The Japan Professional Baseball Players Association decided against participating in the next edition of the World Baseball Classic during a meeting on Friday in Osaka.
In what was called a "heartbreaking" decision by union head and Hanshin Tigers star Takahiro Arai, all 24 player representatives (two per team) voted against participating in the tournament, which is slated to be held in 2013. Japan won the previous two editions of the WBC in 2006 and 2009.
NPB had previously said it would participate in the event, though that decision hinged on JPBPA approval.