Korean ethnic high school wins prestigious Japanese baseball tournament

Team members of Kyoto International High School celebrate their victory in Japan's famous summer baseball tournament for high schools at a stadium in Nishinomiya, western Japan, on Aug. 23. AP-Yonhap

A Korean-American high school in Japan won a prestigious national baseball championship for the first time on Friday.

Kyoto International High School defeated Kanto Daiichi High School in the final of the National High School Baseball Championship, better known as “Summer Koshien,” 2-1 in overtime at Hanshin Koshien Stadium in Nishinomiya, west of Osaka.

Kyoto International was founded in 1963 as an ethnic educational institution for students of Korean descent. About 30 percent of the approximately 160 students are of Korean descent and the school song is written in Korean.

The school was also the first school in the Kyoto area to win the Koshien title in 68 years.

Kyoto International and Kanto Daiichi were scoreless after nine innings as both teams wasted several chances in the first innings. Both brought a leadoff man onto the field in the first and second innings of the ninth inning, but went home empty-handed.

Under extra-inning rules, Kyoto International had runners on first and second base to begin the 10th inning. The team scored twice on a base hit, a walk and a sacrifice fly.

Team members of Kyoto International High School celebrate their victory in Japan's famous summer baseball tournament for high schools at a stadium in Nishinomiya, western Japan, on Aug. 23. AP-Yonhap

Kanto Daiichi also had two runners on the field at the start of the bottom 10th inning and was able to load the bases immediately after an error. But Kyoto International escaped the jam after allowing just one run to secure the historic title.

Kyoto International defeated Sapporo Nihon 7-3 at the start of the tournament on August 8 and then recorded three consecutive 4-0 victories.

In the semifinals on Wednesday, Kyoto International overcame a 0-2 deficit to defeat Aomori Yamada 3-2.

Kyoto International's brilliant run to the finals captured the imagination of Korean baseball fans. On the eve of the finals, President Yoon Suk Yeol took to Facebook to praise the hard work of the Kyoto International players and said he was proud of them for giving the Koreans and Japanese a reason to celebrate.

Each year, more than 3,000 teams compete in the prefectural competitions and only 49 qualify for the two-week final tournament.

Kyoto International made its Koshien debut in 2021, losing in the semifinals. The school returned to the tournament in 2022, but was eliminated in the first round. It did not qualify for last year's tournament.

Park Cheol-hee, Korean Ambassador to Japan, congratulated Kyoto International on its victory.

“With this title, Kyoto International, a symbol of Korean-Japanese cooperation, has touched the people of both countries,” said Park. “I hope the school will build on this success and continue to write glorious history.” (Yonhap)