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Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Kyoto International’s first victory at Koshien, “tears of joy” in Korean-Japanese society.

The first victory of Kyoto International in the National High School Baseball Championship (Summer Koshien) brought great emotion to the Korean community in Japan. After the game, as the Korean school song echoed throughout the stadium, many Korean residents in Japan shed tears and embraced each other. Former Korean residents who graduated from this school shared their excitement, emphasizing the history and importance of support once again.

“It’s unbelievable. Is this not a dream?” The Korean school song resonated throughout the entire stadium. At the “dream stage” of Koshien, Kyoto International High School, a Korean school in Japan, achieved its first victory since its founding, and the Korean residents gathered in the stadium embraced each other, moved to tears.

A second-generation Korean woman in Japan (75) smiled and said, “This is the most moving moment in my 75 years of life.” This woman, who graduated from Kyoto International Middle and High School over 60 years ago, expressed, “It’s incredible to be the best in Kyoto, a school of remarkable small scale, and these feelings are indescribable.”

During the time when the woman attended Kyoto International High School, the total number of students, including middle and high school students, was only about 100 in this small school. The current number of students is 160. In 1999, the baseball team was established to prevent the school from closing, which became a turning point.

A first-generation member of the baseball team, a Korean resident in Japan (41), shared his joy, saying, “I am very happy to win. I have special feelings.” Another Korean resident in Japan (82) who led the cheerleading squad of the baseball team at that time expressed, “It’s truly wonderful to win. Unbelievable. Is this not a dream?” as he pinched the reporter’s cheek.

A third-generation Korean teacher (41) at Kyoto International Middle School, who was in charge of the baseball team’s cheerleading team that day, expressed his surprise, “I was amazed that we could win. It’s a historic achievement, and I feel fortunate to have had this experience. The students of the baseball team worked hard, but it’s thanks to the school that there is a baseball team, and I am grateful to Korea for supporting the school.”

The principal of Kyoto International School, who shed tears at the moment of victory, said, “I knew that the players were technically excellent, but I never thought they would be so wonderful and achieve victory. I am filled with gratitude for giving it their all to achieve victory.” Furthermore, he added, “I am deeply moved that we were able to deliver joy to the 2,700 cheerleaders who came to support us from Japan and to everyone who loves our school in Korea.”

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