Major League Baseball

Japan baseball head Kato announces resignation

Published Sep. 19, 2013 6:05 a.m. ET

foxsports

Japanese baseball commissioner Ryozo Kato has announced his resignation at an owners' meeting.

Kato, a former Japanese ambassador to the United States, came under criticism in June when it was revealed the league had secretly switched to a livelier baseball for the 2013 season. The new ball has resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of home runs.

The 72-year-old Kato, who is in his third term a commissioner of Nippon Professional Baseball, said he was never informed of the change. The players' union called for his resignation when the ball scandal came to light.

A third-party panel investigating the scandal is scheduled to submit a report by the end of this month.