Samurai Japan announced that Hirokazu Ibata has resigned from his job as Japan’s Men’s Baseball National Team manager.

The website of Samurai Japan honoured Ibata’s work with the U-12 and U-15 National Teams, the 2023 Asian Professional Baseball Championship, and the 2024 Global Baseball Games.
A note commented on Japan’s elimination in the quarterfinals at the 2026 World Baseball Classic: “Although he was unable to repeat as champion, he was a director who embodied Samurai Japan’s goal of aiming to be the strongest in the world for all generations, and left a great legacy.”

The note added that Ibata will continue to cooperate in the promotion and development of Samurai Japan baseball.

“First of all, I would like to express my gratitude to the players, staff, the Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) 12 teams and the amateur organisations who have been involved so far for supporting us in various aspects,” commented Hirokazu Ibata. “I learned a lot as a baseball man through the Japanese National Team. At the World Baseball Classic, we did not achieve the results we expected, and we did not meet everyone’s expectations, but the players fought hard against strong opponents.

“It was my fault that I couldn’t help them win,” Ibata added. “Although I am stepping down, there are still major international competitions ahead, including the WBSC Premier12, the Olympic Games, and the World Baseball Classic. I hope that Samurai Japan will continue to take on challenges to develop Japanese baseball. I will continue to do what I can to develop Japanese baseball.

“To all the fans who supported us at the end, thank you very much. I want to ask for your continued warm support for Samurai Japan and the Japanese baseball world.”

Born in 1975, Ibata starred as the Chunichi Dragons’ second baseman in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) from 1998 to 2013, leading them to a 2007 Japan Series title. The same year, he was honoured as the Asia Series MVP.

He earned seven Gold Gloves and was an eight-time All-Star. He played the final two years of his career for the Tokyo Yomiuri Giants and joined their coaching staff after retirement.

Ibata became a coach for Samurai Japan in 2017. He coached under Atsunori Inaba at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and managed the U-12 National Team in 2022 and 2023.

In 2023, Ibata led World No. 1 Japan to win the Asia Professional Baseball Championship against Chinese Taipei, Korea and Australia. In 2024, he led the U-15 National Team to Japan’s first WBSC Baseball World Cup title.

Under Ibata, Japan finished second at the WBSC Premier12 2024 and lost to Venezuela, the would-be World Champions, in the 2026 World Baseball Classic quarterfinals.