Baseball - Team Japan

General
Japan arrive in Hangzhou as the reigning Olympic, World Baseball Classic, and WBSC Premier 12 champions. They lost the final of the 2018 Asian Games 3-0 to the Republic of Korea, but gained a measure of revenge over their neighbours by beating them 5-3 in the final of the 2019 WBSC Premier 12 tournament. Japan defeated the Korean team again in the semifinals of the 2020 Olympic Games, setting up a gold medal match against the United States of America. Having previously defeated the US team in extra innings in Tokyo, the Japanese team secured a 2-0 victory over the US team in the final to claim their first Olympic gold medal.

They also triumphed against the United States of America in the final of the 2023 World Baseball Classic. The team posted a perfect record in the pool phase before beating Italy and Mexico in the knockout stages and overcoming their US rivals 3-2.

Despite their success on the world stage in recent years, Japan's only gold medal at the Asian Games came in 1994. In addition to their silver medal in 2018, they also finished runners-up in 1998 and 2006 following final defeats to the Republic of Korea and Chinese Taipei, respectively. Japan defeated the People's Republic of China in the bronze medal match at the Games in 2002, 2010, and 2014.

At the Asian championship, Japan have won 18 titles since 1954, including five-in-a-row from 2003 to 2012. They dipped to third in 2015, then bounced back to claim the title again in 2017 before finishing runners-up behind Chinese Taipei in 2019.

Japan took part in all five Olympic Games to feature baseball from 1992 to 2008 and never finished outside the top four. They won a silver medal in 1996 after defeat in the final to Cuba, and took home bronze medals from the 1992 and 2004 Games. They lost the bronze medal match of the 2000 Games in Sydney to the Republic of Korea. Japan won the first two World Baseball Classic tournaments in 2006 and 2009, and claimed third place in 2013 and 2017. They also finished third at the inaugural WBSC Premier 12 in 2015.