A Game for Kids: Children’s Development Through the Pan-Africa Kōshien Tournament

While working in Ghana, Tomonari passionately coached locals in baseball basics. He strives to inspire youth in all countries. (© Kazufoto)

Tomonari was born in 1964. After graduating from Keiō University, he worked for Recruit subsidiary Cosmos before joining JICA. On the side, he helped launch an NPO, the Association for Friends of African Baseball. Since 2021, he has devoted himself to J-ABS as its president.

A national tournament staged in Tanzania. Whether pitching or batting, in typical African fashion, the players are unconventional. (© Tomonari Shin’ya)

Playing with rubber balls, typically the first kind of balls children in in South Sudan encounter. (Courtesy Tomonari Shin’ya)