Shohei Ohtani in the World Series sparks major excitement in Japan, attracts viewership rivaling the US

Tokyo (CNN) — Baseball superstar Shohei Ohtani has turned millions of Japanese residents into fans of the Los Angeles Dodgers, so much so that more than a tenth of the country’s population has been tuning in to the World Series, giving the Fall Classic better TV ratings in Japan than in the United States.

The excitement was evident in a Tokyo bar on Wednesday morning, Japan time, as fans chanted for their homegrown hero.

“Shohei! Shohei! Shohei!” erupted in Fields Shibuya, a sports dining bar, as the All-Star player stepped to the plate against the New York Yankees in Game 4 of the World Series, later turning into deafening cheers when the Dodgers’ designated hitter ripped a single.

“Ohtani’s performance is high level,” said Ryosuke Matsumoto, 22, who was among the crowd in the sports bar. “I’m very happy that a Japanese player is doing so well in the Major Leagues. That’s how I became a fan. I’m proud of him.”

There would be little else for fans of Ohtani and the Dodgers to cheer for in Game 4, as the Yankees prevailed 11-4, but the excitement is sure to return for Game 5 on Wednesday (Thursday morning in Japan) at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

The appearance of Ohtani in this year’s edition of the World Series has captivated Japan and emerged as a television ratings phenomenon.

Tomoyuki Masuda, from Kyoto, Japan, watches the Los Angeles Dodgers batting practice before Game 4 of the baseball World Series against the New York Yankees, in New York, on October 29, 2024. Customers choose a T-shirt at a pop-up store for Major League Baseball star Shohei Ohtani ahead of the first World Series game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the New York Yankees, in Tokyo, Japan, on October 25, 2024.

Earlier this week, the