Taipei: The Chinese Taipei Baseball Association (CTBA) has extended its congratulations to baseball legend Sadaharu Oh, a citizen of the Republic of China (ROC), Taiwan's official name, on being honored with Japan's prestigious Order of Culture at 85.

According to Focus Taiwan, Japanese Emperor Naruhito presented Oh with this esteemed accolade, making him only the second baseball player to earn the award. Oh, also known by his Chinese name Wang Chen-chih, was recognized for his significant contributions to the development of sports throughout his remarkable career. In a statement released on Friday, CTBA Chairman Jeffrey Koo Jr. expressed his congratulations to Oh and extended an invitation for him to visit Taiwan in February 2026 with the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks for exhibition games. These games are planned as warm-ups for the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC).

Oh, who currently serves as chairman of the Hawks, was not only invited to participate in these games but also to conduct special coaching sessions with Taiwan's team in preparation for the WBC. The CTBA noted that Oh accepted this invitation, provided his health permits. Oh, who holds the world record for career home runs with 868, is the fourth Japanese athlete and the second baseball player to receive the Order of Culture since its inception in 1937.

Born in Japan in 1940 to a Japanese mother and Chinese father, Oh has resided in Japan his entire life while holding ROC citizenship. The ROC became Taiwan's official name in 1949 after the Kuomintang-led government relocated to Taiwan following its defeat in the Chinese Civil War. Oh's father, an ROC citizen, registered all his children as ROC nationals. Oh has consistently maintained what is now Taiwanese citizenship, choosing not to pursue Japanese naturalization in accordance with his father's wishes.