The Japan Amateur Baseball Association (JABA) announced the dates for all their tournaments next year.  Below are three of their more important tournaments.  You can view the rest of the list (in Japanese) here.

2012 Inter-City Baseball Tournament - between 7/13 and 7/24 at Tokyo Dome

All Japan Club Team Tournament - between 9/7 and 9/10 at Seibu Dome

Industrial League Championships - between 11/3 and 11/13 at Kyocera Dome

The JABA also announced that of the 14 teams from the Tohoku region that took the year off because of the March 11 earthquake/tsunami, 11 plan to resume operations and three teams from Iwate, Miyagi, and Fukushima will likely be disbanded.

The media learned today that Saibu Gas, located in Fukuoka, is planning to establish a new baseball club in April 2012.  An unnamed source close to the discussions said that an official announcement will be made once additional details have been worked out.

The media learned on Monday that Industrial League Mitsubishi Juko Kobe coach/player Toshiro Kibayashi (39) will be retiring this year in order to focus on company affairs.  Kibayashi joined Mitsubishi in 1991 and pitched in 19 Inter-City Tournaments and 14 Industrial League Championships.  He also tossed a no-hitter against Saginomiya Seisakusho during the 2009 Industrial League Championships.

Mitsubishi's Okawa kantoku (大川広誉, 40) will also be stepping down and will be replaced by coach Ishii (石井浩司, 29).

The media learned today that the NOMO Baseball Club (Industrial league) is looking for a new home because their current home will become the site of a highway.

A team official is quoted as saying, "We currently have no plans.  We would like to begin discussions with anyone that is interested [in having us].  Our next location does not have to be in Kinki."

The team was involved in negotiations to move the club to Tosu, Saga, but talks broke down and NOMO BC ended up turning down the offer in November.

The Baseball Federation of Japan (BFJ) decided today that they will hold a charity exhibition game between a team of university players and a team of Industrial league players on 3/10/2012 at Tokyo Dome.  The game will take place before the NPB's charity game (NPB vs CPBL).

Ibaraki Golden Golds' manager Ayumi Kataoka (blog) told reporters on Wednesday that she was thinking about returning to international play with the national women's team because she was disappointed at how little interest their was in women's baseball.

"I felt a little disappointed / frustrated after watching Nadeshiko Japan (women's national soccer team) play," said Kataoka.  "If I can help bring more attention to the women's national baseball team by playin, then I want to help. ... I'm going to start by preparing for the March 2012 tryouts."

Kataoka was a member of the women's national baseball team in 2008.  Since then, she has focused her efforts on playing for the Ibaraki Golden Golds (Industrial league).

The Ibaraki Golden Golds (Industrial League) announced that they'll be holding tryouts for the 2012 season on 11/20.  Tryouts will be open to anyone 18 and up, or students planning on graduating from high school in the spring.  Additional information and entry forms can be found at the official team site.

Game 1

===

Awards

Hashido (MVP) Award: Akira Matsumoto (JR Higashi Nihon)

Kuji Award: Hirotaka Koishi (NTT Higashi Nihon)

Ono Award: Toshiharu Moriuchi (JR Higashi Nihon Tohoku)

Wakajishi (Rookie) Award: Ryota Ishioka (JR Higashi Nihon)

Leading Batter Award: Shozo Yasuda (JR Higashi Nihon Tohoku)

Gambaro!! Nihon Honorary Award: JR Higashi Nihon Tohoku

Cheer Group Awards

Top Award: Sumitomo Kinzoku Kashima

Award of Excellence: NTT Higashi Nihon

Fighting Spirit Award: NTT Nishi Nihon

Game 1

Nobuhiro Kuroda (7 IP, 23 BF, 2 H, 6 SO, 0 ER) and Shogo Suenaga (2 IP, 6 BF, 0 H, 0 SO, 0 ER) combined for a 2-hit shutout.

===

Game 2

Game 1

Hirotaka Koishi started the game for NTT Higashi Nihon and tossed 10 shutout innings (10 IP, 35 BF, 5 H, 5 SO, 0 ER). He was not involved in the final decision.

===

Game 2

===

Game 3

===

Game 4

Koichi Kotaka started the game for JR Higashi and tossed 9 shutout innings for the victory (9 IP, 30 BF, 1 H, 5 SO, 0 ER).