PHOTO PROVIDED The Joto Little League baseball team poses for a photo with its regional championship banner after defeating Yokohama Little League, 15-4, in the Japan Region Championship game.

SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT (July 22, 2025) – Joto Little League (Tokyo, Japan) has punched its ticket to Williamsport for the 2025 Little League Baseball World Series with a 15-4 victory over Yokohama Little League in the Japan Region Championship game, finishing the event with an unblemished 4-0 record.

This will be the first trip to Williamsport for Joto Little League with the program chartering with Little League International for the first time in 2022 as part of a restructuring throughout the country. Prior to the restructuring, players within the community participated in Kitasuna Little League, which was represented in the LLBWS six times, including four World Series titles (2001, ’12, ’15, ’17) and a runner-up in 2007.

Japan sits in third place for the most appearances with 34, trailing just Canada (64) and Mexico (36). Since its first bid in 1962, Japan holds numerous team and individual records at the LLBWS, like completing one of the five perfect games (1976) in LLBWS history. Japan has received direct entry since 2007 and has made the championship game 16 times, winning 11 titles.

In addition to their on-field performance, Japan was also named the recipients of the 2024 Jack Losch Little League Baseball World Series Team Sportsmanship Award based on their display of sportsmanship on and off the field.

The first-round matchups for the 2025 LLBWS were announced on June 11 during National Little League Week. Japan will start its tournament in Game 5 against the Europe and Africa Region on Thursday, Aug. 14, at 1 p.m. at Volunteer Stadium.