This stretch in Tokyo was always going to be special for the Chicago Cubs. And they hope it’s just the launching pad for an even greater presence in Japan.

Japanese baseball is experiencing a golden generation – they won the 2023 World Baseball Classic and feature some of the sport’s biggest stars, including an icon in Shohei Ohtani. The Dodgers feature three Japanese players: Ohtani, right-handed pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto and rookie sensation Roki Sasaki. The Cubs, who have a pair of Japanese players in Shota Imanaga and Seiya Suzuki, want to continue to make themselves more of a household name in that country.

“It’s an incredible era of Japanese baseball and the fact that you have five incredible players in this series is amazing,” Cubs president of baseball operations Jed Hoyer said during the broadcast of their 4-1 loss to the Dodgers on Opening Day. “I think our presence is great. I think we’ve got two really good spokesmen plus we’ve had a lot of players who have been happy.”

[Cubs takeaways: What we learned in 4-1 loss to Dodgers in MLB Tokyo Series 2025]

The Cubs aren’t the Dodgers in terms of presence in Japan, that’s clear. The fans are drawn to Ohtani and there was plenty of support for Los Angeles on Opening Day. But the hope is that playing in the series, by showcasing Imanaga and Suzuki it can expose the Cubs to more people in Japan.

And the market for Japanese players isn’t the same as a normal free agent. If an American or Latin American player hits free agency in MLB, they’ll be open to signing with any of the 30 clubs in baseball. If a Japanese player hits the market – either through the posting system like Suzuki, Imanaga or Yamamoto or through the minor-league free-agent side like Ohtani and Sasaki – not every team is in play.

“There’s probably 10, 12 teams that have a Japanese presence that recruit Japanese players,” Hoyer said. “And it’s nice to be in a market that isn’t necessarily 30 teams going after the same guys. They’re not. The Japanese players don’t go to all the markets.”

[READ: What 2025 MLB Tokyo Series means for Cubs’ Shota Imanaga, Seiya Suzuki]

The Cubs were open after Suzuki’s rookie campaign with wanting to make the transition easier for Imanaga when he signed ahead of the 2024 season. There were things they learned from Suzuki’s first season that they were able to apply for Imanaga and that allowed him to acclimate quicker and develop into an All-Star and the team’s ace.

Former pitcher Yu Darvish spoke glowingly of Chicago when Imanaga and Suzuki were going through their respective free agency process – a testament to the treatment he received since the Padres, his team, also were interested in both players.

“He told [me] the city was great,” Suzuki said through then-interpreter Toy Matsushita at his introductory press conference. “They have a really good fanbase. And [I’m] just gonna love it here.”

The hope, for Hoyer and the Cubs is that bond and presence can grow as a thanks to this trip.

“There’s been a lot of Japanese players that have come through Chicago,” Hoyer said. “They’ve enjoyed their experience, and I think that always helps.”