Imperial Family Watches World Baseball Classic Game Against Australia; 1st Time Emperor Has Watched Intl Game Since 1966

The Yomiuri Shimbun

21:28 JST, March 8, 2026

The Emperor, the Empress and their daughter, Princess Aiko, attended the first-round game of the World Baseball Classic between Japan and Australia at Tokyo Dome in Tokyo on Sunday.

It is the third time that the Imperial couple has attended a WBC game and the first time for Princess Aiko.

According to the Imperial Household Agency, it has been about 59 years and 4 months since an international baseball game was watched by an Emperor.