This may be the greatest week in Japanese baseball history. Or at least since Tom Selleck left the country after finishing up the filming of "Mr. Baseball."

Ichiro Suzuki became the first Japanese position player in major-league history Monday, going 2-for-5 and scoring a run in a game Kaz Sasaki closed out. A day later, Tsuyoshi Shinjo became the second Japanese position player (and the 12th player overall) in the majors, delivering a key single in the Mets' 6-4 victory over Atlanta. Wednesday brought the most extraordinary performance of all when Hideo Nomo, the man who started the recent Japanese craze, pitched the second no-hitter of his career in a 3-0 victory over the Orioles.

What's next? President Bush issues a formal apology on behalf of the United States for "The Bad News Bears Go to Japan'"?

"I'm just one of the players; you would have to ask the people in Japan how they feel about it," Ichiro said after watching the final innings of Nomo's no-hitter on the clubhouse TV in Seattle. "But I'm sure there is a lot of excitement over it.

"I didn't feel any pride out of the ordinary, but there were some good things happening this week. I was proud of what I accomplished this week."

And well he should. In addition to becoming the first Japanese position player in the majors, he became the first Japanese player to draw an intentional walk. The barriers, they keep tumbling down.

"My first game was very special but the two games after that were just games," Ichiro said. "It's probably going to be like that for the rest of the season. It's the way baseball is."

Yes, it is, and with each passing season, a sport that used to be no more global than an International House of Pancakes, touches a few more countries, spreading as steadily as the annakournikova virus. In addition to Japan, the U.S. and Canada, there are players from Korea, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Venezeula, Panama, Australia, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Curacao in the majors this season. There hasn't been this much of a potential language problem since Harry Caray was in the broadcast booth.

Two of the game's best prospects in the minors are from Taiwan. Another is from New Zealand. The Mariners have a player in their farm system from Rome (the wonderfully named Francsco Imperiali) and the Brewers just signed a player from Germany. The Mariners have a baseball academy on mainland China. And there is talk of starting a true World Cup of major leaguers from around the globe, possibly as early as 2003.

This is all exciting but there is another side to bear in mind. That's because America's gain is Japan's loss, particularly so in the less successful Pacific League which struggles to keep up with the rival Central League (where the enormously popular Tokyo Giants play). The league lost Nomo, Ichiro and Hideki Irabu to the majors in recent seasons, and there is speculation the league could lose more in the future if Ichiro performs well enough to turn general managers' heads as if they were bobblehead dolls.

As it is, Ichiro's old team, the Orix Blue Wave, drew perhaps a thousand fans the same day the outfielder made his debut with the Mariners. That would be a low turnout for a postgame riot in Tucson and the concern is real that the league could lose further popularity if any more star players depart for the U.S.

Ichiro shrugs such concerns off, saying no one went to Blue Wave games when he was there, so his departure won't have much of an effect. Based on Orix's attendance the day of Ichiro's Seattle debut, I'm not so sure.

I sat next to two 12-year-old fans at Japan's national high school baseball tournament early this week. They said they were big fans of Ichiro and would tape his first game to watch it following a mandatory school ceremony. One of them, Daiki Kawano, said his goal is to play professional baseball one day.

Asked whether he dreamed of playing in Japan or in the United States, he paused and gave the question consider thought. "Both," he said finally. "I want to be like Ichiro. Play here and then move to the U.S."

One final item from Japan
This doesn't have anything to do with baseball, but you read the most interesting things in foreign newspapers.

For instance, according to a report in the Japan Times while I was over there, an entrepreneur in Lithuania just opened a theme park based on an old Soviet prison camp. Visitors enter "Stalin's World" by walking past guard towers and barbed wire fences where actors dressed as Stalin and Lenin greet them.

"It combines the charm of a Disneyland and the world of the Soviet Gulag," boasted the park's owner, Viliumas Malinauskus.

Bet you can't wait to stand in line for that "Dissidents of Siberia" jungle cruise.

Box score line of the spring
Baseball returned with a passion this week. Alex Rodriguez threw away the first ball hit to him but others enjoyed more successful openers. Tony Gwynn returned to a batter's box for the first since late June and immediately went 2-for-5. Barry Bonds homered and gunned Gwynn down at the plate. Roger Clemens passed Walter Johnson on the all-time strikeout list (maybe). Gary Sheffield turned jeers into cheers by homering for the only run in the Dodgers' 1-0 victory. Juan Gonzalez hit two home runs in his first game with Cleveland. And Ichiro had two hits in his first game on this side of the Pacific.

But this week's award unquestionably goes to Nomo for throwing Boston's first no-hitter since 1965. Some speculated before the season that the alleged high strike would benefit Nomo significantly and such speculation proved true Wednesday.

Nomo's line: 9 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 11 K

Nomo's no-hitter is the earliest in the season by date (April 4) but not the earliest in a season. Bob Feller no-hit the White Sox on Opening Day, 1940 and Red Ames pitched nine no-hit innings Opening Day, 1909, before losing in extra innings.

Lies, damn lies and statistics
During the playoff series between Seattle and Chicago last fall, Mariners manager Lou Piniella called timeout at one point to go to first base and speak with Mike Cameron. Asked later what he said, Piniella replied that the Nasdaq was down more than 100 points "and it's a good time to buy Cisco." No, it wasn't. Since then, Cisco shares have declined by 75 percent, from 59 to 14. ... How special was Mike Hampton's season-opening gem in mile-high atmosphere? In Colorado's previous six home openers at Coors Field, the starters had a 5.60 ERA. ... There have been three generations of Bells (Gus, Buddy and David and Mike) and three generations of Boones (Ray, Bob and Bret and Aaron), but Seattle's season opener Monday marked the first time a Boone (Bret) and a Bell (David) were in the same lineup. ... With hits in his first two games this season, Tony Gwynn extended his hitting streak to 11 games and 10 months, dating back to June 5 of last year. Gwynn went on the DL on June 23 last year. ... With Rickey Henderson beginning the season in the minors, Tim Raines is the active leader in stolen bases for the first time in his career, after 21 seasons, four teams and 807 steals. The previous active leader before Rickey? Joe Morgan with 689 before his retirement in 1984.

From left field
Nomo's no-hitter was Boston's first since 1965. Here are the longest complete game no-hitter droughts for a team:

Years	Team	Last no-hitter
39	New York Mets	Never
32	San Diego Padres	Never
32	Baltimore Orioles	Jim Palmer, 1969
29	Chicago Cubs	Milt Pappas, 1972
25	San Francisco Giants	John Montefusco, 1976
25	Pittsburgh Pirates	John Candelaria, 1976
20	Cleveland Indians	Len Barker, 1981
17	Detroit Tigers	Jack Morris, 1984
17	Anaheim Angels	Mike Witt, 1984
14	Milwaukee Brewers	Juan Nieves, 1987

Win Blake Stein's money
This week's category: Players Who Managed Not To Trip And Fall Down In The Season Opener.

Q. Who was the first player to homer on the very first pitch of the season? (Answer below)

Power rankings

1. Japan This week almost makes up for all those Mothra movies.

2. Yankees Clemens wins opener, N.Y. lowers magic number to one.

3. Duke As dependable each spring as Vin Scully and Ernie Harwell.

4. Juan Gonzalez His agents have a life expectancy equivalent to a Saturday Night Live alumnus.

5. Walter Johnson Strikes out another batter 55 years after his death: must be that new high strike zone.

6. Gary Sheffield New demand: Dodgers must also apologize for Chinese plane crash.

7. Michael Jordan The good news is he's coming back. The bad news is he's coming back with the White Sox.

8. Alex Rodriguez Tom Hicks must not have tied A-Rod's shoelaces properly.

9. Foot and Mouth Disease Epidemic reaches Chicago with David Wells' debut for Sox.

10. Slobodan Milosevic Despot surrenders, hires Scott Boras to represent him.

Jim Caple is a Senior Writer for ESPN.com.