The Asia–Pacific and Middle East Region is a region that competes in the Little League World Series. Asian teams first competed in the LLWS in 1961, when Japanese teams competed in the original Pacific Region (which included Hawaii). In 1962, Japanese teams began competing in the newly created Far East Region.
| Most recent season or competition: 2024 Little League World Series qualification | |
| Formerly | Far East Region |
|---|---|
| Sport | Baseball |
| Founded | 2001 |
| No. of teams | 10 |
| Country | International |
| Most recent champion(s) |  Kuei-Shan Little League, Taoyuan, Chinese Taipei |
| Most titles | Kuei-Shan Little League, Taoyuan, Taiwan (4) |
In 2001, the Little League World Series was expanded to sixteen teams, and East Asia was split into two regions – the Pacific (consisting of teams from the Pacific Islands, Indonesia, and Oceania) and Asia (consisting of teams from mainland Asia). In 2007, the regions were reconfigured. Japan was given its own automatic berth in the Series, while the remaining Asian teams merged with the Pacific teams to create the Asia-Pacific Region.
In 2013, the region was reorganized as the Asia-Pacific and Middle East Region. Australia, now the fourth-largest country and the largest outside North America in Little League participation, received its own LLWS region. All Middle Eastern countries with Little League programs, except for Israel and Turkey, were placed in the former Asia-Pacific Region. Previously, the Middle East had formed a region with Africa, but that region was disbanded, with African teams joining the Europe and Africa Region (formerly Europe Region, which also includes Israel and Turkey).[1]
Asia–Pacific and Middle East Region Countries
editAsia Region (2001–2006)
editIn 2001, the Far East Region split into the Asia and Pacific regions. The Asia Region comprised Little Leagues from mainland Asia.
Asia Regional Championship
editThe list below lists each country's participant in the Asia Region Tournament between 2001 and 2006. Each year's winner is indicated in green. Two teams from the Asia Region won the Little League World Series — Tokyo in 2001 and 2003.
| Year |  China
|
Chinese Taipei
|
 Hong Kong, China
|
 Japan
|
 South Korea
|
 Thailand
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | – | – | N/A Hong Kong, China |
Kitasuna LL Tokyo |
N/A South Korea |
– |
| 2002 | – | – | N/A Hong Kong SAR, China |
Sendai Higashi LL Sendai |
N/A South Korea |
– |
| 2003 | – | N/A Chinese Taipei |
N/A Hong Kong SAR, China |
Musashi-Fuchu LL Tokyo |
N/A South Korea |
– |
| 2004 | – | Shou-Tien LL Kaohsiung |
Hong Kong LL Hong Kong SAR, China |
Sendai Higashi LL Sendai |
N/A South Korea |
– |
| 2005 | – | N/A Chinese Taipei |
N/A Hong Kong SAR, China |
Chiba City LL Chiba City |
N/A South Korea |
N/A Thailand |
| 2006 | Huangpu LL Guangzhou |
Fong-Nien LL Taitung City |
Hong Kong LL Causeway Bay |
Kawaguchi LL Kawaguchi City |
N/A South Korea |
Sanuk LL Chiang Mai |
LLWS results
edit| Year | Champion | City | LLWS | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Kitasuna LL | Tokyo |
Champion | 5–1 |
| 2002 | Sendai Hagashi LL | Sendai |
Runner-Up | 5–1 |
| 2003 | Musashi-Fuchu LL | Tokyo |
Champion | 6–0 |
| 2004 | Shou-Tien LL | Kaohsiung |
Int'l Semifinal | 2–2 |
| 2005 | Chiba City LL | Chiba City |
Fourth place | 4–2 |
| 2006 | Kawaguchi City LL | Kawaguchi, Saitama |
Runner-Up | 5–1 |
Pacific Region (2001–2006)
editIn 2001, the Far East Region split into the Asia and Pacific regions. The list below lists each country's participant in the Pacific Region Tournament between 2001 and 2006. Each year's winner is indicated in green. No team from the Pacific Region won the Little League World Series.
Pacific Regional Championship
edit| Year |  Guam
|
 Indonesia
|
 New Zealand
|
 Northern Mariana Islands
|
 Philippines
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Central LL Agana |
N/A Indonesia |
N/A New Zealand |
Saipan LL Saipan |
N/A Philippines |
| 2002 | Central Agana |
N/A Indonesia |
N/A New Zealand |
Saipan ll Saipan |
N/A Philippines |
| 2003 | Central LL Agana |
N/A Indonesia |
– | Saipan LL Saipan |
N/A Philippines |
| 2004 | Central East LL Mangilao |
Jakarta LL Jakarta |
– | Saipan LL Northern Mariana Islands |
N/A Philippines |
| 2005 | Central East LL Mangilao |
N/A Indonesia |
N/A New Zealand |
Saipan LL Northern Mariana Islands |
N/A Philippines |
| 2006 | Central East LL Mangilao |
Jakarta LL Jakarta |
Bayside Westhaven LL Auckland |
Saipan LL Northern Mariana Islands |
Illam Central LL Makati City |
LLWS results
edit| Year | Champion | City | LLWS | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Central LL | Agana |
Int'l Semifinal | 3–1 |
| 2002 | Central LL | Agana |
Int'l Semifinal | 2–2 |
| 2003 | Central LL | Agana |
Group Stage | 0–3 |
| 2004 | Saipan LL | Saipan |
Group Stage | 0–3 |
| 2005 | Central East LL | Mangilao-Barrigada |
Int'l Semifinal | 3–1 |
| 2006 | Saipan LL | Saipan |
Group Stage | 0–3 |
Asia-Pacific Region (2007–2012)
editIn 2007, the Asia and Pacific regions were reconfigured again. Japan was given its own place in the LLWS and the remaining Asian and Pacific teams were merged into one region. No Asia-Pacific team has won the LLWS, although Kuei-Shan Little League of Chinese Taipei finished runner-up in 2009.
Asia-Pacific Regional Championship
editThe list below lists each country's participant in the Asia-Pacific Little League Region Tournament between 2007 and 2012. That year's winner is indicated in green.
| Year |  Australia
|
China
|
Chinese Taipei
|
Guam
|
Hong Kong, China
|
 India
|
Indonesia
|
New Zealand
|
Northern Mariana Islands
|
Philippines
|
 Singapore
|
South Korea
|
Thailand
|
 Vietnam
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | – | – | Li-Shing LL Taichung |
Northern LL Dededo |
Hong Kong LL Hong Kong |
– | Jakarta LL Jakarta |
Bayside Westhaven LL Auckland |
Saipan LL Saipan |
Illam Central LL Makati City |
– | Nam Yang Ju Shi LL Nam Yang Ju Shi |
Sanuk LL Chiang Mai |
– |
| 2008 | Hills LL Sydney |
Guangzhou LL Guangzhou |
Tung Yuan LL Wan-Hua |
Southern LL Yona |
Hong Kong LL Hong Kong |
BB & SB Confederation of India LL New Delhi |
Jakarta LL Jakarta |
Bayside Westhaven LL Auckland |
Saipan LL Saipan |
Tanauan LL Batangas[2] |
– | Gyeonggi LL Gyeonggi-do |
Sanuk LL Chiang Mai |
– |
| 2009 | Waverley LL Victoria |
– | Kuei-Shan LL Taoyuan City |
Central LL Agana |
Hong Kong LL Hong Kong |
– | Indonesian LL Jakarta |
Auckland Baseball Association LL Auckland |
Saipan LL Saipan |
Illam Central LL Makati City[3] |
Singapore LL Singapore |
Seoul LL Seoul |
Sanuk LL Chiang Mai |
– |
| 2010 | – | – | Fu-Hsing LL Kaohsiung |
Northern LL Dededo |
Hong Kong LL Hong Kong |
– | Indonesian LL Jakarta |
N/A New Zealand |
– | Illam Central LL Makati City |
Singapore LL Singapore |
Seoul LL Seoul |
Sanuk LL Chiang Mai |
Hanoi LL Hanoi |
| 2011 | Southern Adelaide Districts LL Adelaide |
– | Ching-Tang LL Kaohsiung |
Central LL Agana |
Hong Kong LL Hong Kong |
– | Indonesian LL Jakarta |
Bayside Westhaven Auckland |
Saipan LL Saipan |
Illam Central LL Makati City |
Singapore LL Singapore |
N/A South Korea |
Sanuk LL Chiang Mai |
– |
| 2012 | Perth Metro North LL Perth |
– | Kuei-Shan LL Taoyuan City |
Central LL Agana |
Hong Kong LL Hong Kong |
– | Indonesian LL Jakarta |
Oakland N/A |
Saipan LL Saipan |
Illam Central LL Makati City |
– | Busan LL South Korea |
Bangkok LL Bangkok |
– |
LLWS results
edit| Year | Champion | City | LLWS | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2007 | Li-Shing LL | Taichung |
Int'l Semifinal | 2–2 |
| 2008 | Southern LL | Yona |
Group Stage | 1–2 |
| 2009 | Kuei-Shan LL | Taoyuan |
Runner-up | 4–2 |
| 2010 | Fu-Hsing LL | Kaohsiung |
Third place | 4–1 |
| 2011 | Ching-Tang LL | Kaohsiung |
Round 2 | 1–2 |
| 2012 | Kuei-Shan LL | Taoyuan |
Round 2 | 1-2 |
Asia-Pacific and Middle East Region (2013–)
editAs noted above, this region was reconfigured in 2013, with the spin-off of Australia into its own LLWS region and the addition of Middle Eastern countries. One Asia-Pacific and Middle East team has won the Little League World Series — Seoul in 2014.
The list below lists each country's participant in the Asia-Pacific Little League Region Tournament from 2013 to present. That year's winner is indicated in green. There was no Asia-Pacific and Middle East Region Tournament for 2020 and 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
| Year | China
|
Chinese Taipei
|
Guam
|
Hong Kong, China
|
India
|
Indonesia
|
New Zealand
|
Northern Mariana Islands
|
Philippines
|
 Qatar
|
 Saudi Arabia
|
Singapore
|
South Korea
|
Thailand
|
 United Arab Emirates
|
Vietnam
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | – | Chung-Ping LL Taoyuan City |
N/A Guam |
Hong Kong LL Hong Kong |
– | Indonesian LL Jakarta |
Bayside Westhaven LL Auckland |
Saipan LL Saipan |
Tanauan City LL Tanauan |
– | Arabian American LL Dhahran |
Singapore LL Singapore |
N/A South Korea |
N/A Thailand |
Dubai LL Dubai |
– |
| 2014 | – | N/A Chinese Taipei |
N/A Guam |
N/A Hong Kong |
– | Jakarta LL Jakarta |
N/A New Zealand |
N/A Northern Mariana Islands |
N/A Philippines |
– | Arabian American LL Dhahran |
– | Seoul LL Seoul |
– | Dubai LL Dubai |
Hanoi LL Hanoi |
| 2015 | Guangzhou LL Guangzhou |
Tung Yuan LL Taipei |
N/A Hagåtña |
Hong Kong LL Hong Kong |
– | N/A Jakarta |
– | Saipan LL Saipan |
Illam Central LL Makati City |
– | Arabian American LL Dhahran |
– | East Seoul LL Seoul |
N/A Bangkok |
– | – |
| 2016 | N/A China |
N/A Chinese Taipei |
N/A Guam |
N/A Hong Kong |
N/A India |
– | – | N/A Northern Mariana Islands |
N/A Philippines |
– | N/A Saudi Arabia |
– | East Seoul LL Seoul |
N/A Thailand |
N/A United Arab Emirates |
– |
| 2017 | – | N/A Chinese Taipei |
N/A Guam |
N/A Hong Kong |
– | N/A Indonesia |
– | N/A Northern Mariana Islands |
N/A Philippines |
– | N/A Saudi Arabia |
– | Seoul West LL Seoul |
N/A Thailand |
– | – |
| 2018 | N/A China |
N/A Chinese Taipei |
N/A Guam |
N/A Hong Kong |
– | N/A Indonesia |
N/A New Zealand |
N/A Northern Mariana Islands |
N/A Philippines |
– | – | – | South Seoul LL Seoul |
N/A Thailand |
– | – |
| 2019 | N/A China |
N/A Chinese Taipei |
N/A Guam |
N/A Hong Kong |
– | N/A Indonesia |
N/A New Zealand |
N/A Northern Mariana Islands |
N/A Philippines |
– | – | – | Chung Nam (B) LL South Chungcheong |
N/A Thailand |
– | N/A Vietnam |
| 2022 | – | Fu-Lin LL Taipei |
Guam LL Guam |
N/A Hong Kong |
– | – | N/A New Zealand |
– | N/A Philippines |
– | – | – | N/A South Korea |
– | – | – |
| 2023 | N/A China |
Kuei-Shan LL Taoyuan City |
N/A Guam |
– | – | N/A Indonesia |
N/A New Zealand |
– | N/A Philippines |
N/A Qatar |
– | – | N/A South Korea |
– | – | – |
| 2024 | N/A China |
Kuei-Shan LL Taoyuan City |
N/A Guam |
N/A Hong Kong |
– | N/A Indonesia |
N/A New Zealand |
– | N/A Philippines |
– | – | – | N/A South Korea |
N/A Thailand |
– | – |
LLWS results
edit| Year | Champion | City | LLWS | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | Chung-Ping LL | Taoyuan |
Round 3 | 2–2 |
| 2014 | Seoul LL | Seoul |
Champions | 5–0 |
| 2015 | Tung Yuan LL | Taipei |
Round 3 | 2–2 |
| 2016 | East Seoul LL | Seoul |
Runner-up | 4–2 |
| 2017 | Seoul West LL | Seoul |
Round 2 | 1–2 |
| 2018 | South Seoul LL | Seoul |
Runner-up | 4–1 |
| 2019 | Chung Nam (B) LL | South Chungcheong |
Int'l Semifinal | 2–2 |
| 2022 | Fu-Lin LL | Taipei |
3rd place | 4–1 |
| 2023 | Kuei-Shan LL | Taoyuan |
3rd place | 4–1 |
| 2024 | Kuei-Shan LL | Taoyuan |
Runner-up | 5–1 |
LLWS results by country
editThe following table lists each Asia-Pacific country's record in the Little League World Series. Italics indicates team is no longer in the region. Table includes results for teams that qualified for either the East Asian, Pacific, Asia, or Asia-Pacific regional LLWS berth through the 2019 Little League World Series.
| Country | Asia-Pacific Championships |
LLWS Championships |
Record in LLWS |
PCT |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinese Taipei |
9 | 0 | 22–16 | .579 |
| Japan |
5 | 6 | 25–5 | .833 |
| South Korea |
5 | 1 | 16–7 | .696 |
| Guam |
5 | 0 | 9–9 | .500 |
| Northern Mariana Islands |
2 | 0 | 0–6 | .000 |
| Total | 26 | 7 | 72–43 | .626 |
See also
edit- Asia-Pacific Region in other Little League divisions
- Little League
- Far East Region (1962–2000)
- Japan Region (2007– )
- Intermediate League
- Junior League
- Senior League
- Big League
- Philippine Series
Notes
edit- ^ In 1949, the Republic of China government led by the Kuomintang (KMT) lost the Chinese Civil War to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), retreated to Taiwan, and set up a provisional capital in Taipei, which serves as the seat of government to this day. The CCP established the People's Republic. As such, the political status of the ROC and the legal status of Taiwan (alongside the territories currently under ROC jurisdiction) are in dispute. In 1971, the United Nations gave its China seat to the PRC instead of the ROC: most states recognize the PRC to be the sole legitimate representative of all China, and the UN classifies Taiwan as "Taiwan, Province of China". The ROC has de facto relations with most sovereign states. A significant political movement within Taiwan advocates Taiwan independence. Due to PRC pressure, the ROC participates in the LLWS events under the name "Chinese Taipei" instead of its official name "Republic of China" or as "Taiwan".
References
edit- ^ "Regions Realigned for 2013: Australia to Play in Little League Baseball World Series" (Press release). Little League Baseball. August 29, 2012. Archived from the original on September 23, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2012.
- ^ See: 2008 Little League Philippine Series#Little League Baseball (11 to 12 Years Old).
- ^ See: 2009 Little League Philippine Series#Little League Baseball (11 to 12 Years Old).