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Emperor Naruhito Attends Historic Baseball Game as Japan Wins

3/8/2026

Summary

Story summary

Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, and Princess Aiko attended Japan's World Baseball Classic game against Australia on March 8, 2026, at the Tokyo Dome.
Japan won the game 4-3, with Masataka Yoshida hitting a two-run homer in the seventh inning.
This event marked the first attendance of a sitting Japanese monarch at a professional baseball game since 1966.
Japan had already secured a quarterfinal spot after victories over Taiwan and South Korea.
Australia can still qualify by defeating South Korea in their next match.

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Story summary

Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, and Princess Aiko attended Japan's World Baseball Classic game against Australia on March 8, 2026, at the Tokyo Dome.
Japan won the game 4-3, with Masataka Yoshida hitting a two-run homer in the seventh inning.
This event marked the first attendance of a sitting Japanese monarch at a professional baseball game since 1966.
Japan had already secured a quarterfinal spot after victories over Taiwan and South Korea.
Australia can still qualify by defeating South Korea in their next match.