The Japan Amateur Baseball Association (JABA) announced on Thursday that Masatake Matsuda resigned as chairman of the association due to health concerns.  Norio Ichino (Tokyo Gas chairman) has been selected to take over.

The resignation and appointment will be made official during the next board of trustees meeting on 2/24.

Matsuda was in the middle of a third term as chairman.  He will now become an honorary president.

(Chairman terms are 2 years long.)