The Emergence of the Merger Plan
In June 2004, news suddenly broke of a proposed merger between the Kintetsu Buffaloes and the Orix BlueWave. Kintetsu had long struggled with financial losses, and its parent company, Kintetsu Railway, was seeking to exit baseball operations. Behind this merger plan lay the ambitions of certain team owners to reduce NPB from 12 to 10 teams and transition to a single-league system. Tsuneo Watanabe, then owner of the Yomiuri Giants, was a strong advocate for the single-league format and sought to control the restructuring of professional baseball.
The Players' Union Pushback and the Strike
The Japan Professional Baseball Players Association strongly opposed the merger and single-league plans. Union chairman Atsuya Furuta of the Yakult Swallows entered negotiations with team owners, demanding protection of player employment and preservation of the two-league system. However, negotiations stalled as owners showed no willingness to meet the union's demands. On September 18 and 19, 2004, the first strike in NPB history was carried out. Twelve games were cancelled over two days, confronting professional baseball with an unprecedented situation. While the strike sparked intense debate among fans, public opinion polls showed majority support for the players' union.
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Resolution and Rakuten's Entry
In post-strike negotiations, team owners reversed course and agreed to allow new team entries. The Kintetsu-Orix merger proceeded as planned, but Livedoor and Rakuten both applied for expansion franchises. After review, Rakuten was approved to enter as the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles starting in 2005, preserving the 12-team structure and two-league system. This outcome is widely regarded as a victory for the players' union. However, questions remain about why Livedoor's application was rejected, with some pointing to the influence of existing owners' interests.
Books by Atsuya Furuta are also helpful references
Transformations Brought by the Strike
The 2004 strike exposed structural problems within NPB for all to see. The rights of players as workers, transparency in team management, and the need for governance reflecting fan voices gained widespread recognition. Following the strike, measures to revitalize the league were implemented in rapid succession, including the introduction of interleague play and draft system reforms. The Pacific League's transformation was particularly remarkable, with Rakuten's entry accelerating community-based team management. The 2004 crisis became a turning point where professional baseball overcame adversity and stepped into a new era.