(Matsuyama, Ehime) Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) invited Japanese Women’s National Team (Madonna Japan) to Matsuyama City and introduced them to a capacity crowd at Botchan Stadium before the start of the All-Star Game on Saturday, July 14.

The International Baseball Federation (IBAF) announced that President Riccardo Fraccari received from City of Tainan the honorary position of Executive Advisor for the Pacific Baseball Training Center project, a project initiated by City of Tainan that involves 1.57 billion NTD (about 52 million US Dollar) budget with 4 baseball fields, accommodation facilities and restaurants to be built to host international and national baseball teams.

The International Baseball Federation (IBAF) announced that Team Cuba is coming to Chinese Taipei to take on the squad assembled by players of the Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) this coming November. This historical visit will mark Cuba’s first time to come to Chinese Taipei for games other than international tournaments, and this will also be the first time for CPBL to play Cuba’s national team.

The UCENS (The japanese-brasilian culture and sport association) has started the Caminho do Beisebol (Path to baseball).

The educational clinic for Technical Commissioners will see 18 participants representing Korea, Hong Kong, New Zealand, Australia, Chinese Taipei and Japan. The clinic will be held in Tokyo from August 23 to 26 in collaboration between the International Baseball Federation and the Baseball Federation of Japan.

The first ever Pakistan Inter-varsity Women Baseball Championship was held at Islamabad from June 24, 2012. The Punjab University emerged as the first champions after winning the final against Islamia University, Bahawalpur by a margin of 13-3.

Excitement is already high among Japanese baseball fans waiting for the 83rd Inter-City Championship, that will be played at the Tokyo Dome from July 13 to 24. The drawing in Tokyo on June 24 attracted a large number of fans (photo: by courtesy of the Mainichi Photo Service), because the Championship, along with National High School Championship in August, is a special feature of summer that forms part of the nation’s common culture.

In the finals of Chinese Taipei 12U baseball tournament, Taipei City team overwhelmed the challenger from Kaohsiung City 13-1 to capture the 2012 Herbalife Cup.

Yoshio Yoshida, member of the IBAF Olympic Reinstatement Commission (ORC) and NPB Hall of Famer will be visiting Rome on Tuesday, June 26th to meet with IBAF President Riccardo Fraccari to discuss ongoing matters of Baseball reinstatement onto the 2020 Olympic Programme.

The long lasting relation between the Japanese sport manufacturer Mizuno and the IBAF has been extended through the 2012 season.