Japan Beats Chinese Taipei 7-3 to Reach Asian Games Baseball Final

Japan beat Chinese Taipei 7-3 on Saturday night in Okazaki, securing first place in the Asian Games baseball Super Round and a place in the gold-medal game against South Korea.

Kazuki Kondo delivered six strong innings in difficult, rain-soaked conditions, while Japan broke open a one-run game with four late runs. The unbeaten hosts will now try to win their first Asian Games baseball gold medal in 32 years when they meet South Korea in Toyohashi on Sunday, September 27.

Kondo settles in after early trouble

Chinese Taipei struck first in the opening inning after Japan committed an error, but Kondo prevented the damage from growing. The right-hander allowed one run on six hits over six innings and struck out seven, giving Japan time to turn the game around.

Japan moved ahead in the third. Toyo Kumada doubled home the tying run before Masami Soeda followed with the go-ahead hit. Motoki Mukoyama added an RBI double in the fifth, extending the lead to 3-1.

Chinese Taipei closed the gap to one run in the seventh after another Japanese defensive error. Reliever Kato escaped the inning with a strikeout, preserving the lead at a moment when the game threatened to swing.

Pinch hitters deliver the decisive blows

Japan answered immediately. With the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh, pinch hitter Masato Shibasaki drove a two-run double into the gap to make it 5-2.

Masashi Maruyama then supplied the final blow in the eighth, coming off the bench to hit a two-run home run. Japan finished with 13 hits and scored in four different innings, turning a tense Super Round matchup into a convincing 7-3 win.

The result completed a 5-0 run through the tournament for Japan. The hosts had already beaten China 11-3, Palestine 15-0 and the Philippines 7-0 before shutting out South Korea 5-0 in their first Super Round game.

Gold-medal rematch with South Korea

Japan and South Korea will meet again in the final at Toyohashi Municipal Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 6:30 p.m. local time on September 27.

Japan enters the rematch having outscored its five opponents 45-6, but the gold-medal game carries a different pressure. A victory would end a 32-year wait for an Asian Games baseball title and complete an unbeaten home tournament.