TOKYO -- When Major League Baseball asked Ken Griffey Jr. if he would be willing to take part in the ceremonial first pitch at the Opening Series between the Mariners and A’s, he didn’t have to think twice. With his old pal Ichiro Suzuki taking what well could be his final swings, Griffey wasn’t about to miss it.

“Especially to have Opening Day, possibly his last one, happen here, that’s awesome,” Griffey said. “To be part of that? Even if they hadn’t asked me, I’d probably have come here just to see it. I’d have made up an excuse to get over here. This is huge. The country that raised him and his adopted family that took care of him over in the U.S. all being here in the same city is perfect.”

Griffey will be part of the first pitch ceremonies prior to Thursday’s second game of the series. For Wednesday’s opener, a battery of former Mariners -- closer Kazuhiro Sasaki and catcher Kenji Johjima -- will throw out the first pitch, while long-time A’s star Rickey Henderson stands in the batter’s box.

That script will be flipped before Thursday’s game, with two former A’s -- pitcher Keiichi Yabu throwing to infielder Akinori Iwamura -- while Griffey stands in the box.

Griffey would have happily volunteered to stand in both days with Henderson, a fellow first-ballot Hall of Famer.

“Rickey is right-handed and I’m left-handed, so it could have worked,” he said with a smile.

Griffey won’t limit himself to standing in the box one day, however. He's taking his baseball ambassador role to heart, answering questions from a group of Japanese Little League players, participating in a Fair Play Challenge that stresses good sportsmanship with another group of youngsters, doing interviews and talking baseball.

When Griffey arrived at the Haneda Airport on Friday night, he was repeatedly swarmed by groups of fans looking to take selfies and get autographs as he walked through the concourse. While Ichiro may be the main attraction in Tokyo, Griffey remains an icon as well.

He said he’s been to Japan dozens of times, including two tours as a player in the 1990 and ’92 All-Star Series, and has grown fond of the country’s love for baseball and the way fans express themselves with loud chanting and singing in support of their home teams.

“The first time I was here, they had the battle of the bands. I was in the outfield and Jesse Barfield was in right and Barry [Bonds] is in left,” he said. “We just looked at each other and said, ‘What the heck?’ But it was awesome.

“One thing you see is the passion of the fans other countries show, the energy and commitment these guys have. I’m not saying the U.S. doesn’t have it, but it’s the difference of showing it. It’s fun to see fans show excitement when they play. It’s going to be loud. Loud and fun.”

As a player, Griffey had a history of coming up with big performances on Opening Day. Now he’s going to player a smaller role, but a significant one.

“It’s just fun. We have an opportunity to be part of the celebration of baseball and I think that’s the most important thing,” he said. “Opening Day is always big. It’s one of the biggest days of the year. To be here with these guys, it means a lot.”