Eight Indonesian teams to participate in the 1st Asian Koshien, which aims to promote international exchange and baseball
The most popular sports in Indonesia are badminton and soccer. Taekwondo, swimming, and volleyball are also popular lessons for children.
On the other hand, baseball, one of the most popular sports in Japan, is not well known and there are not many players.
However, in recent years, the Indonesian baseball industry has been gradually gaining momentum. In December 2024, “Asia Koshien,” a tournament modeled after Japan’s “Koshien,” will be held.
In this article, we will introduce the baseball situation in Indonesia using data and videos.
Indonesian baseball in numbers
Baseball popularity and current situation in Indonesia
The population of baseball players in Indonesia is said to be between 20,000 and 30,000, including players, coaches, umpires, etc. According to the Japan Baseball Association, the number of baseball players in Japan as of 2022 is approximately 1.02 million, which shows how small the number of baseball players in Indonesia is.
Although there is no professional baseball league, there are around 60 amateur teams in each region, which participate in regional leagues and national tournaments. The Indonesian national team has also participated in international tournaments such as the Asian Games Baseball Competition and the Asian Baseball Championship.
In particular, it is said that the recognition and popularity of baseball in Japan has increased due to participation in the 2018 Asian Games, which was held in Japan. The construction of two baseball stadiums in Jakarta is also expected to have a positive impact on the promotion of baseball in Indonesia.
Furthermore, Japan was the runner-up in this tournament. Indonesia finished 7th out of 10 teams with 1 win and 4 losses.
What is Asia Koshien?
The baseball worlds of Japan and Indonesia have a history of exchange. For example, Hisato Nonaka moved to Bali in 2001 and started a local Little League. After that, he also served as the coach of the Indonesian national team.
Additionally, in the spring of 2024, a professional baseball team “Saga Indonesia Dreams”, which originated in Japan and is made up mainly of Indonesian players, will be launched. We are a semi-affiliated member of the independent league “Kyushu Asia League” and are engaged in games and practices every day.
The Asian Koshien tournament was decided to be held as Indonesia’s baseball world is gradually gaining momentum. The first tournament will be held in Jakarta in December 2024, with the aim of exporting Japan’s Koshien and promoting international exchange through baseball. The event is sponsored by NB.ACADEMY, a general incorporated association whose representative director is former Giants player Shogo Shibata.
Eight teams (14 to 18 years old) are scheduled to participate in the tournament from various parts of the country, mainly from Java. Mr. Shibata said, “Right now, Indonesia is the most vibrant country in Asia.I want to build on the popularity of baseball here and expand it throughout Asia in the future.”
On the final day, December 21st, an exhibition match between the former Koshien national baseball team and the Indonesian national team is planned, as well as an after-party held at a hotel.
Outline of the 1st Asian Koshien Tournament
- Date: December 17th (Tuesday) to December 21st (Saturday), 2024 (5 days)
- Location: GBK Baseball Stadium (Jakarta)
- Number of teams: 8 teams (Indonesia provincial competition)
Indonesian baseball in video
Indonesian National Baseball Team at the 2018 Asian Games
This is a match between the Indonesian national team (red uniform) and Chinese Taipei at the 2018 Asian Games. The result was a crushing defeat for Indonesia, 0-15.
The Indonesian team is still growing. If you watch the first minute of the video, you can clearly see this. A pitcher’s ball that travels less than 100km/h will easily be hit by opposing professional players, and the defense will be noticeably erratic.
Jakarta youth baseball team match
This is a video of the Garuda Baseball Softball Club’s youth baseball team’s match, which is set to participate in the Asian Koshien. It is impressive to see the children playing hard in a stadium surrounded by skyscrapers in Jakarta.
Garuda Baseball Softball Club is a Jakarta-based baseball and softball club founded in 1993. We have baseball teams for boys and adults ranging from U8 to U18, as well as men’s and women’s softball teams, which participate in domestic league games.
We also hold classes for beginners of all ages and pitching classes.
Toward the promotion of baseball in Indonesia
Yuji Fukuhara, president of the Saga Indonesia Dreams, said from his experience visiting Indonesia in 2018, “Even if you teach baseball to your children there, parents will stop you because they’ll go hungry and have to pay for food.” “Students receive support from the government, but when they become adults, they can’t make ends meet and end up quitting,” he explains, explaining the difficult road to popularizing baseball in Indonesia.
Baseball is a sport that requires space, equipment, teammates and opponents, and a certain amount of financial leeway. It is often said that compared to soccer, baseball has higher hurdles to start playing and is difficult to popularize in emerging and developing countries.
This first Asian Koshien is expected to contribute to exchanges between the Japanese and Indonesian baseball worlds, the discovery and development of players, and the promotion of baseball in Indonesia and Southeast Asia.
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