Korean founded school wins Japan’s top high school baseball

A Korean established high school in Japan has set history after emerging as the winner of a national baseball event competition. In summer tournament called High School Baseball Invitational Tournament held in Koshien Stadium Nishinomli Hyogo Prefecture, Kyoto International High School beat Kanto Daiichi High School Tokyo 2-1 in a thrilling extra 10 inning final on August 23. 
 
It was a 0-0 until the ninth inning when Kyoto International were able to score two runs in the tenth inning during the tiebreaker round. This rule was implemented at Koshien in the year 2018/ This rule begins the inning with a runner in the first and second bases respectively. Nevertheless, Kyoto International gained the victory when their left handed pitcher and seventeen years old Ikki Nishimura marvellously struck out the final match of the last inning having the bases loaded. 
 
Founded in 1947 by the Korean expatriates – Kyoto Chosen Junior High School is the predecessor of Kyoto International High School placed in the Higashiyama district of Kyoto. In the early 90’s, due to financial problems and a dramatic reduction of enrolled students, the school decided to become affiliated to a Japanese institution with help from the South Korean Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Mindan (Korean Residents Union in Japan). In 2003, it was given the status of Japanese government recognized school and in 2004, it opened its door to Japanese students and got its current name Kyoto International Junior and Senior High School. At present, 159 student enrollment constitutes around 70% of the Japanese students. The Japanese government annually pays about 130 milion yen (approximately 1. 2 billion Korean won) of which occupies about 30% of operating expenses, and the South Korean government pays about 1. The Korean government announced they would provide 6 billion won which is 40% of the fund then the rest will be through tuition and donation. 
 
This baseball team was formed in order to attract more student from Japan. The university was founded in 1999 and over the years the majority of male students apply to the university with the intention of joining the team. The current Koshien team is also all Japanese born and raised players as well as an all Japanese coaching staff. The first group mentioned sex appeal; the second group was influenced by first wave Korean pop culture fascination in dramas such as “Winter Sonata” and second wave Korean pop culture fascination identified with K-pop. 
 
Kyoto International High School’s baseball team was a failure in the first years: in 1999 the team lost with a score of 0:34 to a local school in the first match, during which the team had only one pitcher. The principal, Baek Seung-hwan said, “The team managed to get its first win in 2003, a year after it was formed. ” Since last year, the team has participated in the Koshien tournament out of more than 70 schools in Kyoto and has produced rookie players to professional leagues annually for the past five years. Now the team is a Koshien champion, which is quite an outstanding performance of the team. This victory makes it the first time that a school in Kyoto has won the Summer Koshien championship in 68 years, the last time the year was 1956 when Heian High School triumphed.