The Central League failed Tuesday to obtain support from the Pacific League for the planned system of the postseason playoffs to be introduced next year.
In a meeting designed to work on details of the Central League playoffs, the Pacific League showed disapproval at a plan to give the league title to the first-place finisher in the regular season while making the playoffs a competition to determine the team to play in the Japan Series against the Pacific League winner.
The Central League also intends to maintain the current 146-game regular season format, compared to 141 in the Pacific League, which introduced the two-stage playoff system in 2004.
The Pacific League wants the Central League to follow its concept of the playoffs if it wants to leave the door open for playoffs involving teams from both leagues.
The Pacific League playoffs feature the top-three finishers in the regular season with the winner between the second and third teams advancing to face the top team in the second stage for the league championship.
Japanese baseball commissioner Yasuchika Negoro, who attended Tuesday's meeting, demanded that playoffs be held in a way that should not undervalue the Japan Series, the Japanese version of the World Series.