Their game dates as far back as the 1940's and possibly earlier if records can be trusted, but after the Yankees toured Japan with Babe Ruth, the game exploded on all parts of the country.
Most teams were established around companies, and advanced to leagues of factory workers, Mitsubishi against Sanyo, until they became more sponsors than organisers, and players were not solely tied to their own companies.
For the last 72 hours the country has faced it's greatest challenge since Hiroshima, and is attempting to stabalize itself after the worst earthquake and tsunami in it's history. Sendai is in ruins, and parts of southeast Japan are trying to recover and locate family members, friends, anyone.
In the wake of the devastation, (and there will be recovery) slow and seemingly insurmountable progress, and as it evolves, this small proud nation will do what Americans' did after 9/11, and go back to patriotic pride, pull out their horns, and flags, and noise makers and return to the game that has become their national spirit.
Major League Baseball does what it always does and offer comfort. And financial aid, and focus their efforts to aid Japan, and recognise their contribution to the national past time. Because life is larger than the game.
Life goes on after Katrina, after terrorism, after earthquakes stop World Series, because it's seems that it is what people need to comfort them, and rally them. They need the game to return, and whether it is cathartic, or just comfort, it acts as part of the healing, that return to normal life.
The flags will fly again, in ballparks in Tokyo, in Hiroshima, at half mast, but will symbolise this nations resiliance.
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