Cross-Cultural Communication, Localization, and Diplomacy: Role of Baseball in Shaping Japan-South Korea Relations

Abstract

As a type of soft power, sports play an important role in international diplomacy and cross-cultural exchange. Baseball, due to its cultural and political significance, thus has been integrated into the historical evolution and diplomatic interactions of Japan and Korea. This paper makes a systematic study of baseball in shaping Japan- Korea relations since the introduction of baseball to the present. The research is based on theories of crosscultural exchange, sports diplomacy, people-to-people diplomacy, and national identity, using methods such as literature review and case study. It is found that baseball has undergone a localized process in Japan and Korea after its introduction. Then, it became a significant bridge for people-to-people exchanges between the two countries after World War II. Meanwhile, it also served as a key field for competing national identity. At present, the interaction of baseball between Japan and South Korea shows a pattern of both competitions and cooperations. Overall, this research makes an attempt to overcome the limitations of existing research that focuses only on single periods or events, and tries to build a framework for Japan-South Korea interactions around baseball. It can not only enrich the study of sports and international relations, but also provide a reference for understanding the role of sports in diplomatic interactions in East Asia.