Tanzanian Students Visit Yokohama Schools to Learn Baseballership, Visit Baseball Clubs in the City

By Taeka Matsuoka / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

6:00 JST, October 30, 2025

YOKOHAMA — A Tanzanian student baseball team recently visited Yokohama to train and interact with local high school baseball clubs.

The event is part of the city’s efforts to promote ties with African countries. Yokohama has been the host city of the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) four times, including the latest TICAD 9 in August.

The student team were led by the Japan-Africa Baseball & Softball Foundation (J-ABS), a foundation that has developed human resources in Africa through baseball. Team members were taught the importance of “baseballership,” an educational concept designed to develop character through playing baseball.

The event was organized by the city, which has maintained exchanges with Tanzania for more than 15 years. From Sept. 29 to Oct. 5, eight Tanzanian students aged 16 to 20 interacted with baseball club members of Keio Senior High School and Yokohama Shogyo High School, both in Yokohama, as well as players from the Yokohama DeNA BayStars professional baseball team.

Team members expressed their determination to use their experience in Japan to help Africa develop.

“Baseballership” is a term coined by J-ABS combining the terms “baseball” and “sportsmanship.” It signifies not only on the improvement of baseball skills, but also the cultivation of personal qualities such as compassion and courtesy. Young baseball players learn about discipline, respect and justice from a textbook compiled by J-ABS. The textbook covers 55 themes, such as not complaining to the umpire, and the importance of taking care of equipment.

According to J-ABS President Shinya Tomonari, 61, the foundation began operations in Tanzania in 2012 by providing baseball equipment. Even though baseball remains a minor sport in the country, more and more schools and students are becoming involved, as baseball is viewed as a sport that can improve academic performance. The visiting students were taught by Tomonari in the past.

At Keio Senior High School, the Tanzanian team received guidance from club coach Takahiko Moribayashi, who said that being patient is one of the important things to realize the baseball club’s motto: “Enjoy Baseball.” Team members listened intently to Moribayashi and asked questions such as, “What can we do to lift our spirits when we feel down?” Moribayashi answered: “You never know the game outcome until the end. Focus on each play during the game and think, ‘It would be thrilling if we could stage a comeback now.’”

During training, the Tanzanian students actively communicated with baseball club members while practicing catching and fielding. During base-running and fielding practice, they said “Asante” (meaning “thank you” in Swahili, the local language in Tanzania) to each other, always smiling.

The Tanzanian students similarly trained with the Yokohama Shogyo High School baseball club.

The schools presented uniforms and other gifts to the students, encouraging them to continue playing.

Team captain Joshua Stanley Mshana, 16, said excitedly: “It was a like a dream. I was moved when we were accepted as teammates.” He added, “When faced with a big obstacle, Japanese people persevere, but Tanzanians tend to give up. I want to change that mindset.”

“I was impressed by how the coach watched from a distance while the players moved independently,” said player-coach Abubakay Nachiwa, 19.

He said that people in Africa have a sense of belonging, not just to their own country but also to Africa as a whole. “Baseball isn’t widespread yet in Africa. I dream of spreading it to all 55 African countries and regions and sharing the values of discipline, courtesy and respect,” he said.