Softball

Softball first arrived in Japan from the US in 1921, soon gaining popularity as a women's sport. Japan eventually grew to become one of the world's top teams, spurred on by their rivalry with the US, traditionally a dominant force in the sport. Using similar strategies to Japan's baseball team, Japan developed "small softball," climbing to world number one by avoiding sole reliance on home runs. We speak to former national coach Taeko Utsugi about Japan's unique approach to softball.