Nippon Professional Baseball is hoping to introduce an official sponsor for the Japan Series this fall for the first time in the history of the series, baseball sources said on Wednesday.
Konami Corp., the leading Japanese video game developer that sponsored the Asia Series from 2005 to 2007, has been named as a top candidate.
It would be the first time there was an official sponsor for the Japan Series since its inception in 1950.
NPB incurred financial losses for the previous four consecutive business years.
Konami is an official business partner of NPB and has sponsored the Asia Series, in which the Japan Series champion plays its counterparts from three other countries in the region.
This year's Japan Series will get under way on Nov. 12.