South Korea finished second in the WBSC Premier12 baseball tournament championship game on Sunday in Tokyo, losing to Japan five to three

South Korea, the defending Premier12 champions, opened up the game at the Tokyo Dome with two long balls in the top of the first inning, scoring three runs. 

But Japan quickly responded in the bottom of the inning, with cleanup hitter Seiya Suzuki banging in an RBI double. The home team took the lead for good off a three-run Tetsuto Yamada homer in the bottom of the second.

Despite the loss, South Korea qualified for next year's Olympics as the tournament doubled as an Olympic qualifier event for Asia, Oceania and the Americas.