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In a survey conducted in September 2024, around 32.6 percent of respondents in Japan chose baseball when asked about what sports they liked to watch, compared to 23.2 percent who stated to like watching soccer. Other surveys indicated that this was true not only in terms of TV watching, but also in terms of live attendance at sports events in gymnasiums or stadiums. With an estimated 4.15 million fans, Hanshin Tigers were one of the most supported professional baseball teams in Japan in 2024.

Baseball — the national sport in Japan

Imported from the United States at the end of the 19th century, baseball quickly gained popularity, both in playing and watching. Today, even primary schools have their baseball teams and competition for places in high school teams is fierce. Baseball has therefore become the undisputed favorite in team sports. The popularity of the game is further driven by Japanese players performing well in the U.S. Major League. A prime example of this is Shohei Ohtani, whose successes abroad were closely followed by Japanese people, and who has been repeatedly crowned as Japan's most popular athlete.

Successful Japanese athletes

Apart from baseball, football is one of the most watched sports in Japan, showing that modern sports have surpassed traditional Japanese sports, such as Sumo, Kendo, or Karate. Moreover, exceptional athletes push public interest and adoration in their respective sport: figure skating partly owes its popularity to Yuzuru Hanyu, considered one of the greatest figure skaters in history. The successful participation of Japanese tennis players in international tournaments, such as Kei Nishikori or Naomi Osaka, have brought millions of Japanese to the television screens.