Japanese PM Kishida announces 'Opening Ceremony' at WBC Japan-Korea match

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will serve as the Opening Ceremony for the Japan-Korea match of the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC).

According to the WBC website on March 3rd, Prime Minister Kishida will appear at the Opening Ceremony of the Japan-Korea match to be held at the Tokyo Dome on March 10th.

Prime Minister Kishida said, "It is a great honor to hold the Opening Ceremony on the stage of the Japan-Korea match, which has seen many famous matches so far. I support fighting Samurai Japan. Sharing that feeling, I will fulfill this honorable role."

According to Kyodo News, Prime Minister Kishida plans to attend the match after the Opening Ceremony. Prime Minister Kishida was active in the baseball club in high school and is also an avid fan of the Hiroshima Carp.

A Japanese government official said that Prime Minister Kishida's Opening Ceremony was for the purpose of promoting sports, and had no diplomatic significance such as creating an atmosphere of friendly relations between Japan and South Korea.