABA’s players comprise college and high school graduates which include many professional prospects for the drafting by NPB in October.
Quite a few household names are found among the 32 participating teams representing the various cities in Japan, such as Tokyo Gas, Toshiba, JX-ENEOS, HONDA, Japan Railways, Panasonic, Hitachi, Yamaha, TDK, NTT, Mitsubishi and so on. This is the 55th championship for Nippon Life Insurance, which is one of the 2 teams representing Osaka City.
As a part of PLAY BALL 2020 campaign by WBSC, 60,000 flyers will be distributed to fans during the Championship and encourage them to vote on social media.
JABA’s President and BFJ Vice President Norio ICHINO says that corporate members of JABA will strive to act as bridges between the local community and the corporate enterprises through baseball. “I hope that fans will also enjoy the cheering squads with full of local flavor. Sports help build a vibrant society and economy and I believe our Championship will serve to be a source of vitality.” said Ichino.
The winner will join Cuba, Chinese Taipei, USA, Bahamas at the 2013 World Baseball Challenge, in Prince George, BC, Canada on Aug. 13-23, 2013.
© Baseball Federation of Asia. All RIGHTS RESERVED. / PRIVACY POLICY
