Contract Negotiation Pressure
Annual salary negotiations expose the power imbalance between players and front offices. Intimidating remarks and unreasonable pay cuts are reported, particularly targeting players without FA rights who cannot choose their team. This structural inequality creates fertile ground for harassment.
Scouting Department Realities
Scouts face harsh quotas with personal accountability for draft picks who underperform. Annual salaries of 5-8 million yen barely cover nationwide travel expenses. Long hours and results-based pressure normalize verbal abuse and personal attacks from superiors.
Support Staff Working Conditions
Groundskeepers, equipment managers, PR staff, and ticket sellers endure early-morning-to-late-night schedules during the March-October season, often without proper overtime pay. The attitude that 'you should be grateful to work in baseball' is used to justify poor conditions, though labor law enforcement is gradually improving.
Reform Efforts
The players' union now offers legal support for unfair contract pressure, and mandatory harassment training is being introduced. However, baseball's insular culture means whistleblowers risk being labeled 'difficult.' Systemic change requires both institutional reform and cultural transformation to create safe reporting environments.