SOUTH WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. (July 22, 2025) – Joto Little League (Tokyo, Japan) has secured its first-ever trip to Williamsport for the 2025 Little League Baseball® World Series, Presented by T-Mobile, with an emphatic 15-4 victory over Yokohama Little League in the Japan Region Championship game. Joto completed the tournament with a perfect 4-0 record, capping a dominant run through the region.
This marks a milestone moment for the Tokyo-based league, which chartered with Little League® International in 2022 following a nationwide restructuring of Little League programs in Japan. Before the reorganization, players in the Joto community participated in Kitasuna Little League. This storied program made six LLBWS appearances and claimed four World Series titles (2001, 2012, 2015, 2017), as well as a runner-up finish in 2007.
Japan remains one of the premier countries in Little League history, ranking third all-time in LLBWS appearances with 34, trailing only Canada (64) and Mexico (36). Since its debut in 1962, Japan has made 16 championship game appearances, winning 11 titles and etching its name into the tournament’s record books. Japanese teams have also achieved rare feats, such as pitching one of just five perfect games in World Series history (1976).
Adding to their impressive legacy, Japan was awarded the 2024 Jack Losch Little League Baseball World Series Team Sportsmanship Award for exemplary conduct both on and off the field.
The 2025 Little League Baseball® World Series, Presented by T-Mobile, will begin on Wednesday, August 13, and conclude with the World Series Championship game on Sunday, August 24. Joto Little League is slated to open its tournament in Game 5 against the Europe and Africa Region on Thursday, August 14, at 1 p.m. at Volunteer Stadium.
For schedules, visitor information, and more about the LLBWS, visit LittleLeague.org/WorldSeries.
Fans eager to support their favorite teams can shop official merchandise, including adidas replica jerseys and New Era caps, at ShopLittleLeague.org. Visitors to Williamsport can also stop by the Little League Flagship Store during the Series. Free shipping is available for all online orders over $50 throughout the tournament.
