How is Japanese baseball different from its American counterpart(s)?

pitcher can kick the ball instead of throwing but they prefer throwing like americans

It's not different. It follows American baseball almost to the tee because the Americans introduced the sport, except the players are less in depth in their technique. Similar to the enormous amount of home-run hitters in the early 1900s in America, the same thing is going on currently in Japan. Pitchers just aren't throwing right.

It's also one of the biggest sports in Japan along with football and sumo wrestling. They have highlights on the big channels in Japan ONLY about Japanese players in the American baseball league. I've seen too much of Ichiro and Kenji Johjima in the Mariners. Or Matsui Hideki in the Yankees.

Does Japanese baseball follow the designated or pinch hitter rule?

Central league doesn't use designated hitters. I think pacific does.

Baseball in Japan is slightly different than in the US because

* games can end in a tie after 12 innings
* the strike zone is larger
* the balls used are slightly smaller and wound tighter

http://japansugoi.com/wordpress/few-brawls...anese-baseball/

I don't think thats why Japan won the World Baseball Classic. Japanese brand of baseball is much more skilled in team play. There was no way Japan could outslug the US or Cuba. Japanese pitchers are also among the best in the world.

I don't play or to prefer to watch baseball so I don't really care about the contrast of it all............

Must be a lot more entertaining to watch?

now get ready for highlights of this guy!

Just a difference in style really. Japanese baseball puts a higher emphasis on playing smallball in general. (Patience at the plate, stealing bases, playing solid defence etc.)