When people think of Japanese soft power, the usual list runs through manga, anime, bullet trains, sushi, and cutting-edge robotics. But a new player is stepping onto that field: cricket.
Speaking at the India Today Indo-Japan Conclave in New Delhi on May 22, Noriaki Abe, Japan’s Minister (Political) at the Embassy of India, called sports “the most meaningful form of soft power.” And in Japan’s case, cricket is fast becoming a cultural bridge with India and the wider Indo-Pacific.
From Yokohama to ICC: Cricket’s Long Japanese Innings Cricket first landed in Japan in 1863, brought by the British community in Yokohama. By 1868, the country had its first cricket club. But baseball soon overtook it and dominated the national sporting landscape for over a century.
The sport’s revival began in the 1980s, led by Japanese students returning from abroad. That momentum led to the formation of the Japan Cricket Association in 1984. Japan became an International Cricket Council member in 1989. Today, it is far from a fringe activity. The country now has around 8,000 registered players and 14 high-standard cricket grounds.
A Cosmopolitan Game on Japanese Soil Abe, speaking during the session ‘Soft Power: The New India-Japan Cultural Bridge’, highlighted cricket’s uniquely global character in Japan. Local teams regularly feature players from India, New Zealand, Nepal, and Bangladesh. “Team Japan is blessed by this diversity,” Abe said. “Cricket plays a role in fostering communities across borders.”
Despite strong bilateral ties, India and Japan have never played an official international cricket match. Abe said he hopes that changes before 2027, when the two nations mark 75 years of diplomatic relations.
Beyond Cricket: A Broader Sporting Partnership
The India-Japan sporting connection isn’t limited to cricket. The two countries are collaborating closely in judo, rugby, and swimming. Japanese coaches are working with young rugby players in Gujarat and Odisha. In Lucknow, Japanese coaches are supporting Indian para judo athletes.
Cricket as Indo-Pacific Diplomacy Abe linked cricket to Japan’s larger strategic vision. “Japan’s vision of a free and open Indo-Pacific is based on fundamental values of openness, free navigation, rule of law and respect for all nations large and small,” he said. “Cricket connects this geography very naturally. Wherever the Indian diaspora flourishes, cricket becomes a cultural anchor. Sport becomes diplomacy without speech.”
The timing is significant. Cricket will be played at the Asian Games in Nagoya later this year in front of a home Japanese audience. It returns to the Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. “Cricket is no longer a niche sport but part of a global sporting future,” Abe noted.
Beyond Anime and Tech: Cricket Emerges as Japan’s New Diplomatic Pitch with India
