© Cole Weintraub
VIDEO TRANSCRIPT: Ohtani unifies Japanese communities worldwide
Cole Weintraub, reporter: Breakfast and baseball have become a daily routine in Japan this October as fans gather around TVs at 9:00 a.m. to watch their hometown hero, Shohei Ohtani, take on the New York Yankees in the 120th World Series.
Weintraub: For Lisa Kondo, vice president of the Japanese Student Association at Syracuse University, each 8:00 p.m. primetime game is a must-watch. Even from 6,500 miles away in Tokyo, Kondo isn’t surprised that, for the first time, Japan has recorded more World Series viewers than the U.S., fueled by Ohtani’s massive influence.
Lisa Kondo: They used to play the baseball games in America on FOX’s subchannels, but now they put it on the main channel. It’s just so cool that they care more about it now. Sometimes the news interferes, but they skip the news to play the baseball game that Shohei is in.
Weintraub: While the two-way phenom isn’t pitching in this year’s World Series, Ohtani’s presence at the plate has certainly added excitement to the Fall Classic, and Japanese fans in Syracuse are rallying around the superstar.
Weintraub: It’s not just the Yankees-Dodgers rivalry anymore. Japanese players are reigniting America’s pastime. This past Saturday alone drew 30 million viewers alone across the U.S. and Japan. For Kaori LaClair, a Japanese language instructor in Syracuse, watching Ohtani on the biggest stage brings a deep sense of community and pride.
Kaori LaClair: We don’t care—well, we care, but we don’t care about where he plays. We’re supporting him for his success. He’s a big role model for Japanese kids, so we’re always rooting for him to be the best he can be in America.
Weintraub: Ohtani and the Dodgers lead the Yankees 3-1 in the best-of-seven World Series. Game 5 is set for Wednesday night in the Bronx on FOX.
Syracuse, N.Y. (NCC News) — Breakfast and baseball have become a morning ritual across Japan as Shohei Ohtani has led the Los Angeles Dodgers to the World Series. The Dodgers are up against the New York Yankees in the 120th Fall Classic.
Lisa Kondo, vice president of the Japanese Student Association, feels a sense of community watching Ohtani on the biggest stage. Kondo has tuned in to every game at 8:08 p.m. EST primetime, a stark contrast to those watching in her native country, where first pitch is 9:08 a.m.
This shared experience has driven record viewership among Japanese communities. For the first time in Major League Baseball history, Japan recorded more viewers than the United States for a World Series game. Game 2 alone drew over 30 million viewers combined in both countries. Kondo sees this as a natural result of Ohtani’s popularity and FOX’s expanded coverage of the series.
“They used to play the baseball games in America on FOX’s subchannels,” Kondo said. “Now, they put it on the main channel. It’s just so cool that they care more about it now. Sometimes the news interferes, but they skip the news to play the baseball game that Shohei’s in.”
Japanese fans’ support goes beyond Ohtani, extending to teammate Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Kaori LaClair, a Japanese language instructor in Syracuse, continues to root for Ohtani from 6,500 miles away from her Tokyo hometown.
“We’re supporting him for his success. He’s a big role model for Japanese kids, so we’re always rooting for him to be the best he can be in America,” LaClair said.
Though Ohtani hasn’t pitched in the postseason, his performance at the plate has continued to inspire Japanese communities worldwide. The Dodgers are now one win away from their eighth World Series Championship. Game 5 of the Fall Classic is set for Wednesday night in the Bronx, with first pitch at 8:08 p.m.