Tokyo (CNN) — Baseball Superstar Shohei Ohtani turned millions of Japanese residents into Los Angeles Dodgers fans, so much so that more than a tenth of the country’s population watched the World Series, giving the Fall Classic better television ratings in Japan than in the United States.

Enthusiasm was evident at a Tokyo bar on Wednesday morning Japan time as fans chanted for their hometown hero.

“Shohei!” Shohei! Shohei! erupted at Fields Shibuya, a sports bar and restaurant, as the All-Star took over against the New York Yankees in Game 4 of the World Series, later erupting into deafening cheers when the Dodgers’ designated hitter ripped a single.

“Ohtani’s performance is top-notch,” said Ryosuke Matsumoto, 22, who was among the crowd at the sports bar. “I am very happy that a Japanese player is doing so well in the major leagues. That’s how I became a fan. I’m proud of him.

There wouldn’t be much else for Ohtani and Dodgers fans to cheer for in Game 4, like the Yankees wins 11-4but the excitement will certainly be back for Game 5 on Wednesday (Thursday morning in Japan) at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx.

Ohtani’s appearance in this year’s edition of the World Series captivated Japan and became a television ratings phenomenon.

Earlier this week, the Dodgers Victory 4-2 against the Yankees in Game 2 averaged 15.9 million viewers, making it the highest-rated Major League Baseball playoff game in Japanese history, according to the press release.

“Ohtani is an honorable person in Japan. Everyone shouts Ohtani, Ohtani, and it makes me extremely happy. We’ve never had Japanese people like that before. This is our dear Ohtani,” said Mamoru Tanaka, bar manager.

The first two games of the seven-game series between the Dodgers and Yankees, which averaged 15.15 million viewers in Japan, according to Major League Baseball — sometimes more viewers than in the United States. The population of Japan is approximately 124.5 million compared to the United States, which had about 334 million people last year.

The viewership in Japan is even more remarkable, given that the event was broadcast during the day.

“Since it’s a weekday, people are watching the game between work and school. Young people watch the scores on social networks. A lot of people can’t watch the game and I think most of those watching the game live are elderly people,” Matsumoto said.

If we add the audience in the United States, the first two games of the World Series attracted an average of 29.7 million viewers in the two countries.

For Match 3 in New YorkThe World Series averaged 13.6 million viewers in the United States, making it the most-watched Monday night World Series game since 2013 – reflecting passionate enthusiasm in the United States as well, according to Fox Sports.

The excitement around Ohtani extends far beyond the television screen.

CNN recently reported that a surge of Japanese tourists to Los Angeles intensified after Ohtani joined the Dodgers from the Los Angeles Angels at the start of the season – a record $700 million, 10-year contract .

A leading Japanese travel agency told CNN that he was booking up to 200 Japanese customers for every Dodgers home game this season. The Dodgers jumped on the Ohtani phenomenon by adding 12 new Japanese sponsors, offering stadium tours in Japanese and introducing a variety of new menu items designed specifically for Japanese fans for the fan experience.

Even American viewers can see a growing influence throughout the season. The logo of Daiso, a Japanese retail chain, was regularly seen in the center of the field as circuits have been captured on television images.

MLB showed a remarkable 225% increase in social media engagement, with views across various platforms up 229%, the league reported, reflecting the growing excitement around the World Series and its star players.

The enthusiasm in Japan for the Dodgers isn’t just about Ohtani. The team added a Japanese pitching sensation Yoshinobu Yamamoto last offseason on a 12-year, $325 million contract.

Yamamoto was the winner in Sunday’s Game 2, pitching 6 1/3 innings while allowing just one hit to the Yankees’ vaunted offense — all contributing to the enthusiasm of fans in Japan.