Japan-South Korea To Play in 2007

I wonder how Taiwan will take this news. I'm sure they'll want a piece of the action as well. Maybe NPB should reduce the Pacific League playoffs to just one round, then hold the NPB series. After that the NPB winner could then meet up with the KBO, CBPL, and CBA, to hold a best of 5 series with 2 rounds, having a lottery drawing to determine who plays who in the first round.

-"I wonder how Taiwan will take this news. I'm sure they'll want a piece of the action as well."

I'm not sure yet what Kiyotake's vision was, but I believe it has something to do with the competitive Japan-South Korea games in the WBC this year.

Plus, isn't the Konami Cup taking the top teams from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and China? The Konami Cup is taking place every year if I remember right? That's what the purpose of the Konami Cup is I believe?

I think this is just a exhibition series more or so feeding off of the WBC.

I think this is good. Many other sports feature national teams playing against other countries in addition to their respective "world cups," and baseball should, too. International competition builds strength and interest in the game. I hope they don't just stop with this series; why not play a series against another country each autumn? Why not a short tour of USA, Canada, Venezuela, and Cuba or something? Why not the Nikkan Cup, a best-of-five (or three or seven or something) series between Japan and South Korea to be held every other October?

International competition is good; I want to see more.

Yes indeed, the more international competition enhances the game. I'd like to see a cup of the United States, Canada, Mexico, Venezuela, Puerto Rico, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic.

It also disappointed me that MLB didn't get to send a team to play an exhibition series with the KBO and CPBL in 2005 either, as I was looking forward to the possibilty of it. Internationalization of baseball is something the game needs.

Still, television for all of these cups remain a problem for me. The 2004 NPB-MLB Series wasn't televised in the United States and was a major disappointment. To better promote any respective "world cup," I wish I could actually watch the series. I was extremly disappointed when I couldn't watch the 2004 Series, not even on a time delay.

In conclusion, I'm all for international competition, as it's good for the game. Though I wish it were easier to watch.

Can we fit all these post-season events in the schedule? Asia Series (Konami Cup) club championship, MLB-NPB exhibition series, and Japan-Korea national team series. Maybe there's a way to rearrange and rotate these things between even and odd years.

- Maybe there's a way to rearrange and rotate these things between even and odd years.

Funny you mention that. Right now the Nichi-Bei (MLB-NPB) series is on even numbered years. Korean teams have played some less advertised games in Japan in November on odd numbered years in the past. The only wrench that's been thrown in is the Asia Series (Konami Cup).

Hopefully the Japan-Korea series will get as much attention as the Nichi-Bei series has in the past.

And I second the idea about playing some regular season games against Korean (and Taiwanese) teams. In fact, I've been a proponent for the Pacific League to lead in the idea of a Pacific Rim League for years. I'd rather have clubs battling it out rather than yet another all star series.

Well,everyone doesn't seem to know Japan-Korea series were held every four years since 1991. These series were sponsored by the Chunichi Shinbun newspaper.

But because of unpopularity and lack of motivation, Chunichi couldn't continue the series.