Chicago Cubs Help Set Japanese Television Record in Tokyo Series Against Dodgers

The Japanese contingents on both the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers helped attract record viewership numbers.

Mar 18, 2025; Bunkyo, Tokyo, JPN; Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Shota Imanaga (18) delivers a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning during the Tokyo Series at Tokyo Dome. / Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

While the Chicago Cubs couldn't get a win during the two-game Tokyo Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, they did leave an indelible mark on Japanese culture before returning stateside.

The first weeknight offering on Tuesday evening was viewed by 25 million people in Japan alone, more than a fifth of the nation's total population, comfortably setting the national record for the most-watched MLB game ever as announced by MLB's Communications account.

It's still a ways off the most-watched baseball event in Japanese history, with the 1978 Japanese High School Baseball Championship, or Summer Koshien, attracting nearly 51% of all households.

But Tuesday's historic viewership does speak to the growing popularity of the MLB in the Land of the Rising Sun, with last year's Seoul Series in neighboring South Korea drawing just 19 million viewers, while the 2019 Tokyo Series had just six million.

Figures from last year's World Series action also speak to this trend, with a combined 30 million fans tuning into the first two games of the series.

Local interest can also explained by the outsized Japanese presence on both rosters, headlined by three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani but also included Dodgers rookie Roki Sasaki and star Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and Cubs players Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki.

The Japanese contingents on both teams gathered for a final photo opportunity in front of the pitcher's mound after Game 2, which Los Angeles won 6-3.

Imanaga got the start in Game 1, where he matched up against Yamamoto, and threw four hitless innings.

Suzuki struggled to find the same success in his homecoming, however, posting zero hits and four strikeouts in eight at-bats while managing just a lone walk.

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