Japan will aim to win Olympic baseball gold on home soil after the sport was formally approved for inclusion at the 2020 Tokyo Games along with four other events on Wednesday.
The International Olympic Committee gave the green light to add a joint baseball/softball bid, surfing, skateboarding, karate and sports climbing to the 2020 program, under a new initiative that allows host cities to nominate a number of new events for inclusion in their own games.
"This was an epoch-making initiative," said Tokyo 2020 President Yoshiro Mori. "We hope that the additional sports will stimulate the next generation and serve as a model for future Olympic Games. I hope people remember the Tokyo Games as a turning point in the modern Olympics."