Japanese and South Korean ice hockey officials will study the feasibility of establishing a joint league featuring clubs from both countries, Japan Ice Hockey Federation (JIHF) officials said Friday.
Representatives from the JIHF and South Korea's ice hockey organization met in Seoul earlier this month and agreed to launch full-scale studies soon on a possible merger of the two domestic leagues.
The move reflects worries that the prolonged recession could cause more companies to shut down their ice hockey clubs, further diminishing the size of the leagues.
Japan currently has five corporate teams in its league while the South Korean league comprises three company clubs and eight collegiate teams.