View source for Nippon Professional Baseball

{{short description|Baseball league representing the highest level of professional baseball in Japan}}
{{Redirect|NPB}}
{{Expand Japanese|topic=sport|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox sports league
| title           = Nippon Professional Baseball <br /> 日本野球機構
| current_season  = 2025 Nippon Professional Baseball season{{!}}2025 NPB season
| logo            = NPB logo.svg
| caption         = 
| pixels          = 240px
| founded         = [[Pacific League]], {{start date and age|1949|11|26}}<ref>{{cite web | url=https://npb.jp/pl/history.html | title=リーグ略史 &#124; パシフィック・リーグ }}</ref><br>[[Central League]], {{start date and age|1949|12|15}}<ref>{{cite web | url=https://npb.jp/cl/history.html | title=リーグ略史 &#124; セントラル・リーグ }}</ref>
| Formerly        = [[Japanese Baseball League]]
| sport           = Baseball
| country         = [[Japan]]
| headquarters    = 5–36–7 Shiba, Minato-ku, [[Tokyo]]
| ceo             = 
| commissioner    = [[Sadayuki Sakakibara]]
| teams           = 12
| champion        = [[Yokohama DeNA Baystars]]<br>(3rd title)
| most_champs     = [[Yomiuri Giants]]<br>(22 titles)
| tv              = {{unbulleted list
| '''Japan''':
| [[Fuji TV]] / [[NHK]]
| [[TV Asahi]] / [[J Sports]] / [[TBS Television (Japan)|TBS]]
| {{ill|Gaora Sports|ja|GAORA}}
| {{ill|Sports Live+|ja|スポーツライブ+}}
| [[DAZN]]
| '''International''':
| [[Next Level Sports|For the Fans]] {{small|(United States)}}
| [[YouTube]]
}}
| qualification   = [[Asia Series]] (2005–2013)
| website         = [https://npb.jp/eng/ NPB.jp]
| confed          = [[WBSC Asia]]<ref>{{cite web |title=Associated Members of the WBSC |url=https://www.wbsc.org/en/organisation/members |publisher=World Baseball Softball Confederation |access-date=25 February 2024}}</ref>
}}

{{Nihongo|'''Nippon Professional Baseball'''|日本野球機構|Nippon Yakyū Kikō|'''NPB'''}}  is a professional [[baseball]] league and the highest level of [[baseball in Japan]]. Locally, it is often called {{Nihongo|'''Puro Yakyū'''|プロ野球}}, meaning simply ''Professional Baseball''; outside of Japan, NPB is often referred to as "Japanese baseball".

The roots of the league can be traced back to the formation of the {{Nihongo|"Greater Japan Tokyo Baseball Club"|大日本東京野球倶楽部|Dai-Nippon Tōkyō Yakyū Kurabu}} in 1934. The first professional circuit for the sport in Japan, the [[Japanese Baseball League]] (JBL), was founded two years later and continued to play even through the final years of [[World War II]]. The organization that is today's NPB was formed when the JBL reorganized in 1950, dividing its 15 teams into two leagues, which would meet in the annual season-ending [[Japan Series]] championship play-off series of games starting that year.

NPB comprises twelve teams divided equally in two leagues, the [[Central League]] and the [[Pacific League]], a format which it has largely kept since {{by|1957}}. It has seen several waves of [[Expansion team|expansion]] and contraction, sometimes at the same time, to keep it at those numbers; most recently, in 2005, the [[Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes]] merged with the [[Orix BlueWave]] to form the [[Orix Buffaloes]], while the [[Rakuten Golden Eagles]] were added as an expansion team. As is common in Asian baseball (and unlike North American leagues), teams are generally named after their corporate owners, such as [[The Yomiuri Shimbun Holdings|Yomiuri]] and [[SoftBank Group|Softbank]]. NPB also oversees two affiliated [[minor league]]s, the [[Western League (Japanese baseball)|Western League]] and the [[Eastern League (Japanese baseball)|Eastern League]].

Since the first Japan Series in {{npby|1950}}, the [[Yomiuri Giants]] have the most championships with 22, and the most appearances with 37. Following the 2024 season, the [[Yokohama DeNA BayStars]], who defeated the [[Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks]] 4–2 in the [[2024 Japan Series]], are the reigning champions. The Japan Series has been contested 75 times as of 2024, with the Central League leading the Pacific League in wins, 38-37.

NPB was the only [[professional sports]] league in Japan until the foundation of the [[J.League]] in 1993. It is the [[List of professional sports leagues by revenue|eleventh-wealthiest professional sport league by revenue]] in the world, and the second-wealthiest baseball league, behind [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB); it is also the wealthiest sports league in Asia. NPB has the [[List of attendance figures at domestic professional sports leagues|second-highest total season attendance]] of any league, also behind MLB, despite playing considerably fewer games per season.

==League structure==
Nippon Professional Baseball consists of two leagues, the Central League and the Pacific League, which each have six teams. There are also two secondary-level professional minor leagues, the [[Eastern League (Japanese baseball)|Eastern League]] and the [[Western League (Japanese baseball)|Western League]], that play shorter schedules for developing players. NPB teams are allowed to have more than one minor league team as long as they are outside of the established minor league system, with the [[Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks]] and [[Yomiuri Giants]] being the only teams taking advantage of this. As of 2023, the Hawks have three minor league teams,<ref>{{cite web | url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/86b3fa413180e898d0f689a1d7e6c261c83afa6c | title=【ソフトバンク】来季から球界初「４軍制」創設へ ２０日ドラフト会議で育成選手を大量指名（スポーツ報知） |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221015184959/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/86b3fa413180e898d0f689a1d7e6c261c83afa6c |archive-date=Oct 15, 2022 }}</ref> the Giants have two, and the other ten teams only have one minor league team each. Teams below the Eastern and Western Leagues play exhibition matches against various teams of collegiate, [[Baseball in Japan#Amateur baseball|industrial]], [[Shikoku Island League Plus]], and other NPB minor league statuses.

The Central League and Pacific League operate as separate entities, unlike the [[Major professional sports leagues in the United States and Canada|four major professional sports leagues of North America]] whose leagues each operate as one singular entity. TV rights for games are always held by a game's home team. The Pacific League has used the [[designated hitter]] (DH) rule since 1975, while the Central League has not used the DH outside of [[interleague play (NPB)|interleague play]] where a Pacific League team is the home team and in the [[1985 Japan Series]].

The season starts in late March or early April, and ends in October, with two or three [[all-star game]]s in July. In recent decades prior to 2007, the two leagues each scheduled between 130 and 140 regular season games, with the 146 games played by the Central League in 2005 and 2006 being the only exception. Both leagues have since adopted 143-game seasons, 71 or 72 each at home and on road, facing their five respective intra-league opponents 25 times each and facing their six interleague opponents three times each in late May to early June in interleague play, with a separate champion being crowned for the team with the best record through the 18 games of interleague play. In general, Japanese teams play six games a week, with every Monday off (except on specific occasions, such as a game being played outside of the home team's primary stadium or if a [[rainout (sports)|rainout]] forced a game to be postponed to a Monday).<ref name=Waldstein>Waldstein, David. [https://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/22/sports/baseball/rangers-yu-darvish-pushes-for-a-six-man-pitching-rotation.html?_r=0 "Ace Favors Fewer Starts to Protect Pitchers' Arms: Rangers' Yu Darvish Pushes for a Six-Man Pitching Rotation"], New York Times (July 21, 2014).</ref> Unlike in [[Major League Baseball]], [[doubleheader (baseball)|doubleheaders]] have not been featured in NPB since the late 1990s.

Following the conclusion of each regular season, the top three teams from each league go on to play in the [[Climax Series]] championship play-off tournament, with the winner of each play-off tournament facing off in a best-of-seven championship series known as the [[Japan Series]] (known locally as the Nippon Series). Implemented in {{npby|2004}} by the Pacific League (then known as the Pacific League Playoffs) and in {{npby|2007}} by the Central League, the Climax Series is a two-stage system; in the "first stage", the second and third-place ranking teams face off in a best-of-three series played entirely in the second place team's home stadium. In the case of an instance where the series ends 1–1–1, the higher seed always advances to the final stage. In the "final stage", the winner of the first stage will face off against the league's pennant winner in a best-of-six series played entirely in the pennant winner's home stadium. The higher seed always starts with a "ghost win", or a 1–0 advantage in the series before any games have been played, meaning the higher seed only has to win three games whereas the lower seed has to win four games. In the event of a tie, the higher seed would subsequently only need to win two games. The winners of each league's final stage then face off in the Japan Series, a best-of-seven series mirroring the format of the [[World Series]]. In the rare instance where the series ends 3–3–1 after seven games, a Game 8 will be played with unlimited innings at the stadium with [[home-field advantage]]. Hypothetically, a Japan Series can go up to 14 games in length if each of the first seven games resulted in a 12-inning tie. Since its inception, home-field advantage alternates from year to year between the CL and PL, with the CL representative getting home-field advantage in even years and the PL representative getting home-field advantage in odd years.

Since its adoption by both leagues in 2007, Climax Series does not determine who won each league's [[pennant (sports)|pennant]], rather the team with the best regular season record in each league wins the pennant, regardless of their result in the Climax Series. This has led to four occasions where the Japan Series champion did not win their league's pennant that year, with those being the {{npby|2007}} [[Chunichi Dragons]], {{npby|2010}} [[Chiba Lotte Marines]], and the {{npby|2018}} and {{npby|2019}} [[Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks]]. However, from {{npby|2004}} to {{npby|2006}}, the winner of the Pacific League Playoffs was given the Pacific League pennant for that year.

==Financial problems==
Financial problems plague many teams in the league. It is believed that all teams are operating with considerable subsidies, often as much as [[Japanese yen|¥]]6 billion (about US$44.9 million), from their parent companies. A raise in the salaries of players is often blamed, but from the start of the professional league, parent companies paid the difference as an advertisement. Most teams have never tried to improve their finances through constructive marketing. In addition, teams in the [[Central League]] historically saw much higher profits than the [[Pacific League]], having popular teams such as the Giants and Tigers.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://japanball.com/team/tokyo-yomiuri-giants/ |title=Tokyo Yomiuri Giants &#124; Team Information |publisher=JapanBall.com |date= |accessdate=2022-03-13}}</ref>

The number of metropolitan areas represented in the league increased from four to five in 1988, when the [[Nankai Hawks]] (now Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks) were sold to [[Daiei]] and moved to [[Fukuoka]], nine years after the [[Nishitetsu Lions]] moved from Fukuoka to [[Tokorozawa]] to become the [[Seibu Lions]], and from five to seven between 2003 and 2005, as the [[Nippon-Ham Fighters]] moved from [[Tokyo]] to [[Sapporo]] prior to the {{npby|2004}} season. The [[Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes]] merged with the [[Orix BlueWave]] (becoming the Orix Buffaloes) in the middle of 2004, [[2004 Nippon Professional Baseball realignment|which caused a player strike]] that eventually resulted in the creation of the [[Tōhoku Rakuten Golden Eagles]] being founded in [[Sendai]] to maintain the 12-team balance before the {{npby|2005}} season.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2004/12/02/baseball/mlb/orix-buffaloes-up-and-running/ | title=Orix Buffaloes up and running | date=2 December 2004 }}</ref>

Until 1993, baseball was the only team sport played professionally in Japan. In that year, the [[J.League]] professional [[association football]] league was founded. The new league placed teams in prefectural capitals around the country—rather than clustering them in and around Tokyo—and the teams were named after their locations rather than after corporate sponsors, despite many clubs in the J.League still being owned and subsidized by corporate entities.

The wave of players moving to Major League Baseball, which began with [[Hideo Nomo]], with the help of agent [[Don Nomura]], exploiting a loophole, "retiring" from the [[Kintetsu Buffaloes]], then signing with the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]], has also added to the financial problems. Attendance suffered as teams lost their most marketable players, while TV ratings declined as viewers tuned into broadcasts of Major League games.<ref>{{cite magazine|url = http://www.time.com/time/asia/arts/article/0,9754,127023,00.html|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20050322031422/http://www.time.com/time/asia/arts/article/0,9754,127023,00.html|url-status = dead|archive-date = March 22, 2005|title =  Letter from Japan: Go West, Young Man|last = McKillop|first = Peter|date = 18 May 2001|magazine = TIME}}</ref> To discourage players from leaving to play in North America, or to at least compensate teams that lose players, Japanese baseball and MLB agreed on a [[posting system]] for players under contract. MLB teams wishing to negotiate with a player submit bids for a "posting fee", which the winning MLB team would pay the Japanese team if the player signs with the MLB team. [[Free agent]]s are not subject to the posting system, however, and some teams almost never post their players.<ref>{{cite web|url =https://www.cbssports.com/mlb/news/focus-shifts-to-shohei-otani-posting-decision-after-fighters-win-japan-series/|title =Focus shifts to Shohei Otani posting decision after Fighters win Japan Series|last =Axisa|first = Mike|date = 29 October 2016|work = CBSSports.com}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/12/26/baseball/japanese-baseball/fukuoka-softbank-hawks-kodai-senga/ | title=Hawks ace Kodai Senga can't persuade club to post him, gets raise instead | date=December 26, 2020 }}</ref>

==History==

===Origins===
The first professional baseball team in Japan was founded by media mogul [[Matsutarō Shōriki]] in late 1934 and called the [[Dai Nippon Tokyo Yakyu Kurabu]] ("the Great Japan Tokyo Baseball Club"). After matching up with a team of visiting American All-Stars that included [[Babe Ruth]], [[Jimmie Foxx]], [[Lou Gehrig]], and [[Charlie Gehringer]], the team spent the 1935 season barnstorming in the U.S., winning 93 of 102 games against semi-pro and [[Pacific Coast League]] teams. According to historian Joseph Reaves, "The only minor drawbacks to the team's popularity in the States were their [[kanji]] characters and their cumbersome Japanese name. They rectified both by renaming themselves the [[Tokyo Kyojin]] ['Tokyo Giants'] and adopting a uniform identical to the [[New York Giants (baseball team)|New York Giants]]..."<ref>Reaves, Joseph A. ''Taking in a Game: A History of Baseball in Asia'' (U. of Nebraska Press, 2002), p. 77.</ref>

From 1936 to 1950, [[professional baseball in Japan]] was played under the banner of the [[Japanese Baseball League]] (JBL). The league's dominant team during this period was the [[Tokyo Kyojin]], which won nine league championships, including six in a row from 1938 to 1943. (The team was officially renamed the [[Yomiuri Giants]] in 1947.)

===NPB establishment===
After the 1949 season, the JBL team owners reorganized into the NPB; [[Daiei Stars]] owner [[Masaichi Nagata]] promoted a two-league system, which became the [[Pacific League]] (initially called the Taiheiyo Baseball Union) and the [[Central League]]. (Nagata became the first president of the Pacific League.)<ref name=Fame>{{cite web|title=Nagata, Masaichi|url=http://english.baseball-museum.or.jp/baseball_hallo/detail/detail_092.html|work=Hall of Famers List|publisher=The Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|access-date=24 September 2011|archive-date=1 January 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200101194402/http://english.baseball-museum.or.jp/baseball_hallo/detail/detail_092.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> The league now known as Nippon Pro Baseball began play in the 1950 season.

Four JBL teams formed the basis of the Central League: the [[Chunichi Dragons]], the [[Hanshin Tigers]], the [[Yomiuri Giants]], and the [[Shochiku Robins]] (formerly the Taiyō Robins). To fill out the league, four new teams were formed: the [[Hiroshima Carp]], the [[Kokutetsu Swallows]], the [[Nishi Nippon Pirates]], and the [[Taiyō Whales]].

Four JBL teams formed the basis of the Pacific League: the [[Hankyu Braves]], the [[Nankai Hawks]], the [[Daiei Stars]], and the [[Tokyu Flyers]]. To fill out the league, three new teams were formed: the [[Kintetsu Pearls]], the [[Mainichi Orions]], and the [[Nishitetsu Clippers]].

[[Matsutarō Shōriki]], the Giants' owner, acted as NPB's unofficial commissioner and oversaw the first [[Japan Series]], which featured the Mainichi Orions defeating the Shochiku Robins 4 games to 2.

===Expansion and contraction===
The Central League's [[Nishi Nippon Pirates]] existed for one season—they placed sixth in 1950, and the following season merged with the [[Nishitetsu Clippers]] (also based in Fukuoka) to form the [[Nishitetsu Lions]]. This brought the number of Central League teams down to an ungainly arrangement of seven. In 1952, it was decided that any Central League team ending the season with a winning percentage below .300 would be disbanded or merged with other teams. The [[Shochiku Robins]] fell into this category, and were merged with the [[Taiyō Whales]] to become the [[Taiyō Shochiku Robins]] in January 1953. This enabled the Central League to shrink to an even number of six teams.

In 1954 a new [[Pacific League]] team was founded, the [[Takahashi Unions]], to increase the number of teams in that division to eight. Although the team was stocked with players from the other Pacific League teams, the Unions struggled from the outset and finished in the second division every season. In 1957, the Unions were merged with the [[Daiei Stars]] to form the [[Daiei Unions]] (and again bringing the number of Pacific League teams down to seven). The Unions existed for a single season, finishing in last place, 43-1/2 games out of first. In 1958, the Unions merged with the [[Mainichi Orions]] to form the [[Daimai Orions]]. This enabled the Pacific League to contract from the ungainly seven-team arrangement to six teams.

After these various franchise developments, by the end of the 1950s, Nippon Professional Baseball had contracted from the initial allotment of 15 teams down to the current number of 12.

===1960s and 1970s===
On September 1, 1964, [[Nankai Hawks]]' prospect [[Masanori Murakami]] became the first Japanese player to play in [[Major League Baseball]]<ref name="murakami">{{cite web |url=http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news_story.jsp?article_id=sf_20011220_murakami_news&team_id=sf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020818134206/http://www.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news_story.jsp?article_id=sf_20011220_murakami_news&team_id=sf |url-status=dead |archive-date=August 18, 2002 |title=Where have you gone, Masanori Murakami? |access-date=November 13, 2008 |publisher=[[Major League Baseball]] |date=December 24, 2001 |author=Kleinberg, Alexander }}</ref> when he appeared on the mound for the [[San Francisco Giants]]; he returned to Japan in 1966. Disputes over the rights to his contract eventually led to the 1967 United States – Japanese Player Contract Agreement; it would be almost 30 years before another Japanese player played in the Major Leagues.{{explain|date=March 2023}}

Continuing their dominance from the JBL, the [[Yomiuri Giants]] won nine consecutive [[Japan Series]] championships from 1965 to 1973.

[[The Black Mist Scandal (Japanese baseball)|The Black Mist Scandal]] rocked Nippon Professional Baseball between 1969 and 1971. The fallout from a series of game-fixing scandals resulted in several star players receiving long suspensions, salary cuts, or being banned from professional play entirely; the resulting abandonment of baseball by many fans in Japan also led to the sale of the [[Nishitetsu Lions]] and the [[Toei Flyers]].

From 1973 to 1982, in a forerunner to today's Climax Series playoff rounds, the [[Pacific League]] employed a split season with the first-half winner playing against the second-half winner in a mini-playoff to determine its champion. In 1975, the Pacific League adopted the [[designated hitter]] rule. These were implemented in an attempt to draw fans back to Pacific League, as the Pacific League was hit significantly harder by the Black Mist Scandal than the Central League, with only the [[Hankyu Braves]] not having players involved in the incident.

===1980s and the "Invincible Seibu" ===
After being a second division team for much of the 1960s and 1970s, in 1983 the [[Seibu Lions]] began a period of sustained success. The team gained the moniker "Invincible Seibu" during the 1980s and 1990s due to their sustained domination of the league, winning 11 league championships and eight [[Japan Series]] championships between 1982 and 1994. The Lions had a powerful lineup in this period, loaded with sluggers such as [[Koji Akiyama]], [[Kazuhiro Kiyohara]], and [[Orestes Destrade]]. Their defense also benefited from the services of skilled players such as [[Hiromichi Ishige]], [[Hatsuhiko Tsuji]] and catcher [[Tsutomu Ito]]. Among the pitchers employed by the Lions in this period was "The Oriental Express" [[Tai-Yuan Kuo|Taigen Kaku]], [[Osamu Higashio]], [[Kimiyasu Kudoh]], [[Hisanobu Watanabe]], and relievers [[Yoshitaka Katori]] and [[Tetsuya Shiozaki]].

American expatriate players made their mark in NPB in the 1980s, with players like the Lee brothers ([[Leron Lee]] and [[Leon Lee]]), [[Greg Wells (baseball)|Greg "Boomer" Wells]], [[Randy Bass]], and [[Ralph Bryant]] playing key roles on their NPB teams.

===Hideo Nomo and the exodus to MLB===
In 1995, star pitcher [[Hideo Nomo]] "retired" from the [[Kintetsu Buffaloes]] and signed with the [[Los Angeles Dodgers]]. Nomo pitched over the span of 14 seasons in the Major Leagues before retiring in 2008. He won the [[Major League Baseball Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year Award]] in 1995. He twice led the league in strikeouts, and also threw two no-hitters (the only Japanese pitcher to throw a no-hitter in Major League Baseball until [[Hisashi Iwakuma]] achieved the feat in August 2015). Nomo's MLB success led to more NPB players moving to [[Major League Baseball]],<ref>{{cite news| url = https://www.mlb.com/news/null/c-3145811 | title=Nomo Retires from Baseball | website=Dodgers.com: News | date = July 17, 2008 |agency= The Associated Press|publisher = MLB.com|url-status= dead|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160523181025/http://m.dodgers.mlb.com/news/article/3145811|archive-date = 23 May 2016}}</ref> and eventually led to the creation of the "[[posting system]]" in 1998.<ref name="p. 146">Whiting, Robert (April 2004). ''The Meaning of Ichiro: The New Wave from Japan and the Transformation of our National Pastime''. Warner Books. {{ISBN|0-446-53192-8}}. p. 146.</ref>

Since Nomo's exodus, more than 60 NPB players have played Major League Baseball. Some of the more notable examples include:
*  [[Ichiro Suzuki]]: After nine years with the [[Orix BlueWave]], in 2001 Ichiro was [[Posting system|posted]] by the BlueWave and claimed by MLB's [[Seattle Mariners]]. The first Japanese-born position player to be signed to the major leagues,<ref>{{cite web|title=Players by birthplace: Japan Baseball Stats and Info |website=Baseball-Reference|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/bio/Japan_born.shtml|access-date=2009-08-23}}</ref>{{failed verification|date=March 2018}} Ichiro led the [[American League]] (AL) in batting average and stolen bases en route to being named AL Rookie of the Year and AL Most Valuable Player. Ichiro, a member of MLB's [[3,000 hit club|3,000-hit club]], has established a number of MLB batting records, including the single-season record for hits with 262. He had ten consecutive 200-hit seasons, the longest streak by any player in history. Between his career hits in Japan's and America's major leagues, Ichiro has the most all-time top-flight hits. On August 27, 2022, Ichiro was enshrined in the Seattle Mariners Hall of Fame.<ref>{{cite web|title=Ichiro joins exclusive company in Mariners Hall of Fame|website=Major League Baseball|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/ichiro-suzuki-mariners-hall-of-fame-induction|access-date=2022-11-01}}</ref> On January 21, 2025, Ichiro was elected to [[National_Baseball_Hall_of_Fame_and_Museum|Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame]] by the [[Baseball Writers' Association of America]] (BBWAA) in his first year on the ballot, becoming the first Asian-born player to receive American baseball's highest honor.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Castrovince|first1=Anthony |title=First-timers Ichiro, CC and elite closer Wagner elected to Hall|website=Major League Baseball|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/2025-baseball-hall-of-fame-election-results|access-date=2025-01-24}}</ref>
* [[Hideki Matsui]]: The slugger played 10 seasons for the [[Yomiuri Giants]], and then in 2003 moved to MLB, where he starred for the [[New York Yankees]] for seven more seasons, including being named the [[Most Valuable Player]] for the 2009 [[World Series]]. He was the first power hitter from Japan to succeed in Major League Baseball.
* [[Kazuhiro Sasaki]]: He is a [[Closer (baseball)|closer]] famed for his [[Splitter (baseball)|splitter]], known as "The Fang". In 2000, he won the [[American League Rookie of the Year]] Award after saving 37 games for the Mariners. In 2001, he was a vital contributor to the Mariners' extremely strong team that won an American League record 116 games, of which he saved 45. In 2001 and 2002, he was an [[Major League Baseball All-Star|All-Star]]. After 2003, he returned to Japan to pitch in the NPB until his retirement in 2005.
* [[Kazuo Matsui]]: After eight stellar seasons with the [[Seibu Lions]], Matsui signed with the [[New York Mets]] on December 15, 2003, in 2004 becoming the first Japanese infielder to play with a Major League Baseball team.<ref name=rockiesacquirematsui>{{cite press release |url=http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060609&content_id=1497193&vkey=pr_col&fext=.jsp&c_id=col |title=The Official Site of The Colorado Rockies: Official Info |publisher=Colorado.rockies.mlb.com |access-date=December 22, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121007222934/http://colorado.rockies.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20060609&content_id=1497193&vkey=pr_col&fext=.jsp&c_id=col |archive-date=October 7, 2012 |url-status=dead }}</ref> His seven seasons in Major League Baseball were not as successful, and he later returned to NPB. Matsui now resides as the manager of his former Lions team.
* [[Shohei Ohtani]]: He is a [[two-way player]] who was a five-time All-Star while playing for the [[Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Shohei Ohtani first Japanese player voted to start in All-Star Game since 2010 |url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2021/07/02/baseball/mlb/shohei-ohtani-all-star-start/ |website=The Japan Times |access-date=July 26, 2021 |date=July 2, 2021}}</ref> Ohtani holds the record for fastest pitch by a Japanese-born player in NPB history at {{convert|165|km/h|mph|1|abbr=on}}.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Wertheim |first1=Jon |title=Shohei Ohtani is a two-way superstar who could change the face of baseball |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2017/04/06/shohei-ohtani |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=July 26, 2021 |language=en-us |date=April 6, 2017}}</ref> After signing with the [[Los Angeles Angels]], Ohtani won the 2018 AL Rookie of the Year award. In 2021, he became the first player in MLB history to be named an All-Star as both a pitcher and a position player.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Salvador |first1=Joseph |title=Ohtani Makes History as MLB Finalizes All-Star Rosters |url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2021/07/04/mlb-2021-all-star-game-roster-set-reserves-shohei-ohtani-makes-history |magazine=Sports Illustrated |access-date=July 26, 2021 |language=en-us |date=July 4, 2021}}</ref> After the conclusion of the season, Ohtani was unanimously named the AL Most Valuable Player. In 2023, Ohtani signed with the Los Angeles Dodgers, in what was then the [[List of largest sports contracts|most expensive contract in sports history]], worth $700 million, before [[Juan Soto]] surpassed that by $65 million with the [[New York Mets]] that offseason.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lu |first=Garry |date=2024-12-10 |title=The 25 Most Expensive Sports Contracts In History |url=https://www.bosshunting.com.au/hustle/most-expensive-sports-contracts/ |access-date=2025-05-12 |website=Boss Hunting |language=en-US}}</ref> Ohtani would become the first player to record a [[40–40 club|50-50 season]], winning him his second unanimous MVP.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Unanimous yet again: Ohtani wins third career MVP Award |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/shohei-ohtani-2024-nl-mvp |access-date=2025-05-12 |website=MLB.com |language=en}}</ref>

===Merger and strike of 2004===
{{Main|2004 Nippon Professional Baseball realignment}}
In September 2004, the professional Japanese players went on strike for the first time in over 70 years. The strike arose from a dispute that took place between the owners of the 12 professional Japanese baseball teams and the players' union (which was led by popular [[Yakult Swallows]] player-manager [[Atsuya Furuta]]), concerning the merging of the [[Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes]] and the [[Orix BlueWave]]. The owners wanted to get rid of the financially defunct Buffaloes, and merge the two baseball leagues, since teams in the [[Central League]] saw much higher profits than the [[Pacific League]], having popular teams such as the [[Yomiuri Giants]] and [[Hanshin Tigers]]. After negotiations, the owners agreed to guarantee the survival of the [[Chiba Lotte Marines]] and the [[Fukuoka Daiei Hawks]], leaving the Central League with six teams and the Pacific League with five.{{citation needed|date=May 2015}}

A battle escalated between the players union and the owners, and reached its height when Yomiuri Giants owner [[Tsuneo Watanabe]] controversially remarked that Furuta was "a mere player",<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.japanball.com/letter061305.htm |title=He's Back, We're on TV, and Your Reading Assignment|url-status=dead |date = 13 June 2005 |website = JapanBall.com|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070816054028/http://www.japanball.com/letter061305.htm |archive-date=2007-08-16 }}</ref> implying that players had no say in what league would look like the next year. The dispute received huge press coverage (which mostly favored Furuta and the players' union) and was dubbed one of the biggest events in the history of Japanese baseball. Proposals and amendments concerning interleague games, player drafting, and management were also discussed between the players union and the owners during this period.

The strike was originally planned for all Saturday and Sunday games that month, starting from September 11, but was pushed back due to the agreement of another meeting between the union and the owners on September 10. The players decided to strike on September 18–19, 2004, when no progress was made in the negotiations, as there was insufficient time left in the season to hold discussions.{{citation needed|date=May 2015}}

The dispute officially ended after the two groups reached consensus on September 23, 2004. As part of the agreement, the Buffaloes were allowed to merge with the Blue Wave (forming into the [[Orix Buffaloes]]); in addition, the [[Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles]] were newly created (at a reduced "entry fee") to keep the former six-team league structure. Other agreements included the leagues adopting [[Interleague play (NPB)|interleague play]] to help the Pacific League gain exposure by playing the more popular Central league teams. All these changes took place before the 2005 season.

===Interleague play===
{{Main|Interleague play (NPB)}}
The two leagues began [[interleague play (NPB)|interleague play]] in 2005, with each team playing two three-game series (one home, one away) against each of the six teams in the other league. This was reduced to two two-game series in 2007. All interleague play games are played in a seven-week span near the middle of the season.

As of the end of the 2017 season, the Pacific League has won the most games in interleague play since it began in 2005 twelve times, with 2009 being the only time that the Central League has won more games.

===League championship series/Climax Series===
{{Main|Climax Series}}
After 2004, a three-team playoff system was introduced in the [[Pacific League]], dubbed the "Pacific League Championship Series". The teams with the second- and third-best records play in the three-game first stage, with the winner advancing to the five-game final against the top team. The winner becomes the representative of the Pacific League to the Japan Series.

Since the Pacific League won every Japan Series after introducing this league playoff system, an identical system was introduced to the [[Central League]] in 2007, and the post-season intra-league games were renamed the "[[Climax Series]]" in both leagues. Player statistics and drafting order based on team records are not affected by these postseason games.

===Recent history===
In 2011, [[Miyagi Baseball Stadium]], home of the Rakuten Eagles, was badly damaged by the [[Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sponichi.co.jp/baseball/news/2011/03/22/kiji/K20110322000476220.html |script-title=ja:Ｋスタ宮城の復旧工事開始 完了まで約５週間 |trans-title=Restoration work for K-STA Miyagi started, approximately 5 weeks until completion |date=March 22, 2011 |language=ja |accessdate=August 4, 2021 |work=[[Sports Nippon]]}}</ref>

The 2013 season featured a livelier baseball, which was secretly introduced into NPB, resulting in a marked increase in home runs league-wide.<ref name=Kato>[https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/9692461/japanese-commissioner-ryozo-kato-resigns-juiced-ball "Ryozo Kato resigns as commish"], ESPN.com (September 19, 2013).</ref> [[Tokyo Yakult Swallows]] outfielder [[Wladimir Balentien]] broke the NPB single-season home run record of 55, previously held by professional baseball's all-time home run leader [[Sadaharu Oh]] in 1964, [[Tuffy Rhodes]] in 2001, and [[Alex Cabrera]] in 2002.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20130915&content_id=60680808&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb|title=Balentien breaks Oh's Japanese home run record|last=Berry|first=Adam|work=MLB.com|date=September 15, 2013|access-date=September 15, 2013}}</ref> Balantien finished the season with 60 home runs. Three-term NPB commissioner [[Ryōzō Katō]] was forced to resign over the scandal when the changed baseball was revealed.<ref name=Kato />

Former Prime Minister [[Shinzō Abe]]'s ruling [[Liberal Democratic Party (Japan)|Liberal Democratic Party]] has proposed expanding NPB to 16 total teams by adding two expansion franchises in each of the country's top-tier professional baseball leagues. The goal of such a move would be to energize the economies of the regions receiving the new teams. [[Okinawa Prefecture|Okinawa]], [[Shizuoka Prefecture|Shizuoka]], [[Shikoku]], and [[Niigata Prefecture|Niigata]] have been identified as regions that could play host to said teams.<ref name="fujita20140520">{{cite news | url=http://www.thestar.com.my/Sport/Football/2014/05/20/Japans-new-plan-to-beat-deflation--more-baseball/ | title=Japan's new plan to beat deflation – more baseball | publisher=thestaronline | date=2014-05-20 | access-date=May 20, 2014}}</ref>

The [[2020 Nippon Professional Baseball season|2020 NPB season]] was delayed numerous times due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. Initially preseason games were set to be played without spectators, but with opening day of March 20 remaining unchanged.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.japantimes.co.jp/sports/2020/02/26/baseball/japanese-baseball/japanese-baseball-play-remainder-preseason-without-spectators-due-virus-fears/|title=Japanese baseball to play remainder of preseason without spectators due to virus fears|date=2020-02-26|work=The Japan Times Online|access-date=2020-04-20|language=en-US|issn=0447-5763}}</ref> With the lifting of states of emergency over major Japanese cities, NPB announced that it would begin its regular season on 19 June [[behind closed doors (sport)|behind closed doors]]. "Warm-up" games began 26 May.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://nationalpost.com/pmn/health-pmn/baseball-japans-baseball-league-to-start-on-june-19|title=Baseball-Japan's baseball league to start on June 19|first=Jack|last=Tarrant|agency=Reuters|newspaper=National Post|date=May 25, 2020|access-date=May 25, 2020}}</ref> The shortened 120-game regular season began on 19 June.<ref name="seasonstart">{{cite news |title=After three-month virus delay, Japan opens its shortened baseball season |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/29334668/after-three-month-coronavirus-delay-japan-opens-shortened-baseball-season |access-date=20 June 2020 |agency=Associated Press |work=ESPN.com |date=19 June 2020}}</ref> On 10 July, NPB began allowing a limited number of fans to attend games, with plans to further ease restrictions in the near future.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/c3686bce6a9c4f9fb4d779ced7f6be2a62b1d9a4|title=お待たせ！プロ野球７・１０に６球場一斉観客解禁…上限５０００人|date=June 23, 2020|access-date=July 21, 2020|archive-date=July 21, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200721015933/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/c3686bce6a9c4f9fb4d779ced7f6be2a62b1d9a4|url-status=dead}}</ref> On 19 September, attendance was expanded to a maximum of 20,000 fans per game, or 50% of stadium capacity.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/3a012be940c6c0b7ae6f38184410eba93a2a1c67 |title=ＮＰＢ １９日にも観客上限緩和へ ２万人、または収容５０％の少ない方（デイリースポーツ） - Yahoo!ニュース |access-date=2020-11-28 |archive-date=2020-10-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201006065529/https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/3a012be940c6c0b7ae6f38184410eba93a2a1c67 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Expatriate baseball players in Japan==
{{main|American expatriate baseball players in Japan}}
For most of its history, NPB regulations imposed "[[gaijin]] waku", a limit on the number of non-Japanese people per team to two or three—including the manager and/or coaching staff.<ref name = gaijin>{{cite web|url = http://japanesebaseball.com/faq/gaijin.jsp |title = Foreign Player Restrictions?|website = Japanese Baseball }}</ref> Even today, a team cannot have more than four foreign players on a 25-man game roster, although there is no limit on the number of foreign players that it may sign. If there are four, they cannot all be pitchers nor all be position players.<ref name = gaijin/> This limits the cost and competition for expensive players of other nationalities, and is similar to rules in many European sports leagues' roster limits on non-European players.

Nonetheless, [[expatriate]] baseball players in Japan have been a feature of the [[Professional baseball in Japan|Japanese professional leagues]] since 1934. Hundreds of foreigners—particularly Americans—have played NPB. [[Taiwanese people|Taiwanese]] nationals [[Shosei Go]] and [[Hiroshi Oshita]] both starred in the 1940s. American players began to steadily find spots on NPB rosters in the 1960s. American players hold several NPB records, including highest single-season batting average ([[Randy Bass]], .389), and the dubious record of most strikeouts in a season by a hitter ([[Ralph Bryant]], 204). Americans rank #4 ([[Tuffy Rhodes]], 55) and #7 ([[Randy Bass]], 54) on the list of most home runs in a season, and #2 in single-season RBI ([[Bobby Rose (baseball)|Bobby Rose]], 153). [[Curaçaoan]]&ndash;[[Dutch people|Dutch]] outfielder [[Wladimir Balentien]] holds the NPB single-season home run record with 60 round-trippers in 2013.

Koreans have had an impact in the NPB as well, including such standout players as [[Lee Seung-yuop]], [[Sun Dong-yol]], [[Baek In-chun]], [[Lee Jong-beom]], and [[Dae-ho Lee]]. [[Venezuelan people|Venezuelans]] [[Alex Ramírez]], [[Alex Cabrera]], [[Bobby Marcano]], and [[Roberto Petagine]] all had long, successful NPB careers. The Dominican third baseman [[José Fernández (third baseman)|José Fernández]] played eleven years in the NPB, compiling a .282 batting average with 206 home runs and 772 runs batted in.

Many of the most celebrated foreign players came to Japan after not finding success in the [[Major League Baseball|Major Leagues]]; see "[[Big in Japan (phrase)|Big in Japan]]".

Since the 1970s, foreigners have also made an impact in Nippon Professional Baseball's managing and coaching ranks, with Americans [[Bobby Valentine]] and [[Trey Hillman]] managing their respective teams to [[Japan Series]] championships.

==Teams==
<section begin=labelmap />
{{Image label begin|image=Npb teams map.svg|width=450|float=right|border=1px solid #ccc|margin=0.5em 0 0.5em 1em}}
{{Image label small|x=-135.0|y=-104.0|scale=-1|text=[[Yomiuri Giants|Giants]]}}
{{Image label small|x=-200.0|y=-308.0|scale=-1|text=[[Chunichi Dragons|Dragons]]}}
{{Image label small|x=-91.0|y=-118.0|scale=-1|text=[[Tokyo Yakult Swallows|Swallows]]}}
{{Image label small|x=-188.5|y=-340.0|scale=-1|text=[[Orix Buffaloes|Buffaloes]]}}
{{Image label small|x=-88.0|y=-137.5|scale=-1|text=[[Yokohama BayStars|BayStars]]}}
{{Image label small|x=-26.0|y=-364.0|scale=-1|text=[[Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks|Hawks]]}}
{{Image label small|x=-176.0|y=-110.5|scale=-1|text=[[Chiba Lotte Marines|Marines]]}}
{{Image label small|x=-333.5|y=-88.5|scale=-1|text=[[Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters|Fighters]]}}
{{Image label small|x=-322.0|y=-225.5|scale=-1|text=[[Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles|Eagles]]}}
{{Image label small|x=-145.0|y=-324.0|scale=-1|text=[[Hanshin Tigers|Tigers]]}}
{{Image label small|x=-87.0|y=-103.0|scale=-1|text=[[Saitama Seibu Lions|Lions]]}}
{{Image label small|x=-83.0|y=-338.5|scale=-1|text=[[Hiroshima Toyo Carp|Carp]]}}
{{Image label end}}
<section end=labelmap />

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:left"
! style="background:white" | Team
! style="background:white" | Location
! style="background:white" | Stadiums
! style="background:white" | Capacity
! style="background:white" | Coordinates
! style="background:white" | Founded<ref>{{cite web |author=一般社団法人日本野球機構 |date= |title=球団別インデックス &#124; NPB.jp 日本野球機構 |url=https://npb.jp/teams/ |accessdate=2022-08-23 |publisher=Npb.jp}}</ref>
!Manager
|-
! colspan="7" |<span style="color:white;">[[Central League]]</span>
|-
| '''[[Chunichi Dragons]]'''
| [[Nagoya]], [[Aichi Prefecture|Aichi]]
| [[Vantelin Dome Nagoya]]
| align=center | 40,500
| {{Coord|35|11|15.36|N|136|56|57.119|E|type:landmark_region:JP|name=Vantelin Dome Nagoya}}
| align=center | January 15, 1936<ref>{{cite web |title=Index by team |url=https://npb.jp/teams/ |website=NPB |access-date=1 September 2022}}</ref>
| align=center | [[Kazuki Inoue]]
|-
| '''[[Hanshin Tigers]]'''
| HQ in [[Nishinomiya]], [[Hyōgo Prefecture|Hyōgo]]<br />
Plays between<br /> [[Hyōgo Prefecture| Hyōgo]] and [[Osaka]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=公式戦 京セラドーム大阪｜チケット｜阪神タイガース公式サイト |trans-title=Regular Season in Osaka Dome｜Tickets｜Hanshin Tigers Official Site |url=https://hanshintigers.jp/ticket/list.html#regular_kyocera |access-date=2023-08-10 |website=hanshintigers.jp |language=ja}}</ref>
| [[Hanshin Koshien Stadium]]<br /> (primary) 

<br />[[Kyocera Dome Osaka]] (during [[Kōshien baseball tournaments]])
| align=center | 47,757<br />and<br />36,477
| {{coord|34|43|16.34|N|135|21|41.84|E|type:landmark_region:JP|name=Hanshin Koshien Stadium}}<br /><br />{{Coord|34|40|9.48|N|135|28|33.97|E|type:landmark_region:JP|name=Kyocera Dome Osaka}}
| align=center | December 10, 1935
| align=center | [[Kyuji Fujikawa]]
|-
| '''[[Hiroshima Toyo Carp]]'''
| [[Hiroshima]], [[Hiroshima Prefecture|Hiroshima]]
| [[Mazda Stadium]]
| align=center | 32,000
| {{Coord|34|23|33|N|132|29|2.4|E|type:landmark_region:JP|name=Mazda Stadium}}
| align=center | December 5, 1949
| align=center | [[Takahiro Arai]]
|-
| '''[[Tokyo Yakult Swallows]]'''
| [[Shinjuku]], [[Tokyo]]
| [[Meiji Jingu Stadium]]
| align=center | 37,933
| {{Coord|35|40|28.3|N|139|43|1.4|E|type:landmark_region:JP|name=Meiji Jingu Stadium}}
| align=center | January 12, 1950
| align=center | [[Shingo Takatsu]]
|-
| '''[[Yokohama DeNA BayStars]]'''
| [[Yokohama]], [[Kanagawa Prefecture|Kanagawa]]
| [[Yokohama Stadium]]
| align=center | 30,000
| {{Coord|35|26|36.34|N|139|38|24.36|E|type:landmark_region:JP|name=Yokohama Stadium}}
| align=center | December 15, 1949
| align=center | [[Daisuke Miura]]
|-
| '''[[Yomiuri Giants]]'''
| [[Bunkyō]], [[Tokyo]]
| [[Tokyo Dome]]
| align=center | 46,000
| {{Coord|35|42|20|N|139|45|7|E|type:landmark_region:JP|name=Tokyo Dome}}
| align=center | December 26, 1934
| align=center | [[Shinnosuke Abe]]
|-
! colspan="7" |<span style="color:white;">[[Pacific League]]</span>
|-
| '''[[Chiba Lotte Marines]]'''
| [[Chiba (city)|Chiba]], [[Chiba Prefecture|Chiba]]
| [[ZOZO Marine Stadium]]
| align=center | 30,000
| {{Coord|35|38|42.86|N|140|1|51.32|E|type:landmark_region:JP|name=ZOZO Marine Stadium}}
| align=center | November 26, 1949
| align=center | [[Masato Yoshii]]
|-
| '''[[Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks]]'''
| [[Fukuoka]], [[Fukuoka Prefecture|Fukuoka]]
| [[Mizuho PayPay Dome Fukuoka]]
| align=center | 40,142
| {{Coord|33|35|43|N|130|21|44|E|type:landmark_region:JP|name=Mizuho PayPay Dome Fukuoka}}
| align=center | February 22, 1938
| align=center | [[Hiroki Kokubo]]
|-
| '''[[Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters]]'''
| [[Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido|Kitahiroshima]], [[Hokkaidō]]
| [[ES CON Field Hokkaido]]
| align=center | 35,000
| {{Coord|42|59|23|N|141|32|58|E|type:landmark_region:JP|name=ES CON Field Hokkaido}}
| align=center | November 6, 1945
| align=center | [[Tsuyoshi Shinjo]]
|-
| '''[[Orix Buffaloes]]'''
| HQ in [[Osaka]]<br />
Plays between<br />[[Osaka]] and [[Hyōgo Prefecture|Hyōgo]]<ref>{{Cite web |title=スタジアムトップ |trans-title=Stadiums |url=https://www.buffaloes.co.jp/stadium/stadium/ |access-date=2023-08-10 |website=Orix Buffaloes Official Website |language=ja}}</ref>
| [[Kyocera Dome Osaka]]<br /><br />[[Kobe Sports Park Baseball Stadium|Hotto Motto Field]]
| align=center | 36,477<br />and<br />35,000
| {{Coord|34|40|9.48|N|135|28|33.97|E|type:landmark_region:JP|name=Kyocera Dome Osaka}}<br /><br />{{Coord|34|40|50.37|N|135|4|24.3|E|type:landmark_region:JP|name=Hotto Motto Field}}
| align=center | January 23, 1936
| align=center | [[Mamoru Kishida]]
|-
| '''[[Saitama Seibu Lions]]'''
| [[Tokorozawa, Saitama|Tokorozawa]], [[Saitama Prefecture|Saitama]]
| [[Belluna Dome]]
| align=center | 33,921
| {{Coord|35|46|6.6|N|139|25|13.8|E|type:landmark_region:JP|name=Belluna Dome}}
| align=center | November 26, 1949
| align=center | [[Fumiya Nishiguchi]]
|-
| '''[[Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles]]'''
| [[Sendai]], [[Miyagi Prefecture|Miyagi]]
| [[Rakuten Mobile Park Miyagi]]
| align=center | 30,508
| {{Coord|38|15|22.34|N|140|54|9|E|type:landmark_region:JP|name=Rakuten Seimei Park Miyagi}}
| align=center | November 2, 2004
| align=center | [[Hajime Miki]]
|}
Note: The [[Tokyo Yakult Swallows]] and [[Yomiuri Giants]] plan to build new stadiums. The Swallows' new stadium will be next to its current venue, and the Giants' stadium will be where the old [[Tsukiji fish market]] existed. Both are scheduled to be completed around 2030.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mellin |first=Joshua |date=2023-04-30 |title=Battles Erupt Over Plan to Demolish Meiji Jingu Stadium |language=en-US |work=The New York Times |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2023/04/30/sports/baseball/meiji-jingu-stadium-japan.html |access-date=2023-05-26 |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-19 |title=築地に国際交流拠点、東京都が三井不・読売連合を選定…３０年代前半の開業目指す |trans-title=Tokyo Metropolitan Government selects Mitsui Fudosan and Yomiuri Alliance for international center in Tsukiji...aiming to open in the early 2030s. |url=https://www.yomiuri.co.jp/economy/20240419-OYT1T50161/ |access-date=2024-04-19 |website=[[Yomiuri Shimbun]] |language=ja}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="width:100%; text-align:left"
! style="background:gray;" colspan="6"| <span style="color:white;">Defunct clubs</span>
|-
! style="background:white" | Team
! style="background:white" | City
! style="background:white" | Stadium
! style="background:white" | Founded
! style="background:white" | Ceased operations
! style="background:white" | Notes
|-
| '''[[Nishi Nippon Pirates]]'''
| [[Fukuoka]], [[Fukuoka Prefecture|Fukuoka]]
| 52 stadiums in 29 prefectures across Japan<ref name="npb">[https://npb.jp/news/detail/20210324_02.html 【記録員コラム】29都道府県、52球場を駆け巡った西日本パイレーツ]（日本野球機構）</ref>
| align=center | 1950
| align=center | January 30, 1951<ref name="cd50">{{Cite book |editor=中日ドラゴンズ|editor-link=:ja:中日ドラゴンズ |title = 中日ドラゴンズ70年史 |year = 2006 |publisher = [[:ja:中日新聞社|中日新聞社]] |page = 50 |isbn = 4806205141 |ref = {{SfnRef|ドラゴンズ70年史|2006}} }}</ref>
| align=left | Merged with the [[Saitama Seibu Lions|Nishitetsu Clippers]] to form the Fukuoka Nishitetsu Lions (now known as the [[Saitama Seibu Lions]])
|-
| '''[[Shochiku Robins]]'''
| [[Kyoto]], [[Kyoto Prefecture|Kyoto]]
| [[Kinugasa Stadium]]
| align=center | 1936
| align=center | January 1, 1953<ref name="wb66">{{Cite book |title = ホエールズ&ベイスターズ60年の軌跡 |year = 2009 |publisher = [[:ja:ベースボール・マガジン社|ベースボール・マガジン社]] |series = B.B.MOOK スポーツシリーズ |page = 66 |isbn = 9784583616179 }}</ref>
| align=left | Merged with the [[Taiyo Whales]] to form the [[Taiyo-Shochiku Robins]] (now known as the [[Yokohama DeNA BayStars]])
|-
| '''[[Takahashi Unions]]'''
| [[Kawasaki, Kanagawa|Kawasaki]], [[Kanagawa Prefecture|Kanagawa]]
| [[Kawasaki Stadium]]
| align=center | 1954
| align=center | February 25, 1957<ref>Yomiuri Shimbun, February 26, 1957, page 4, "Daiei and Takahashi to merge in Pacific League this year, 7 team system, Owners' Meeting Fails to Realize Six Team System"</ref>
| align=left | Merged with the [[Daiei Stars]] to form the [[Daiei Unions]]
|-
| '''[[Daiei Unions]]'''
| [[Bunkyō]], [[Tokyo]]
| [[Korakuen Stadium]]
| align=center | 1946
| align=center | November 24, 1957<ref>Mainichi Shimbun, November 25, 1957, page 7 [Pacific's 6-team system realized; Mainichi and Daiei to merge in the middle of next month]</ref>
| align=left | Merged with the [[Mainichi Orions]] to form the [[Daimai Orions]] (now known as the [[Chiba Lotte Marines]])
|-
| '''[[Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes]]'''
| [[Osaka]], [[Osaka Prefecture|Osaka]]
| [[Kyocera Dome Osaka]]
| align=center | 1949
| align=center | December 1, 2004
| align=left | Merged with the [[Orix BlueWave]] to form the [[Orix Buffaloes]]
|}

===Franchise locations===
Locations are listed from north to south. Only the most prominent names of each franchise are listed. 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! Locality
! 1950
! 1951–1952
! 1953
! 1954
! 1955–1956
! 1957
! 1958–1972
! 1973–1977
! 1978
! 1979–1988
! 1989–2003
! 2004
! 2005–present
|-
| style="background:#eee;"|[[Sapporo|Greater Sapporo]]
| colspan="11"|&nbsp;
| colspan="2" style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters]] (PL), 2004–present{{efn|Based in [[Kitahiroshima, Hokkaido|Kitahiroshima]] since 2023}}
|-
| style="background:#eee;"|[[Sendai]]
| colspan="7"|&nbsp;
| style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Lotte Orions]] (PL), 1973–1977
| colspan="4"|&nbsp;
| colspan="1" style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles]] (PL), 2005–present
|-
| rowspan="7" style="background:#eee;"|[[Greater Tokyo Area|Greater Tokyo]]
| colspan="13" style="background:#59d986;"|[[Tokyo Yakult Swallows|Kokutetsu Swallows / Sankei Atoms / Yakult Swallows]] (CL), 1950–present
|-
| colspan="13" style="background:#59d986;"|[[Yomiuri Giants]] (CL), 1950–present
|-
| colspan="11" style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters|Toei Flyers / Nippon-Ham Fighters]] (PL), 1950–2003
|-
| colspan="7" style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Chiba Lotte Marines|Mainichi/Daimai/Tokyo/Lotte Orions]] (PL), 1950–1972
| &nbsp;
| colspan="5" style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Chiba Lotte Marines|Lotte Orions / Chiba Lotte Marines]] (PL), 1978–present
|-
| colspan="3"|&nbsp;
| colspan="2" style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Takahashi Unions]] (PL), 1954–1956
| rowspan="2" style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Daiei Unions]] (PL), 1957
| rowspan="2" colspan="3"|&nbsp;
| rowspan="2" colspan="5" style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Saitama Seibu Lions]] (PL), 1979–present
|-
| colspan="5" style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Daiei Stars]] (PL), 1950–1956
|-
| colspan="4"|&nbsp;
| colspan="9" style="background:#59d986;"|[[Yokohama DeNA BayStars|Taiyo Whales / Yokohama BayStars]] (CL), 1955–present
|-
| style="background:#eee;"|[[Nagoya]]
| colspan="13" style="background:#59d986;"|[[Chunichi Dragons]] (CL), 1950–present
|-
| rowspan="5" style="background:#eee;"|[[Keihanshin|Greater Osaka]]
| colspan="13" style="background:#59d986;"|[[Hanshin Tigers]] (CL), 1950–present
|-
| colspan="12" style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Orix Buffaloes|Hankyu Braves / Orix BlueWave]] (PL), 1950–2004
| rowspan="2" colspan="1" style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Orix Buffaloes]] (PL), 2005–present
|-
| colspan="12" style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes]] (PL), 1950–2004
|-
| colspan="10" style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Nankai Hawks]] (PL), 1950–1988
|-
| colspan="4" style="background:#59d986;"|[[Shochiku Robins]] (CL), 1950–1954
|-
| style="background:#eee;"|[[Hiroshima]]
| colspan="13" style="background:#59d986;"|[[Hiroshima Toyo Carp]] (CL), 1950–present
|-
| style="background:#eee;"|[[Shimonoseki]]
| colspan="2" style="background:#59d986;"|[[Taiyo Whales]] (CL), 1950–1952
|-
| rowspan="2" style="background:#eee;"|[[Fukuoka]]
| colspan="9" style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Nishitetsu Lions]] (PL), 1950–1978
| &nbsp;
| colspan="3" style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks|Fukuoka Daiei/SoftBank Hawks]] (PL), 1989–present
|-
| style="background:#59d986;"|[[Nishi Nippon Pirates]] (CL), 1950
|}

==Champions==
{{Main|Japan Series}}
{| class="wikitable"
! Team
! Champions
! Runners-up
! Winning seasons
! Runners-up seasons
|-
| style="background:#59d986;"|[[Yomiuri Giants]] || align=center | 22 || align=center | 14 || [[1951 Japan Series|1951]], [[1952 Japan Series|1952]], [[1953 Japan Series|1953]], [[1955 Japan Series|1955]], [[1961 Japan Series|1961]], [[1963 Japan Series|1963]], [[1965 Japan Series|1965]], [[1966 Japan Series|1966]], [[1967 Japan Series|1967]], [[1968 Japan Series|1968]], [[1969 Japan Series|1969]], [[1970 Japan Series|1970]], [[1971 Japan Series|1971]], [[1972 Japan Series|1972]], [[1973 Japan Series|1973]], [[1981 Japan Series|1981]], [[1989 Japan Series|1989]], [[1994 Japan Series|1994]], [[2000 Japan Series|2000]], [[2002 Japan Series|2002]], [[2009 Japan Series|2009]], [[2012 Japan Series|2012]] || [[1956 Japan Series|1956]], [[1957 Japan Series|1957]], [[1958 Japan Series|1958]], [[1959 Japan Series|1959]], [[1976 Japan Series|1976]], [[1977 Japan Series|1977]], [[1983 Japan Series|1983]], [[1987 Japan Series|1987]], [[1990 Japan Series|1990]], [[1996 Japan Series|1996]], [[2008 Japan Series|2008]], [[2013 Japan Series|2013]], [[2019 Japan Series|2019]], [[2020 Japan Series|2020]]
|-
| style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Saitama Seibu Lions]] || align=center | 13 || align=center | 8 || [[1956 Japan Series|1956]], [[1957 Japan Series|1957]], [[1958 Japan Series|1958]], [[1982 Japan Series|1982]], [[1983 Japan Series|1983]], [[1986 Japan Series|1986]], [[1987 Japan Series|1987]], [[1988 Japan Series|1988]], [[1990 Japan Series|1990]], [[1991 Japan Series|1991]], [[1992 Japan Series|1992]], [[2004 Japan Series|2004]], [[2008 Japan Series|2008]] || [[1954 Japan Series|1954]], [[1963 Japan Series|1963]], [[1985 Japan Series|1985]], [[1993 Japan Series|1993]], [[1994 Japan Series|1994]], [[1997 Japan Series|1997]], [[1998 Japan Series|1998]], [[2002 Japan Series|2002]]
|-
| style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks]] || align=center | 11 || align=center | 10 || [[1959 Japan Series|1959]], [[1964 Japan Series|1964]], [[1999 Japan Series|1999]], [[2003 Japan Series|2003]], [[2011 Japan Series|2011]], [[2014 Japan Series|2014]], [[2015 Japan Series|2015]], [[2017 Japan Series|2017]], [[2018 Japan Series|2018]], [[2019 Japan Series|2019]], [[2020 Japan Series|2020]] || [[1951 Japan Series|1951]], [[1952 Japan Series|1952]], [[1953 Japan Series|1953]], [[1955 Japan Series|1955]], [[1961 Japan Series|1961]], [[1965 Japan Series|1965]], [[1966 Japan Series|1966]], [[1973 Japan Series|1973]], [[2000 Japan Series|2000]], [[2024 Japan Series|2024]]
|-
| style="background:#59d986;"|[[Tokyo Yakult Swallows]] || align=center | 6 || align=center | 3 || [[1978 Japan Series|1978]], [[1993 Japan Series|1993]], [[1995 Japan Series|1995]], [[1997 Japan Series|1997]], [[2001 Japan Series|2001]], [[2021 Japan Series|2021]] || [[1992 Japan Series|1992]], [[2015 Japan Series|2015]], [[2022 Japan Series|2022]]
|-
| style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Orix Buffaloes]] || align=center | 5 || align=center | 10 || [[1975 Japan Series|1975]], [[1976 Japan Series|1976]], [[1977 Japan Series|1977]], [[1996 Japan Series|1996]], [[2022 Japan Series|2022]] || [[1967 Japan Series|1967]], [[1968 Japan Series|1968]], [[1969 Japan Series|1969]], [[1971 Japan Series|1971]], [[1972 Japan Series|1972]], [[1978 Japan Series|1978]], [[1984 Japan Series|1984]], [[1995 Japan Series|1995]], [[2021 Japan Series|2021]], [[2023 Japan Series|2023]]
|-
| style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Chiba Lotte Marines]] || align=center | 4 || align=center | 2 || [[1950 Japan Series|1950]], [[1974 Japan Series|1974]], [[2005 Japan Series|2005]], [[2010 Japan Series|2010]] || [[1960 Japan Series|1960]], [[1970 Japan Series|1970]]
|-
| style="background:#59d986;"|[[Hiroshima Toyo Carp]] || align=center | 3 || align=center | 5 || [[1979 Japan Series|1979]], [[1980 Japan Series|1980]], [[1984 Japan Series|1984]] || [[1975 Japan Series|1975]], [[1986 Japan Series|1986]], [[1991 Japan Series|1991]], [[2016 Japan Series|2016]], [[2018 Japan Series|2018]]
|-
| style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters]] || align=center | 3 || align=center | 4 || [[1962 Japan Series|1962]], [[2006 Japan Series|2006]], [[2016 Japan Series|2016]] || [[1981 Japan Series|1981]], [[2007 Japan Series|2007]], [[2009 Japan Series|2009]], [[2012 Japan Series|2012]]
|-
| style="background:#59d986;"|[[Yokohama DeNA BayStars]] || align=center | 3 || align=center | 1 || [[1960 Japan Series|1960]], [[1998 Japan Series|1998]], [[2024 Japan Series|2024]] || [[2017 Japan Series|2017]]
|-  
| style="background:#59d986;"|[[Chunichi Dragons]] || align=center | 2 || align=center | 8 || [[1954 Japan Series|1954]], [[2007 Japan Series|2007]] || [[1974 Japan Series|1974]], [[1982 Japan Series|1982]], [[1988 Japan Series|1988]], [[1999 Japan Series|1999]], [[2004 Japan Series|2004]], [[2006 Japan Series|2006]], [[2010 Japan Series|2010]], [[2011 Japan Series|2011]]
|-
| style="background:#59d986;"|[[Hanshin Tigers]] || align=center | 2 || align=center | 5 || [[1985 Japan Series|1985]], [[2023 Japan Series|2023]] || [[1962 Japan Series|1962]], [[1964 Japan Series|1964]], [[2003 Japan Series|2003]], [[2005 Japan Series|2005]], [[2014 Japan Series|2014]]
|-
| style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles]] || align=center | 1 || align=center | 0 || [[2013 Japan Series|2013]] || —
|-
| style="background:#58ceff;"|[[Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes]] || align=center | 0 || align=center | 4 || — || [[1979 Japan Series|1979]], [[1980 Japan Series|1980]], [[1989 Japan Series|1989]], [[2001 Japan Series|2001]]
|-
| style="background:#59d986;"|[[Shochiku Robins]] || align=center | 0 || align=center | 1 || — || [[1950 Japan Series|1950]]
|}

==Awards==
{{See also|Baseball awards #Japan|Japan Professional Sports Grand Prize}}
*[[Nippon Professional Baseball Most Valuable Player Award]]
*[[Nippon Professional Baseball Rookie of the Year Award]]
*[[Nippon Professional Baseball Comeback Player of the Year Award]]
*[[Eiji Sawamura Award]] (starting pitcher of the year)
*[[Mitsui Golden Glove Award]]
*[[Golden Spirit Award]]
*[[Matsutaro Shoriki Award]]
*[[Japan Series]] Most Valuable Player
*[[Nippon Professional Baseball All-Star Game]] Most Valuable Player

==Records==

===Single season batting===
{| class="wikitable" style="clear: left;"
|- style="text-align:center;" 
| colspan="3" style="background:#cfc;"|'''Central League'''
| colspan="3" style="background:#87cefa;"|'''Pacific League'''
| colspan="3"|'''Overall'''
|-
!|Player
!|
!|Year
!|Player
!|
!|Year
!|Player
!|
!|Year
|-
| colspan="9" style="text-align:center;"|'''Batting Average'''
|-
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Randy Bass]]
|.389
|1986
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Ichiro Suzuki]]
|.387
|2000
| style="background:#cfc;"|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Randy Bass]]
|.389
|1986
|-
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Warren Cromartie]]
|.378
|1989
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Ichiro Suzuki]]
|.385
|1994
| style="background:#87cefa;"|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Ichiro Suzuki]]
|.387
|2000
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Seiichi Uchikawa]]
|.378
|2008
|{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Isao Harimoto]] <sup>'''a''' </sup><!-- https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=harimo000isa -->
|.383
|1970
| style="background:#87cefa;"|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Ichiro Suzuki]]
|.385
|1994
|-
| colspan="9" style="text-align:center;"|'''Home Runs'''<!-- https://npb.jp/bis/history/ssb_hr.html -->
|-
|{{flagicon|NED}} [[Wladimir Balentien]] <sup> '''b''' </sup>
|60
|2013
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Tuffy Rhodes]]
|55
|2001
| style="background:#cfc;"|{{flagicon|NED}} [[Wladimir Balentien]]
|60
|2013
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Munetaka Murakami]]
|56
|2022
|{{flagicon|VEN}} [[Alex Cabrera]] 
|55
|2002
| style="background:#cfc;"|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Munetaka Murakami]]
|56
|2022
|-
|{{flagicon|TWN}} [[Sadaharu Oh]] <sup> '''c''' </sup>
|55
|1964
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Katsuya Nomura]] <!-- https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=nomura002kat -->
|52
|1963
| style="background:#cfc;"|{{flagicon|TWN}} [[Sadaharu Oh]]
|55
|1964
|-
|
|
|
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hiromitsu Ochiai]] <!-- https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=ochiai001hir -->
|52
|1985
| style="background:#87cefa;"|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Tuffy Rhodes]]
|55
|2001
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
| style="background:#87cefa;"|{{flagicon|VEN}} [[Alex Cabrera]] 
|55
|2002
|-
| colspan="9" style="text-align:center;"|'''RBIs'''
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Makoto Kozuru]]
|161
|1950
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hiromitsu Ochiai]]
|146
|1985
| style="background:#cfc;"|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Makoto Kozuru]]
|161
|1950
|-
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Bobby Rose (baseball)|Bobby Rose]]
|153
|1999
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Katsuya Nomura]]
|135
|1963
| style="background:#cfc;"|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Bobby Rose (baseball)|Bobby Rose]]
|153
|1999
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Makoto Imaoka]]
|147
|2005
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Norihiro Nakamura]]
|132
|2001
| style="background:#cfc;"|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Makoto Imaoka]]
|147
|2005
|-
| colspan="9" style="text-align:center;"|'''Hits'''
|-
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Matt Murton]]
|214
|2010
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shogo Akiyama]]
|216
|2015
| style="background:#87cefa;"|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shogo Akiyama]]
|216
|2015
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Nori Aoki]]
|209
|2010
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Ichiro Suzuki]]
|210
|1994
| style="background:#cfc;"|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Matt Murton]]
|214
|2010
|-
|{{flagicon|VEN}} [[Alex Ramírez]] <sup> '''d''' </sup>
|204
|2007
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Tsuyoshi Nishioka]]
|206
|2010
| style="background:#87cefa;"|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Ichiro Suzuki]]
|210
|1994
|-
| colspan="9" style="text-align:center;"|'''Stolen Bases'''<!-- https://npb.jp/bis/history/ssb_sb.html -->
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} {{ill|Tadashi Matsumoto|ja|松本匡史}}
|76
|1983
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yutaka Fukumoto]]
|106
|1972
| style="background:#87cefa;"|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yutaka Fukumoto]]
|106
|1972
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} {{ill|Jiro Kanayama|ja|金山次郎}}
|74
|1950
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yutaka Fukumoto]]
|95
|1973
| style="background:#87cefa;"|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yutaka Fukumoto]]
|95
|1973
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yoshihiko Takahashi]]
|73
|1985
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yutaka Fukumoto]]
|94
|1974
| style="background:#87cefa;"|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yutaka Fukumoto]]
|94
|1974
|-
| colspan="9" style="text-align:center;"|'''Strikeouts'''<!-- https://npb.jp/bis/history/ssb_so.html -->
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Munetaka Murakami]]
|184
|2019
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ralph Bryant]]
|204
|1993
| style="background:#87cefa;"|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ralph Bryant]]
|204
|1993
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Akinori Iwamura]]
|173
|2004
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ralph Bryant]]
|198
|1990
| style="background:#87cefa;"|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ralph Bryant]]
|198
|1990
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Teruaki Sato]]
|173
|2021
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ralph Bryant]]
|187
|1989
| style="background:#87cefa;"|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Ralph Bryant]]
|187
|1989
|}

<sup> '''a''' </sup> Harimoto is a Korean citizen who was born and grew up in Japan (see [[Zainichi Korean]]).
<br />
<sup> '''b''' </sup> As all Curaçaoans have [[Dutch citizenship]] and Balentien has represented the [[Netherlands national baseball team|Netherlands]] internationally, he is listed here as Dutch.
<br />
<sup> '''c''' </sup> Despite being born in Japan, Oh was a citizen of the [[Republic of China]] (his father's nationality) instead of Japan.
<br />
<sup> '''d''' </sup> Ramirez did not have Japanese citizenship until 2019 and so is listed as the nationality he was during his playing career.

===Single season pitching===
{| class="wikitable" style="clear: left;"
|- style="text-align:center;" 
| colspan="3" style="background:#cfc;"|'''Central League'''
| colspan="3" style="background:#87cefa;"|'''Pacific League'''
| colspan="3"|'''Overall'''
|-
!|Player
!|
!|Year
!|Player
!|
!|Year
!|Player
!|
!|Year
|-
| colspan="9" style="text-align:center;"|'''ERA'''<!-- https://npb.jp/bis/history/ssp_era.html -->
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Minoru Murayama]]
|0.98
|1970
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kazuhisa Inao]]
|1.06
|1956
| style="background:#cfc;"|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Minoru Murayama]] <sup> '''d''' </sup>
|0.98
|1970
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Minoru Murayama]]
|1.19
|1959
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Masahiro Tanaka]]
|1.272
|2011
| style="background:#87cefa;"|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kazuhisa Inao]]
|1.06
|1956
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Minoru Murayama]]
|1.20
|1962
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Masahiro Tanaka]]
|1.273
|2013
| style="background:#cfc;"|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Minoru Murayama]]
|1.19
|1959
|-
| colspan="9" style="text-align:center;"|'''Wins'''<!-- https://npb.jp/bis/history/ssp_w.html -->
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Juzo Sanada]]
|39
|1950
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kazuhisa Inao]] 
|42
|1961
| style="background:#87cefa;"|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kazuhisa Inao]]  <sup>'''e''' </sup>
|42
|1961
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hiroshi Gondo]]
|35
|1961
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Tadashi Sugiura]]
|38
|1959
| style="background:#cfc;"|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Juzo Sanada]]
|39
|1950
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Takehiko Bessho]]
|33
|1952
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kazuhisa Inao]]
|35
|1957
| style="background:#87cefa;"|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Tadashi Sugiura]]
|38
|1959
|-
| colspan="9" style="text-align:center;"|'''Saves''' <!-- https://npb.jp/bis/history/ssp_sv.html -->
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hitoki Iwase]]
|46
|2005
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Dennis Sarfate]]
|54
|2017
| style="background:#87cefa;"|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Dennis Sarfate]]
|54
|2017
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kyuji Fujikawa]]
|46
|2007
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Dennis Sarfate]]
|43
|2016
| style="background:#cfc;"|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hitoki Iwase]]
|46
|2005
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kazuhiro Sasaki]]
|45
|1998
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Dennis Sarfate]]
|41
|2015
| style="background:#cfc;"|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kyuji Fujikawa]]
|46
|2007
|-
| colspan="9" style="text-align:center;"|'''Strikeouts''' <!-- https://npb.jp/bis/history/ssp_so.html -->
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yutaka Enatsu]]
|401
|1968
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kazuhisa Inao]]
|353
|1961
| style="background:#cfc;"|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yutaka Enatsu]]
|401
|1968
|-
|{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Masaichi Kaneda]] <sup>'''f''' </sup>
|350
|1955
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Tadashi Sugiura]]
|336
|1959
| style="background:#87cefa;"|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kazuhisa Inao]]
|353
|1961
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yutaka Enatsu]]
|340
|1970
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kazuhisa Inao]]
|334
|1958
| style="background:#cfc;"|{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Masaichi Kaneda]]
|350
|1955
|}

<sup> '''d''' </sup> The Japanese record is 0.73, set by [[Hideo Fujimoto]] in the 1943 [[Japanese Baseball League]] season, which is also the world record ERA, surpassing Tim Keefe's 0.86 of the [[Troy Trojans (MLB team)|Troy Trojans]] in 1880.
<br />
<sup> '''e''' </sup> The Japanese record is shared between Inao and [[Victor Starffin]], who also recorded 42 wins during the 1942 [[Japanese Baseball League]] season.
<br />
<sup> '''f''' </sup> Despite being born in Japan, Kaneda did not become a Japanese citizen until 1959 and was instead a South Korean citizen.

===Career batting===
{{update|section|date=August 2022}}{{citation needed|reason=none of this is sourced, and some of it is out of date / inaccurate|date=August 2022}}
{| class="wikitable" style="clear: both;"
!|Player
!|
!|Years played
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|'''Batting average'''<ref>[[Ichiro Suzuki]] hit .353 for his Japanese career (1993–2000), but did not have enough at-bats to qualify for career leadership.
</ref>
|-
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Leron Lee]]
|.320
|1977–1987
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Tsutomu Wakamatsu]]
|.31918
|1971–1989
|-
|{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Isao Harimoto]]
|.31915
|1959–1981
|-
|{{flagicon|USA}} [[Greg Wells (baseball)|Greg Wells]]
|.317
|1983-1992
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|'''Home Runs''' {{main|List of top Nippon Professional Baseball home run hitters}}
|-
|{{flagicon|TWN}} [[Sadaharu Oh]]
|868
|1959–1980
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Katsuya Nomura]]
|657
|1954–1980
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hiromitsu Kadota]]
|567
|1970–1992
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|'''Hits''' {{main|List of Nippon Professional Baseball career hits leaders}}
|-
|{{flagicon|KOR}} [[Isao Harimoto]]
|3,085
|1959–1981
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Katsuya Nomura]]
|2,901
|1954–1980
|-
|{{flagicon|TWN}} [[Sadaharu Oh]]
|2,786
|1959–1980
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|'''RBIs''' {{main|List of Nippon Professional Baseball players with 1,000 runs batted in}}
|-
|{{flagicon|TWN}} [[Sadaharu Oh]]
|2,170
|1959–1980
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Katsuya Nomura]]
|1,988
|1954–1980
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hiromitsu Kadota]]
|1,678
|1970–1992
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|'''Stolen Bases'''
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yutaka Fukumoto]]
|1,065
|1969–1988
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Yoshinori Hirose]]
|596
|1955–1977
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Isao Shibata]]
|579
|1962–1981
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|'''Strikeouts'''
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kazuhiro Kiyohara]]
|1,955
|1986–2008
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Motonobu Tanishige]]
|1,838
|1989–2015
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Koji Akiyama]]
|1,712
|1981–2002
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|'''OPS'''
|-
|{{flagicon|TWN}} [[Sadaharu Oh]]
|1.080
|1959–1980
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hideki Matsui]]
|.995
|1993–2002
|-
|{{flagicon|VEN}} [[Alex Cabrera]]
|.990
|2001–2012
|}

===Career pitching===
{| class="wikitable" style="clear: both;"
!|Player
!|
!|Years played
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|'''ERA'''
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hideo Fujimoto]]
|1.90
|1942–1955
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|'''Wins'''
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Masaichi Kaneda]]
|400
|1950–1969
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Tetsuya Yoneda]]
|350
|1956–1977
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Masaaki Koyama]]
|320
|1953–1973
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Keishi Suzuki]]
|317
|1966–1985
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Takehiko Bessho]]
|310
|1942–1960
|-
|{{flagicon|URS}} [[Victor Starffin]]
|303
|1936–1955
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|'''Strikeouts'''<br /><small>{{main|List of top Nippon Professional Baseball strikeout pitchers}}</small>
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Masaichi Kaneda]]
|4490
|1950–1969
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Tetsuya Yoneda]]
|3388
|1956–1977
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Masaaki Koyama]]
|3159
|1953–1973
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Keishi Suzuki]]
|3061
|1966–1985
|-
| colspan="3" style="text-align:center;"|'''Saves'''
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Hitoki Iwase]]
|407
|1999–2018
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Shingo Takatsu]]
|286
|1991–2003, 2006–2007
|-
|{{flagicon|JPN}} [[Kazuhiro Sasaki]]
|252
|1990–1999, 2004–2005
|}

===ERA champions===
{{main|List of Nippon Professional Baseball ERA champions}}

==International play==
{{main|Japan national baseball team|MLB Japan All-Star Series}}

The [[Japan national baseball team]], long composed of amateur players, began to include NPB players in the [[Baseball at the 2000 Summer Olympics|2000 Sydney Olympics]], and has been composed of NPB players only since the [[Baseball at the 2004 Summer Olympics|2004 Athens Olympics]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://japan-baseball.nittsu.co.jp/article/1619/|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815081332/https://japan-baseball.nittsu.co.jp/article/1619/|title=侍ジャパン悲願達成へ 元日本代表守護神が語る戦い方 「全勝と掲げてしまうと…」|publisher=[[Nippon Express]]|date=30 January 2019|archive-date=15 August 2020}}</ref> As of 2023, the Japan national baseball team composed of NPB players had won three [[World Baseball Classic]]s, one [[WBSC Premier 12]], and one [[Baseball at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]], and was ranked No. 1 in the [[WBSC World Rankings]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://olympics.com/ja/news/baseball-wbsc-world-ranking|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230311175448/https://olympics.com/ja/news/baseball-wbsc-world-ranking|title=世界ランキング最新版！男子・日本代表・WBSC世界ランク|publisher=[[Nippon Express]]|date=5 October 2023|archive-date=11 March 2023}}</ref>

Since [[1986 MLB Japan All-Star Series|1986]] an [[all-star game|All-Star]] team from [[Major League Baseball]] (MLB) is sent to a biennial end-of-the-season tour of Japan, dubbed as [[MLB Japan All-Star Series]], playing exhibition games in a [[Playoff format#Best-of formats|best-of format]] against the All-Stars from NPB or recently as of [[2014 MLB Japan All-Star Series|2014]] the national team [[Samurai Japan]].

The 2014 series also celebrated the 80th anniversary of the establishment of Japan's professional baseball by holding an exhibition game of a joint team of Hanshin Tigers and Yomiuri Giants against the MLB All-Stars at the [[Koshien Stadium]] on November 11, 2014.

==Agreement and systems==
* [[Nippon Professional Baseball Agreement]]
* [[Nippon Professional Baseball rosters]]
* [[Registration of players under control (Nippon Professional Baseball)|Registration of players under control]]
* [[Developmental player system (Nippon Professional Baseball)|Developmental player system]]
* [[Nippon Professional Baseball draft]]

==See also==
{{Portal|Baseball|Japan}}
*[[Comparison of Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball]]
*[[High school baseball in Japan]]
*[[Japanese Baseball Hall of Fame]]
*[[List of Japanese baseball players]]
*[[List of Japanese players in Major League Baseball]]
*[[Shikoku Island League Plus]] (Regional professional league)
* [[List of Nippon Professional Baseball mascots]]

==Notes==
{{notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==Further reading==
*{{cite book
 | last = Fitts
 | first = Robert K.
 | year = 2005
 | title = Remembering Japanese Baseball: An Oral History of the Game
 | publisher = Southern Illinois University Press
 | isbn = 0-8093-2630-2
}}
*{{cite book
 | last = Johnson
 | first = Daniel
 | year = 2006
 | title = Japanese Baseball: A Statistical Handbook
 | publisher = McFarland & Company
 | isbn = 0-7864-2841-4
}}
*{{cite book
 | last = Whiting
 | first = Robert
 | year = 2005
 | title = The Samurai Way of Baseball: The Impact of Ichiro and the New Wave from Japan
 | publisher = Grand Central Publishing
 | isbn = 0-446-69403-7
}}
*{{cite book
 | last = Whiting
 | first = Robert
 | year = 1990
 | title = You Gotta Have Wa
 | publisher = Vintage
 | isbn = 0-679-72947-X
}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://npb.jp/eng/}} {{in lang|en|ja}}
* [https://baseball-museum.or.jp/en/ Japan Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum]
* [http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news.jsp?ymd=20021106&content_id=171406&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp MLB history of Puro Yakyū page] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060821190028/http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/news/mlb_news.jsp?ymd=20021106&content_id=171406&vkey=news_mlb&fext=.jsp |date=2006-08-21 }}

{{Nippon Professional Baseball}}
{{Nippon Professional Baseball Seasons}}
{{Baseball in Japan}}
{{Baseball leagues}}
{{Professional Baseball}}
{{Sports leagues in Japan}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Nippon Professional Baseball| ]]
[[Category:1950 establishments in Japan]]
[[Category:Baseball leagues in Japan|1]]
[[Category:Sports leagues established in 1950]]
[[Category:Professional sports leagues in Japan]]