Red Sox looking to extend fanbase in Japan

By Dan Sloan

TOKYO (Reuters) - Boston CEO Larry Lucchino arrived in Japan promising a mini-World Series parade and extending an invite for the Land of the Rising Sun to join the 'Red Sox Nation'.

"We want to be the most popular Major League Baseball team in Japan," the business chief of the 2007 World Series champion said at a news conference to promote Tokyo games in March.

"You will see the Red Sox presence continue to increase, given the success we had as a result of Japanese contribution."

That input came from reliever Hideki Okajima and 15-game winner Daisuke Matsuzaka, for whom Boston paid over $100 million and Lucchino personally lobbied by visiting Japan in late 2006.

Matsuzaka and his Red Sox team will open the new season in Tokyo against the Oakland Athletics and Lucchino said the World Series trophy would be on hand for Japanese fans to see.

"It will be a great joy to bring it here to Japan and have it shared by members of Red Sox Nation -- Japan," Lucchino said.

Many Japanese became supporters after pitching sensation Matsuzaka joined the Red Sox, while over the last 13 years the success of exports such as Hideo Nomo, Ichiro Suzuki and Hideki Matsui has similarly drawn fans to their MLB teams.

The "Dice-K" (Matsuzaka) arrival dovetailed with increased Japanese broadcast of MLB games and his Fenway Park debut in April against Ichiro's Seattle Mariners topped last season's ratings.