Signify to Protect Japanese National Team at the 2026 World Baseball Classic

Written By Avril Thomas

Signify Group is proud to confirm that our Threat Matrix service has been engaged to protect players and coaches representing Japan - the defending champions - at the 2026 World Baseball Classic which takes place between 5-17 March and involves 20 national teams.

Working in partnership with the Japan Professional Baseball Players Association (JPBPA) and Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), this project will deliver comprehensive monitoring, investigation and reporting to safeguard athletes and coaches from online abuse, threats and harassment throughout the tournament period.

Comprehensive Monitoring Across Major Platforms

The service will monitor public-facing activity targeting individual players and coaches across X, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok and YouTube.

In addition to personal accounts, Threat Matrix will also cover:

  • Official team and tournament-related accounts

  • The official channels of the JPBPA and NPB

  • Competing teams’ social media accounts

This holistic approach ensures that both direct and indirect abuse - including commentary in reply threads, reposts and wider fan discourse - is captured and assessed.

Advanced AI Detection, Backed by Human Expertise

Threat Matrix combines AI-driven detection technology with specialist in-house analysts. The system proactively identifies abusive, threatening, violent, discriminatory or harassing content, including:

  • Targeted abuse

  • Indirect and direct threats of violence

  • Discriminatory or culturally specific slurs

  • Defamation or criminally relevant communications

In collaboration with the JPBPA and NPB, we will implement a tailored keyword framework that includes Japanese-language terminology, baseball-specific discriminatory expressions and culturally sensitive phrases unique to the Japanese sporting context. This keyword list can be updated at any time during the project to reflect emerging trends.

Investigation and Identification of Perpetrators

Where abuse meets higher severity thresholds, Signify’s intelligence specialists will conduct proactive open-source intelligence (OSINT) investigations. Using ethical and GDPR-compliant investigative methodologies, our team will:

  • Identify perpetrators across platforms

  • Assess potential links to baseball communities or match attendance

  • Preserve evidential material

  • Produce structured evidence packs suitable for submission to relevant authorities

For high-risk cases, we liaise directly with social media platforms and, where required, law enforcement agencies, and can provide expert witness support.

Real-Time Alerts and Forensic Reporting

Throughout the tournament period, the JPBPA and NPB will receive:

  • Immediate threat alerts for high-risk or criminal cases

  • Regular operational updates and daily summaries

  • Detailed forensic investigation reports relating to specific incidents

  • A comprehensive deep-dive benchmark report covering the full project duration

Driving Long-Term Change

Beyond immediate protection, the intelligence gathered will support wider education, communications and policy initiatives led by the JPBPA and NPB.

This partnership represents a significant step in safeguarding Japanese athletes on the global stage. By combining advanced technology, intelligence expertise and close collaboration with baseball’s governing bodies.

Photo credit: Ayyeee Ayyeee

Avril Thomas
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