Waseda University and Keio University baseball clubs will leave for Brazil next Wednesday where they will hold games commemorating the 100th anniversary of Japanese immigration to the South American country.
During their two-week stay in Brazil, the two ball clubs will hold four matches, mainly in areas where many Japanese-Brazilians live, such as Sao Paulo and the state of Parana. They also plan to face off with Brazil's national team.
The expedition has been organized at the request of the baseball association of Brazil. The Waseda and Keio teams held matches in Brazil in 1998 to mark the 90th anniversary of Japanese immigration.
The upcoming matches are part of events being held to mark the 150th anniversary of the 1858 foundation of Keio University.
''Our members have been practicing from early on. We can never lose a match against Waseda,'' said Makoto Maeda, director of the Keio club.
Baseball games between Waseda and Keio have been major events in Japan for over a century due to traditional rivalry between the two private universities.
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