Japan beat South Korea 4-3 in the 2023 Asia Professional Baseball final

On 19 November 2023, Japan defeated South Korea 4-3 in the final of the second Asia Professional Baseball Championship (APBC) at Tokyo Dome, leaving Korea as runner-up.

The APBC is a tournament for young professionals from Asia's top leagues. Players are generally limited to age 24 or under, or to those with three or fewer years of professional experience. It is organised by the Japanese, Korean and Taiwanese leagues and held in Tokyo. The 2023 edition brought together teams from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and Australia, with the top two sides meeting in the final.

The one-run margin made the result a painful one for Korea, whose young squad had reached the decisive game and came close to taking the title. For Japan, the win confirmed its strength in youth development and its home advantage at Tokyo Dome.

The final set the tone for later meetings between the two baseball rivals, which are closely watched in both countries and which regularly draw comparisons of how each nation develops its next generation of stars.