Online baseball training session to mark 50 years of Bangladesh-Japan relations

An online baseball training session has been held on the occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Japan.

On 13 January 2022 at (8:00 am-– 9:30 am), with JICA’s collaboration with Yomiuri Giants which is one of the most popular professional baseball team in Japan, conducted the online baseball training to the Bangladesh national baseball team. Baseball equipment has also donated by Yomiuri Giants to Bangladesh national team.

H.E. Mr. ITO Naoki, Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh, Mr. Yuho Hayakawa, Chief Representative of JICA Bangladesh and Mr. Zahid Ahsan Russell, Minister of State for Youth and Sports of Bangladesh Participated the session online. The session was conducted by former professional baseball players of the Yomiuri Giants (Mr. Yushi Aida and Mr. Hidetoshi Tsuburaya). The Venue Was Yomiuri Giants Stadium from Japan and from Bangladesh Police School Ground.  It is a symbolic event to show the long and lasting friendship between Japan, JICA and Bangladesh.

The overview of the Event:

1) Date: Thursday, January 13, 2022

2) Venue Yomiuri Giants Stadium and Bangladesh Police School Ground (connected online)

3) Contents The Yomiuri Giants will provide tailor-made training for the Bangladesh Baseball Team based on the baseball players’ video shared and analyzed in advance.

In addition, baseball equipment (480 balls, 320 caps, etc.) will be donated from the Yomiuri Giants and others.

Japan and Bangladesh have long enjoyed a close relationship based on mutual trust and cooperation. Sports is a symbol of peace and has a power to encourage people. The reciprocal sporting arrangement has been created to enrich cultural understanding through sport and other social experiences between two countries. JICA has started its cooperation from dispatching the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers (JOCV) in 1973. Since then, number of JICA volunteers has been raised and in accumulation 1,284 volunteers had worked for Bangladesh. Out of them, 110 volunteers had worked for training the sports athletes in Bangladesh.

In 2003, the Bangladesh baseball federation and the national team were established. The federation aims to strengthening the national team and increase the popularity of baseball in Bangladesh.

In 2019, Bangladesh baseball team won for the first time in the official international competition against Nepal. However, baseball's recognition remains low, and it is suffering from a lack of tools and a shortage of human resources. Currently, the team is continuously training hard for the victory in postponed 2021 West Asia Baseball Cup.

Sports is a symbol of peace and has a power to encourage people. Through such events, it will strengthen the national baseball team as well as widely disseminate Japan, JICA and Bangladesh 50th anniversary of diplomatic relationship to the people of both countries. ‍And it will also increase deepening mutual understanding, expanding people-to-people exchanges and promoting culture.