Japan's professional baseball players' association will go on strike for the first time if owners go ahead with a proposed merger of two teams later this week, the group's leader said Monday.
![News photo](/images/photos2004/sb20040907a1a.jpg)
The players decided at a meeting that if their demand to suspend the merger between the Pacific League's Orix BlueWave and Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes is not met, they will refuse to play, said Yakult Swallows catcher Atsuya Furuta, who heads the association.