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In a survey conducted in September 2025, **** percent of respondents in Japan chose baseball when asked about what sports they liked to watch. Meanwhile, **** percent of respondents said they liked watching soccer.

Baseball — the national sport in Japan

Imported from the United States at the end of the 19th century, baseball quickly gained popularity. Today, baseball is played at all levels and ages, with even primary schools having their own baseball teams. On the professional side, Nippon Professional Baseball is the most prestigious baseball league in Japan and has a following of over 20 million domestic fans. Making up a large share of this following is the fan base of the Hanshin Tigers, which had the most fans among professional baseball teams in Japan as of 2025. 

Successful Japanese athletes

Alongside a thriving domestic baseball league and a highly successful national team, Japan has also produced numerous players who have excelled in Major League Baseball (MLB). In recent years, Shohei Ohtani has ranked as the most popular athlete in Japan by a considerable margin. In fact, Ohtani's pivotal role in the Los Angeles Dodgers' back-to-back World Series wins in 2024 and 2025 has put him in strong contention as the greatest baseball player of his era.