Giants chairman rapped for compliance breach

In Japanese professional baseball, Yomiuri Giants representative and general manager Hidetoshi Kiyotake has criticized chairman Tsuneo Watanabe for intervening in the club's personnel matters.

Kiyotake told a news conference on Friday that he reported to Watanabe on October 20th that the Giants initially decided to appoint Kaoru Okazaki as next season's head coach. He said the team and Okazaki were to sign contracts on Friday.

However, Kiyotake said the chairman told him on Wednesday to appoint another person, former Giants pitcher Suguru Egawa, as head coach and that he had already begun negotiations with Egawa.

Kiyotake said Watanabe should have been aware of the matter, as he reported to the chairman last month.

He accused the chairman of trying to overrule a personnel appointment that was close to conclusion.

He harshly criticized Watanabe, saying the chairman has no authority over personnel matters and his attempt to cancel an appointment constitutes breach of corporate compliance. Kiyotake oversees personnel matters, including employing players and coaching staff, as the club's Number 2.

Denouncing the chairman by name is an unprecedented move for any club representative of the Giants -- the country's most popular team.

Kiyotake did not hold the news conference at Yomiuri's office, but at the sports ministry building. More than 100 members of the media attended the news conference.

Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper, which owns the club, has released no comment so far.

Watanabe has served as chairman of Yomiuri Giants since 2005. He became the club owner when he was appointed president of Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper in 1996. He now serves as chairman of the newspaper group.

He played a leading role in reforming the draft system to recruit rookies and promoting the free-agent system.

In 2004, he was forced to resign to take responsibility for the club's questionable practice of giving cash to college baseball players to ensure they joined the Giants. He returned as president of the club within a year.

Friday, November 11, 2011 20:45 +0900 (JST)