Overview
League restructuring refers to the 2004 crisis surrounding proposed team mergers and reductions in NPB, the most significant structural upheaval in Japanese professional baseball history. The catalyst was the proposed merger of the Kintetsu Buffaloes and Orix BlueWave, followed by discussions of consolidating the Pacific League and reducing NPB to 10 teams. The players' union fiercely opposed the reduction, and when negotiations collapsed, NPB's first-ever strike was called in September. The restructuring ultimately saw the Kintetsu-Orix merger proceed, but the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles were admitted as a new franchise, preserving the 12-team structure. The crisis also produced sweeping reforms: interleague play, draft system changes, and the expansion of the playoff system (later the Climax Series) to both leagues. The restructuring exposed the limits of parent-company-dependent club management while demonstrating the growing power of player advocacy and fan voices. In its aftermath, NPB accelerated its transition toward self-sustaining club operations, community-based engagement, and digital content distribution.