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TOKYO - With the success of players like Daisuke Matsuzaka and Ichiro Suzuki, the growing exodus of Japan's top stars to the major leagues is not about to stop any time soon.

That's good news for the major leagues but not so welcome in Japan, where the talent drain is starting to take its toll on the pro teams.

Matsuzaka, along with teammate Hideki Okajima, played a big role in helping the Boston Red Sox win the 2007 World Series. That's likely to lead to more major league teams scouring Japan in search of the next Matsuzaka or Ichiro.

Matsuzaka will pitch the opening game of Major League's Baseball's season-opening series between the Red Sox and Oakland Athletics at Tokyo Dome on March 25.

Japanese fans will have mixed emotions about his brief homecoming. While they take great pride in seeing their players excel in the major leagues, they realize the departure of such big stars hurts their favorite teams. Matsuzaka's former team, the Seibu Lions, finished fifth in the six-team Pacific League standings last season and the prospects aren't much better for 2008.