Soccer, in contrast, has grown much more slowly. Despite an equally early start with the first official game being played in 1873, the professional soccer structure, the J-League, is very new - and was only set up in 1993.
Outside observers have always thought it was of suspect standard internationally and foreign imports have generally been confined to aging players at the end of their careers, such as Zico of Brazil or England's Gary Lineker.
However, in the last few years soccer has been steadily growing in popularity.
And while the J League games still only attract quite small audiences - they are usually not shown on terrestrial TV and when they are they never get more than 10 per cent of total viewing - the international game has been breaking viewing records. The just-concluded World Cup saw a colossal 60 per cent rating for Japan's game with Croatia, and the game against Russia scored a 66 per cent household rating, beating the previous highest ever viewing event on one channel - the Tokyo Olympics closing ceremony back in 1964 (63 per cent).
The highest-ever baseball event in comparison was the 1994 Giants versus Dragons game, which scored a 46 rating. But in recent years, even the final stage 'Japan Series' has only taken around 30 per cent of viewing.
And, perhaps, even more importantly, soccer appeals to that elusive young adult audience. There were proportionately twice as many young adults watching the World Cup compared to the usual baseball viewing, and nearly half were women. Baseball remains older and more male.
And it wasn't just Japan attracting the big viewing - eight matches scored over 40 per cent and even a fairly low interest game like Germany playing Cameroon could score a 30 per cent rating. So, soccer is young, multi-sex and growing in popularity. It sounds like an advertiser's dream? Except currently this is confined just to international football and (as an Englishman, I know) it's another four years, till the next World Cup.
If the domestic game can just start to develop more off the back of these international successes, it suggests very rich promise for soccer in Japan in the future. Most of the Japanese team and many of the even more successful South Korean team play in the J-League, suggesting the standard is much higher than many had thought. Advertisers should look carefully for long-term opportunities here, while it's still early.
