Nippon Professional Baseball will appoint outgoing Japanese ambassador to the United States Ryozo Kato as the next commissioner of Japanese baseball, sources said Wednesday. Kato, 66, is scheduled to be appointed after he is confirmed at an owners' meeting of the 12 professional baseball clubs. NPB had been searching for a successor to acting commissioner Yasuchika Negoro since last year. Kato has a close relationship with Fukuoka Softbank Hawks manager Sadaharu Oh and is well-known in baseball circles. He was seen as an appropriate successor for NPB, which is hoping to become more international, as he is also familiar with Major League Baseball.
