Asia Society 10d ago

LOS ANGELES, June 9, 2026 — LA28 Olympic and Paralympic Games Sport Manager of Baseball, Softball, and Goalball Joan Garcia Pagán and THE·TEAM President of Global Talent Representation Jason Ranne examine the growing commercial and competitive ties between Japanese and American baseball. Amy Siegel, Co-Head of the Entertainment and Media Industry Group at O'Melveny & Myers, moderates. (43 min., 41 sec.) As part of Asia Society Southern California's U.S.-Japan Initiative Program IV, the conversation traces how Japan's youth and amateur development systems have shaped the current wave of Japanese talent in Major League Baseball, the commercial opportunities opening up around that talent on both sides of the Pacific, and what baseball's return to the Olympics in 2028 could mean for the sport's global growth. Garcia draws on her background at the World Baseball Softball Confederation to address Japan's dominance in international youth competition and the stakes of LA28 being the first Olympic baseball tournament open to MLB players. Ranne, whose agency represents six Japanese-born MLB players, discusses how commercial investment in Japanese athletes has deepened beyond individual breakout stars, and where he sees untapped potential in Japan's baseball talent and infrastructure. Subscribe for more videos like this: http://AsiaSociety.org/YouTube --- Support Asia Society today: http://AsiaSociety.org/Donate --- Subscribe to our newsletter to stay connected: https://asiasociety.org/email-subscriptions --- Facebook: http://facebook.com/AsiaSociety Instagram: http://instagram.com/AsiaSociety Twitter: http://twitter.com/AsiaSociety LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/company/asia-society/ #baseball #mlb #japan #asiasocietysoutherncalifornia