The Japan High School Baseball Federation recently held a board meeting where it was confirmed that the 108th National High School Baseball Championship this summer will take place under the traditional nine-inning format. This decision was further affirmed in a subsequent committee meeting organized by the federation and Asahi Shimbun. While there is an ongoing discussion about the potential introduction of the seven-inning game to combat the summer heat, officials believe that there hasn't been sufficient communication about the rationale behind the proposed change. Many voices in the community suggested that rushing into adopting the seven-inning format for this summer's championship could be premature.

The federation had previously established a working group which indicated, in a report last December, that it would be desirable to implement the seven-inning format as soon as possible due to the challenging heat during the summer tournament. However, as notable figures and high school coaches were not adequately informed about the progression and intention behind this report, the federation's decision to retain the nine-inning format was made with caution. The secretary-general of the federation, Wataru Imoto, pointed out that consideration for the players' welfare was instrumental in delaying the shift to a shorter game format for this year's championship.

Looking ahead, the federation has announced plans to host discussions involving experts, coaches, and various stakeholders to gather opinions about transitioning to the seven-inning game. These discussions will include presentations on the findings from the previous working group's report, and efforts will be taken to ensure that relevant parties—including those from youth leagues to professional baseball—are kept informed about the deliberations. Maintaining player and audience health, especially concerning heatstroke prevention measures, remains a priority for the federation as they finalize the tournament schedule in April.