TOKYO (AP) — Naruhito, Empress Masako and Princess Aiko arrived at the Tokyo Dome for Japan’s critical game Sunday against Australia and the World Baseball Classic.

Even the royal family are fans of Japanese baseball and superstar Shohei Ohtani.

The Japanese royals entered the Tokyo Dome during batting practice before the game began and waved to some fans on hand for the game.

Naruhito turned 66 just a few weeks ago and has been focusing his attention lately on remembering the 15th anniversary of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear disaster on March 11, 2011, that killed nearly 20,000 people in northern Japan.

Aiko, 24, is the only child between Naruhito and Masako and cannot become the monarch. Japan allows only male succession.

___

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb