Japan was a land of mystery to American baseball fans for many years, but it's safe to say the perception has changed.

The success of many players from the Land of the Rising Sun -- from Hideo Nomo to Ichiro Suzuki to Shohei Ohtani -- has proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that Japanese players have what it takes to excel in America's Major Leagues.

Could Munetaka Murakami be the next great Japanese player in the Majors? The 25-year-old slugger is set to be posted by the Tokyo Yakult Swallows and will have until 5 p.m. ET on Dec. 22 to agree to a deal with a big league team.

As Murakami prepares to make the jump to MLB, here's a look at some of the most significant Japanese players who have preceded him.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto , RHP, 2024-present

The Dodgers signed Yamamoto to the

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