Kishida makes 1st pitch in Japan game with South Korea

MARI YAMAGUCHI

TOKYO (AP) — Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida threw out the first pitch for the World Baseball Classic game between Japan and South Korea, bouncing a ball that was scooped up by Japan manager Hideki Kuriyama who was his designated catcher. Kishida had the credentials to make a better pitch. He was a high school baseball player and is still a big fan of his hometown professional baseball team, the Hiroshima Carp. His appearance was highly symbolic and signaled the improving relations between the two countries.