The Ideal and Reality of the Commissioner System
NPB's commissioner system was modeled after MLB's. The MLB Commissioner can exercise powerful authority for 'the best interests of baseball,' including sanctioning team owners. In contrast, NPB's Commissioner is effectively appointed by the owners' meeting, making decisions contrary to owners' wishes extremely difficult. While commissioner authority is broadly defined in regulations, exercising it often requires owner consensus, leaving limited room for independent judgment.
The Unified Ball Cover-Up Reveals Commissioner Culture
The unified ball introduced in 2011 had actual coefficient of restitution values differing from published specifications. When this was discovered in 2013, Commissioner Ryozo Kato initially claimed ignorance, but it later emerged he had received prior reports. The Commissioner himself concealing facts and attempting to avoid responsibility after discovery fundamentally shook the commissioner system's credibility. Kato eventually resigned, but the incident spread the perception that 'the Commissioner is not baseball's guardian but someone who hides problems.'
2004 League Restructuring - Absent During the Greatest Crisis
In 2004, the merger of the Kintetsu Buffaloes and Orix BlueWave triggered a league restructuring crisis. Owners advocating single-league transition clashed fiercely with the players' union demanding two-league preservation, escalating to NPB's first-ever strike. During this greatest crisis, Commissioner Yasuchika Negoro failed to serve as mediator. His responses consistently aligned with owner interests, showing no stance representing players or fans. The resolution came through Rakuten's new entry, but not through commissioner leadership.
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The Path to Reform - Securing Commissioner Independence
Improving NPB governance requires institutionally guaranteeing commissioner independence. Specifically, involving stakeholders beyond owners in the selection process (players' union, fan representatives, experts), clarifying term limits and dismissal conditions, and strengthening the commissioner's office investigative authority. In MLB, Rob Manfred has demonstrated strong leadership on doping and sign-stealing issues since becoming Commissioner in 2014. NPB also needs a Commissioner who acts for baseball's interests rather than watching owners' reactions.
Structural Subordination to the Owners' Council
The primary reason NPB commissioners cannot exercise authority lies in the selection structure. Commissioners are elected by unanimous vote of the Owners' Council and remain dependent on owner confidence throughout their tenure. While MLB commissioners have ordered franchise sales, no NPB commissioner has ever issued a directive contrary to owner interests. Initiatives benefiting the league as a whole, such as centralized broadcasting rights management or intervention in team finances, remain untouchable when they conflict with individual owner interests. This structural subordination keeps the commissioner functioning as an owners' proxy rather than an independent authority.
Backgrounds of Past Commissioners and Lack of Independence
Most NPB commissioners have come from the business, bureaucratic, or legal worlds with no professional baseball experience. Atsushi Fukui, who assumed office in 2017, was an unusual appointment as a former tennis player, yet no structural reforms have emerged during his tenure. The position has functioned as an honorary role because appointees typically lack deep baseball knowledge or reform passion and tend to avoid confrontation with owners. In MLB, Kenesaw Mountain Landis took office in 1920 after the Black Sox scandal and wielded iron authority to cleanse the sport. NPB has produced no comparable crisis-response leader.
Institutional Comparison with MLB - Sanctions and Investigative Authority
The MLB commissioner holds authority under the 'best interests of baseball' clause to independently impose fines, suspensions, and lifetime bans on teams, players, and personnel. In the 2017 Houston Astros sign-stealing investigation, Rob Manfred issued one-year suspensions to the manager and general manager. By contrast, no NPB commissioner has independently investigated misconduct and imposed sanctions. While the NPB Commissioner's Ruling exists on paper, its exercise effectively requires tacit approval from the Owners' Council, meaning it does not function as an independent judicial mechanism.