TOKYO – Just after a small group of Red Sox fans toured the Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum on Thursday, Japanese baseball fans celebrated the end of their World Series.

The Chunichi Dragons from Nagoya beat the Nippon Ham Fighters from Sapporo 1-0 to win Game 4 for a sweep of the best-of-seven series. It was the first World Series win for the Dragons in 53 years, another reason for Red Sox fans to feel a connection.

There are two leagues in Japan, the Central League and the Pacific League, each with six teams. The Ham Fighters were the Pacific League champions and the Dragons were tops in the Central League.

Former Mainers now living in Japan met up with visitors from their home state at a swanky reception held Thursday night in downtown Tokyo.

The Maine Office of Tourism, the state Department of Community and Economic Development and L.L. Bean Inc. sponsored the event, which brought together about 100 people, who dined on Maine lobster dumplings along with other delicacies and sampled Cold River vodka from Freeport.

University of Maine Business School associate professor Richard Borgman chatted with Noriko Musumeci, a 1998 graduate of the business school. Musumeci now lives and works in Tokyo.

Two Husson College graduates appeared: Nao Takeuchi from the Class of 1985 and Koichiro Kaneko from the Class of 1993.

“I have very good old memories” of Husson, Kaneko said.

The event was part of a weeklong trade mission to South Korea and Japan, and several guests were business contacts made on the trip.

“I should have come earlier [to Japan], and I’ve enjoyed myself immensely” on the trade mission, Gov. John Baldacci told the audience.

L.L. Bean catalogs written entirely in Japanese were distributed to guests. Here, the company offers “Japan Fit” apparel designed to suit Japanese body types. The company is about to open its 18th retail store in Japan.