Wally Yonamine, a pioneering Hawai'i baseball player who became the first American to be inducted into the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame, will participate in a U.S.-Japan cultural exchange seminar exploring the evolution of Japanese and American baseball, from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Hawai'i Convention Center, Room 310.

The former ball player was named a Living Treasure by the Honpa Hongwanji Mission in January. His athletic exploits led him to become a youth sports advocate. Last year, his Wally Yonamine Foundation donated $200,000 to the Hawai'i High School Athletic Association.

At the seminar, he will be joined by Robert Fitts, author of "Remembering Japanese Baseball: An Oral History of the Game;" Duane Kurisu, chairman and CEO of Hawai'i Winter Baseball; and Richard Olsen, former pitcher for the Hanshin Tigers and the University of Hawai'i-Manoa.

The session is being presented by the Honolulu Festival, a cultural celebration tapping resources in Japan, Hawai'i and the Pacific rim, which will be held Friday through Sunday at venues throughout Honolulu.