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Japanese, SKorean leaders conduct baseball diplomacy
ATAMI, Japan, Sept 23 (AFP) - The leaders of Japan and South Korea took time out from talks on problematic North Korea to chat about an enthralling baseball match between their nations at the Sydney Olympics Saturday. "Someone must win in any game, but I think that both sides had a good clash today," South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung told Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori as they began talks at the hot spring resort of Atami outside Tokyo. Kim had reason to be happy after the South Koreans downed Japan 7-6 in the 10th inning of a gripping group tie. "Your team must be powerful as they knocked out Japan's best pitcher (Daisuke) Matsuzaka," replied Mori, who threw the ceremonial first pitch between the New York Mets and the Philadelphia Phillies earlier this month. "I am honored to hear you say that because you know a lot about baseball," the South Korean president said. Mori said his baseball expertise could have led to greater things after his role in the night match in New York, which he was visiting for the UN Millennium Summit. "I was asked to sign a contract with a US Major League team the other day," the prime minister joked. "The Mets owner offered me a contract after my pitch, but I declined because I'm more concerned about the Japanese people," Mori said after he pitched a fairly fast straight-ball strike to star Mets catcher Mike Piazza.
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