Shohei Otani and the Baseball Law in Japan

By Takao Ohashi Sports in Japan often are organized as a pyramid structure of European style. Soccer is a typical example, with a professional league at the top and amateur leagues and local organizations under its umbrella. However, baseball is not really a pyramid structure, although a unified organization has been formed for the Olympic games. Historically, when baseball was introduced to Japan in 1878, it was played in high schools and universities. Amateur baseball became a popular sp