Coincidence and inevitability.
I continued to take on challenges and compete against the world in Baseball5.

College of Health and Welfare Third-year students

Masahiro Uemura

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I met Baseball5 at the open campus.

I dedicated myself to softball baseball for 11 years, starting in the second grade of elementary school. In high school, I was fortunate to have great teammates, and we achieved our goal of competing in the Kanto regional tournament. After graduating from high school, I vaguely thought that I would continue playing softball baseball in college, while also considering obtaining a teaching license in health and physical education.

A major turning point for me was attending the J. F. Oberlin University open campus in the summer of my third year of high school. At the end of the mock lesson taught by Associate Professor Kenta Wakamatsu, I was introduced to Baseball5. Even I, who had played baseball for many years, didn't even know Baseball5 existed. Professor Wakamatsu's words, "If you work hard, you might be selected for the Japan national team," filled me with excitement, as if opening a door to the unknown. If there's a chance I can compete as a member of the Japan national team, I definitely want to take on the challenge. Believing in that intuition, I immediately decided to go to J. F. Oberlin University.

Building a team from scratch. Fulfilling my responsibilities as both team manager and coach.

After enrolling, I was involved in the establishment of "Baseball Club 5," which meant building the team from scratch. Because it was a new club activity, the first-year students had to take the lead, and I was entrusted with the important role of both club president and coach.

One of the major features of Baseball 5 is,

No glove or bat needed. It's easy to get started with just one ball.

- Gender equality, where men and women play on the same court under exactly the same conditions.

- The game is played over in 5 innings, resulting in a fast-paced format where each game finishes in approximately 20 minutes.

These are just a few examples. The rapid recognition of these attractions worldwide has led to its inclusion as an official event at the 2026 Dakar Youth Olympic Games.

As team manager and coach, I've focused on team communication. I've made efforts to strengthen team cohesion by carefully sharing the decision-making process and speaking up while respecting the team's mood. These efforts finally paid off in my third year, when we achieved our long-awaited goal of qualifying for the Japan Championships and participating in the national tournament. In my fourth year, my final year of university, I'd like to aim for an even higher ranking.

He was finally selected for the Japanese national team, a long-held dream, and will wear the Japanese flag at the Asian Cup.

I am thrilled to announce that I have been selected for the first time as a member of the Japanese national team for Baseball5, a sport I have always aspired to play in. I will be representing Japan against national teams from various countries at the Asian Cup, which will be held at the end of March 2026. I hope to contribute to Japan's victory with my batting skills, which are my greatest strength.

What supports Baseball5's activities is learning in College of Health and Welfare. It's full of learning that can be immediately applied to competition, such as kinesiology, physiology, and conditioning exercises. What I especially practice is knowledge of sports nutrition. How to efficiently consume energy by working backward from games. By testing the knowledge learned in class with my own body, I connect it to improving performance. I feel that the close distance to the teachers and the environment where they answer individual questions carefully are one of J. F. Oberlin University 's greatest attractions.

Learning about Baseball5 at an open campus event completely changed my life. With gratitude in my heart for the many people who have supported my activities so far, I want to give my all on the world stage.

Masahiro Uemura

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He serves as the manager and coach of the 5th Baseball Club. In 2025, the club's third year since its founding, he led them to qualify for the national championship for the first time and advance to the national tournament. Individually, he was selected as a member of the Japanese national team for the Asian Cup to be held in March 2026.

Interview date:
*This interview was conducted in February 2026.

Coincidence and inevitability.I continued to take on challenges and compete against the world in Baseball5.

Main content

I met Baseball5 at the open campus.

Building a team from scratch. Fulfilling my responsibilities as both team manager and coach.

He was finally selected for the Japanese national team, a long-held dream, and will wear the Japanese flag at the Asian Cup.

Related content

Coincidence and inevitability.
I continued to take on challenges and compete against the world in Baseball5.