Friday's announcement that Japan will play in the 2011 World Baseball Challenge in Prince George is one step toward a return to normalcy for a country still reeling from last month's earthquake and tsunami.
Ami Hagiwara, a UNBC instructor who teaches Japanese in the international studies program, says her home country is passionate about baseball and the chance to send a team to Canada will help promote healing for people who have suffered in the wake of an immense tragedy.
"This is such a big part of Japanese people, most boys play soccer and baseball and the other people love baseball," Hagiwara said. "If you don't know baseball you can't survive in Japan. It's not just a sport. Same like hockey in Canada, baseball is spirit for Japanese people."
That spirit of involvement in baseball helped Japan rebuild in 1995 when a major earthquake rocked Kobe. The Kobe Orix Blue Wave wore shoulder patches that season that read, 'Hang in There, Kobe.' Helped by 21-year-old outfielder Ichiro Suzuki, who set a season record for hits, the Kobe team won the professional Pacific League pennant that year.
"People can only do what they can do, if they are singers, they are going to sing a song, and if they are baseball players, they play baseball, and in that way they support people," Hagiwara said. "The Orix team had that symbol on their shoulders and we see that kind of thing, people working hard in their [own] way, and that really gives people energy to rebuild their country."
Hagiwara, Asuka King and Kumi Okayama, who will serve as hosts and interpreters for the Japanese team at the 11-day tournament, helped spearhead a fundraising drive in Prince George that collected $14,575 for relief efforts in the area of northeastern Japan affected by the March 11 disaster, which killed 14,435 people and left 11,000 missing.
"We hope that our participation will bring some relief to our fellow Japanese as well as showing our staunch resolve to reinstate baseball in the 2020 Olympic event," said Eiji Hatta, president of the Baseball Federation of Japan, in a letter to Baseball Canada president Ray Carter.
"At the same time, it will give us a chance to thank Canadians for your generous aid to the disaster in northeastern Japan."
Although there are only about 100 Japanese nationals living in Prince George, Hagiwara expects the tournament will generate a great deal of interest in Western Canada that could result in more Japanese visitors coming to Prince George in July.
"Prince George is a tiny place and maybe they can't see that name on a Canadian map but it is great to see they care about the people," said Hagiwara. "It's a great opportunity for Japanese people to come here.
"They should see the support from Prince George because they are so friendly. It's the other side of the Pacific Ocean but still they support us and I want them to see it as well. It's a great way to see the world is trying to be united."
