On the 26th, Seibu Lions announced that they will be holding the 2026 WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC, which will be held at Tokyo Dome and other venues from Thursday, March 5th.

It was announced that Kaima Taira has been selected to participate in the "

Through the team, Taira commented, "I am extremely honored to have been selected to represent Japan in the WBC. I will put everything I have into every pitch, with a sense of responsibility and pride in fighting for the Japanese flag. I will do my best to contribute to Japan's win."

Taira pitched in 54 games this season, posting a record of 4 wins, 2 losses, 8 hold, 31 ERA of 1.71.