Photo/Illutration Forty-nine teams from across the nation joined the opening ceremony for the National High School Baseball Championship at Hanshin Koshien Stadium in Hyogo Prefecture on Aug. 6, 2023. (Toshiyuki Hayashi)

You cannot enjoy and dedicate yourself to sports unless you have proper physical and mental health.

The rules and regulations of school sports should be continuously reviewed and reformed from the perspective of players to improve the system and the environment.

The Japan High School Baseball Federation has started considering introducing a "seven-inning system" in official games.

A working group consisting of high school baseball officials and university professors has been established to discuss the idea.

The panel of experts is tasked with clarifying the pros and cons of the proposal from a broad perspective.

The fact is that the seven-inning system is mainstream in overseas competitions for those under 18.

In addition, other factors to be considered include the decline in baseball club members due to the nation’s decreasing birthrate, changes in the social environment such as severe summer heat and health considerations such as preventing injuries to pitchers’ shoulders and elbows.

Reforms have been repeatedly made to protect players' health and safety.

These include introducing "cooling times” during games, setting rest days during tournaments, limiting pitchers to throwing no more than 500 pitches per week and introducing “low-rebound” metal bats to reduce batted ball speeds from those of the currently used metal bats.

Regarding the number of innings, following the change of the upper limit of extra innings from 18 to 15, the “tie-breaker rule" to shorten extra innings has been adopted, which involves placing runners on base at the start of each half-inning to increase the chances of a team scoring and ending the game.

A "suspended game" system has also been established, where, if a game cannot continue due to inclement weather and other unforeseen circumstances, it resumes at a later date from the exact state at the time of the interruption. The consideration of the seven-inning system aligns with such trends.

At this summer’s National High School Baseball Championship, which opens on Aug. 7, a "two-part scheduling system" will be introduced on some days to avoid the hottest times by scheduling games in the morning and evening.

Similar attempts have been made in regional tournaments. Based on experiences in the regional attempts, it is necessary to identify and sort out issues related to changing spectators for a single-game admission system and other logistics.

Hanshin Electric Railway Co., the regional railway operator that owns the Hanshin Koshien Stadium, which is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year, plans to extend the “Ginsan” roof over the infield seats to the so-called “Alps stand” between the infield seats and outfield benches, where each school's cheering squad sits.

Creating a safe environment for not only players but also supporters and the general spectators is an important issue.

High school baseball is undergoing changes. Instead of players simply following coaches' instructions, there is a growing trend toward encouraging players to think independently about training regimens and schedules as well as game tactics and to discuss improvements.

The purpose of high school sports activities is to build a foundation for adulthood through physical and mental training. Placing higher importance on students’ own initiatives is a positive change.

One key question is how best to support and encourage players who talk about enjoying the game and approach it with a smile.

As the environment surrounding the sport changes, it is natural to revise regulations, rules and systems. There likely isn't any “one-size-fits-all” solution.

The panel tasked with discussing the seven-inning system should hear a wide range of opinions from stakeholders, including players, from various regions to ensure an in-depth debate for progress.

--The Asahi Shimbun, Aug. 4