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Nippon Professional Baseball

Japan's top flight, split into the Central and Pacific Leagues. Every Japan Series champion since 1950 — the headline honour — alongside league pennants and the all-time record of the 12 clubs, with historical franchises folded into their modern successors.

Japan Series

The championship: a best-of-seven between the Central and Pacific pennant winners (the Climax Series winners since 2007). 76 editions.

YearChampionRunner-up
2025Fukuoka SoftBank HawksHanshin Tigers
2024Yokohama DeNA BayStarsFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
2023Hanshin TigersOrix Buffaloes
2022Orix BuffaloesTokyo Yakult Swallows
2021Tokyo Yakult SwallowsOrix Buffaloes
2020Fukuoka SoftBank HawksYomiuri Giants
2019Fukuoka SoftBank HawksYomiuri Giants
2018Fukuoka SoftBank HawksHiroshima Toyo Carp
2017Fukuoka SoftBank HawksYokohama DeNA BayStars
2016Hokkaido Nippon-Ham FightersHiroshima Toyo Carp
2015Fukuoka SoftBank HawksTokyo Yakult Swallows
2014Fukuoka SoftBank HawksHanshin Tigers
2013Tohoku Rakuten Golden EaglesYomiuri Giants
2012Yomiuri GiantsHokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
2011Fukuoka SoftBank HawksChunichi Dragons
2010Chiba Lotte MarinesChunichi Dragons
2009Yomiuri GiantsHokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
2008Saitama Seibu LionsYomiuri Giants
2007Chunichi DragonsHokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
2006Hokkaido Nippon-Ham FightersChunichi Dragons
2005Chiba Lotte MarinesHanshin Tigers
2004Saitama Seibu LionsChunichi Dragons
2003Fukuoka SoftBank HawksHanshin Tigers
2002Yomiuri GiantsSaitama Seibu Lions
2001Tokyo Yakult SwallowsKintetsu Buffaloes
2000Yomiuri GiantsFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
1999Fukuoka SoftBank HawksChunichi Dragons
1998Yokohama DeNA BayStarsSaitama Seibu Lions
1997Tokyo Yakult SwallowsSaitama Seibu Lions
1996Orix BuffaloesYomiuri Giants
1995Tokyo Yakult SwallowsOrix Buffaloes
1994Yomiuri GiantsSaitama Seibu Lions
1993Tokyo Yakult SwallowsSaitama Seibu Lions
1992Saitama Seibu LionsTokyo Yakult Swallows
1991Saitama Seibu LionsHiroshima Toyo Carp
1990Saitama Seibu LionsYomiuri Giants
1989Yomiuri GiantsKintetsu Buffaloes
1988Saitama Seibu LionsChunichi Dragons
1987Saitama Seibu LionsYomiuri Giants
1986Saitama Seibu LionsHiroshima Toyo Carp
1985Hanshin TigersSaitama Seibu Lions
1984Hiroshima Toyo CarpOrix Buffaloes
1983Saitama Seibu LionsYomiuri Giants
1982Saitama Seibu LionsChunichi Dragons
1981Yomiuri GiantsHokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters
1980Hiroshima Toyo CarpKintetsu Buffaloes
1979Hiroshima Toyo CarpKintetsu Buffaloes
1978Tokyo Yakult SwallowsOrix Buffaloes
1977Orix BuffaloesYomiuri Giants
1976Orix BuffaloesYomiuri Giants
1975Orix BuffaloesHiroshima Toyo Carp
1974Chiba Lotte MarinesChunichi Dragons
1973Yomiuri GiantsFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
1972Yomiuri GiantsOrix Buffaloes
1971Yomiuri GiantsOrix Buffaloes
1970Yomiuri GiantsChiba Lotte Marines
1969Yomiuri GiantsOrix Buffaloes
1968Yomiuri GiantsOrix Buffaloes
1967Yomiuri GiantsOrix Buffaloes
1966Yomiuri GiantsFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
1965Yomiuri GiantsFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
1964Fukuoka SoftBank HawksHanshin Tigers
1963Yomiuri GiantsSaitama Seibu Lions
1962Hokkaido Nippon-Ham FightersHanshin Tigers
1961Yomiuri GiantsFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
1960Yokohama DeNA BayStarsChiba Lotte Marines
1959Fukuoka SoftBank HawksYomiuri Giants
1958Saitama Seibu LionsYomiuri Giants
1957Saitama Seibu LionsYomiuri Giants
1956Saitama Seibu LionsYomiuri Giants
1955Yomiuri GiantsFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
1954Chunichi DragonsSaitama Seibu Lions
1953Yomiuri GiantsFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
1952Yomiuri GiantsFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
1951Yomiuri GiantsFukuoka SoftBank Hawks
1950Chiba Lotte MarinesYokohama DeNA BayStars

All-time clubs

The 12 current franchises, ranked by Japan Series titles then pennants. Records and honours include each club's earlier identities. Switch to All to add defunct franchises with no modern successor (Kintetsu Buffaloes and the 1950s Unions/Stars).

ClubLeagueCityMetroJapan SeriesPennantsSeasonsW–L–TWin %
Yomiuri GiantsCentralTokyoTokyo223773541840773280.571
Saitama Seibu LionsPacificSaitamaTokyo132276523647794000.523
Fukuoka SoftBank HawksPacificFukuokaFukuoka122276530845693790.537
Tokyo Yakult SwallowsCentralTokyoTokyo6873442950593340.467
Orix BuffaloesPacificOsakaOsaka-Kyoto-Kobe51576503748273580.511
Chiba Lotte MarinesPacificChibaTokyo4476493049284080.500
Hiroshima Toyo CarpCentralHiroshimaHiroshima3973456348903690.483
Hokkaido Nippon-Ham FightersPacificKitahiroshimaSapporo3776476850943790.483
Yokohama DeNA BayStarsCentralYokohamaTokyo3373445054163290.451
Chunichi DragonsCentralNagoyaNagoya2973489945883380.516
Hanshin TigersCentralNishinomiyaOsaka-Kyoto-Kobe2773484746853030.508
Tohoku Rakuten Golden EaglesPacificSendaiSendai112113541536840.469

Sources & methodology

Standings, postseason results, and franchise lineages from a season-by-season Wikipedia extract, 1950-2025. Each Japan Series champion is determined from the best-of-seven between the two league finalists; pennants are regular-season league titles. Defunct and renamed franchises (Nankai Hawks, Hankyu Braves, Nishitetsu Lions, Taiyo Whales, and others) fold into their modern successors, so a club's record and titles span its full history. Japan Series titles are the headline honour.