TOKYO - Japanese professional baseball is set to introduce a pitch clock, bringing it into line with the U.S. big leagues and major international tournaments.
All 12 Nippon Professional Baseball clubs backed the move at an executive committee meeting in Tokyo on Monday, although the timing of the introduction is still undecided.
Other details, such as whether the clock will follow the same time limits as Major League Baseball, also need to be determined.
MLB introduced its pitch clock in 2023, and the World Baseball Classic adopted it at this year's tournament.
Under its use, a ball is added to the count if a pitcher fails to begin his pitching motion within 15 seconds when the bases are empty, or within 18 seconds when there are runners on base.
The players' union supports the pitch clock and players who have represented Japan at the WBC have led calls for its introduction.
"Shortening game time is not the primary goal," NPB Secretary General Katsuhiko Nakamura said. "We confirmed the need to align with international trends."
The NPB is also preparing to trial the PitchCom wireless communication system used to relay signs in MLB. It plans to conduct trial runs during farm team games with a view toward its introduction at the top level.
