Dates confirmed for WBSC U-15 Women’s Softball World Cup 2023

The
World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC) and the Japan Softball Association(JSA) have announced the WBSC U-15 Women’s Softball World Cup 2023 will takeplace from 19-30 October next year.

Theannouncement follows a courtesy visit by JSA President Yutaka Miyake to TokyoGovernor Yuriko Koike on Monday in order to ask for the Tokyo MetropolitanGovernment’s support in successfully hosting the tournament.

The three JSA vice presidents - WBSC Executive Board member Taeko Utsugi, Yuko Arakida and Reika Utsugi, who also served as the Japan Women’s Softball National Team Head Coach during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics - as well as Yukiyo Mine, a Beijing 2008 and Tokyo 2020 Olympic women's softball gold medallist, also joined the visit.

“The
U-15 Women’s Softball World Cup will become a great Olympic legacy for all ofus, creating a bright future for young athletes,” JSA President Miyake toldGovernor Koike. “We would like to utilize this World Cup in order to pass onour experiences nurtured through Tokyo 2020 to the next generation. Wesincerely ask for your cooperation in our endeavor.”

Governor
Koike replied: “We vividly remember the softball players’ outstandingperformance and the excitement we felt during the Tokyo 2020. We would like to implementvarious undertakings, so that we could pass on your world number one expertiseand determination to the future generation, and help nurture the talented youngathletes through this memorable inaugural event.”

JSA also announced two additional venues will be used during the tournament with the Setagaya City Okura Sports Center Baseball Ground hosting some Preliminary Round games while Ota Stadium will stage Super Round games and the finals.

Setagaya City Okura Sports Center is a multi-purpose sports park with various sports facilities, including a gymnasium, athletic field, tennis court, archery field, and heated swimming pool. During the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Team USA utilized this park as their pre-Games training camp, including softball.

Ota Stadium, which was renovated ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, was used as an official training venue for baseball during the Games. The stadium regularly hosts high-level competition, including the national amateur baseball championships.

The WBSC U-15 Women’s Softball World Cup 2023 is the inaugural edition of this age-group tournament and will feature the world’s best players from 12 countries. The appointment of JSA as host, two years on from the successful softball competition at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, adds to the legacy of the Tokyo Games, which saw Japan claim the gold medal beating USA in the final.

Photo: Mr. Miyake presented the Tokyo 2020 softball with autographs of Ms. Utsugi and Ms. Mine to Governor Koike.