- Title: Japanese hail 'perfect' WBC opener after 13-0 win against Chinese Taipei
- Date: 6th March 2026
- Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (MARCH 6, 2026) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF JAPANESE FAN POSING WITH BANNER READING (Japanese): “SHOTA MORISHITA” / (English): “WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC 2026 PEOPLE LEAVING TOKYO DOME AFTER JAPAN-CHINESE TAIPEI MATCH BANNER FEATURING TEAM JAPAN PLAYER SHOHEI OHTANI FAN WEARING KIMONO AND PAPER FANS WALKING BY (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) 29-YEAR-OLD TOKYO RESIDENT AND TEAM
- Embargoed:
- Keywords: chinese taipei game japan reax taiwan tokyo wbc world baseball classic
- Location: TOKYO, JAPAN
- City: TOKYO, JAPAN
- Country: Japan
- Topics: Asia / Pacific,Baseball,Sport
- Reuters ID: LVA001165306032026RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text:Japanese fans celebrated their national team’s 13-0 victory over Chinese Taipei in their opening match of the World Baseball Classic (WBC) on Friday (March 6).
Fans’ spirits were particularly boosted by the performance of mega-star Shohei Ohtani, who hit a grand slam in the second inning, setting the stage for a widening score gap between the two teams.
“It was close to perfect, you could say. For today’s first game, it’s really hard to find any fault in it,” said Tokyo resident Yusuke Kasaba just after attending the match.
Despite a disastrous loss to Australia on Thursday (March 5), and now Japan, Taiwan fans like Tsai Yun-hsiu still believe their team has immense potential.
“At the beginning, in the first inning, it felt like the game might be evenly matched. But unexpectedly, in the second inning, the score gap widened, and from there the momentum just kept dropping all the way out,” said Tsai.
Taiwan has competed in all six editions of the WBC and in 2024 won the WBSC Premier12 - the second most prestigious international baseball tournament - by beating Japan in the final.
A global sporting spectacle now in its sixth incarnation since 2006, the WBC is a showcase of national pride in Japan, with the team fielding their best players and leading all other nations with three championships.
Already among the greatest players of all time, Ohtani's national hero status just keeps growing. He returns to Japan after collecting his second-straight Major League World Series ring with the Los Angeles Dodgers and his third Most Valuable Player award.
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