Japan Series - Definition and Overview

The Japan Series (日本選手権シリーズ試合 Nihon Senshuken Shiriizu Shiai, usually shortened to Nihon Shiriizu) is a seven-game championship played by the winners of Japan's two professional baseball leagues (the Central League and Pacific League). It is usually played in October. See also Japanese Baseball.

• 1950: Mainichi Orions PL defeats Shochiku Robins CL, 4 games to 2. Series MVP: Kaoru Bettou
• 1951: Yomiuri Giants CL defeats Nankai Hawks PL, 4 games to 2. MVP: Yukou Minamimura(Fukashi Minamimura)
• 1952: Yomiuri Giants CL defeats Nankai Hawks PL, 4 games to 2. MVP: Takehiko Bessho
• 1953: Yomiuri Giants CL defeats Nankai Hawks PL, 4 games to 2, 1 tie. MVP: Tetsuharu Kawakami
• 1954: Chunichi Dragons CL defeats Nishitetsu Lions PL, 4 games to 3. MVP: Shigeru Sugishita
• 1955: Yomiuri Giants CL defeats Yomiuri Giants CL, 4 games 3. MVP:Takehiko Bessho
• 1956: Nishitetsu Lions PL defeats Yomiuri Giants CL, 4 games 2. MVP: Yasumitsu Toyoda
• 1957: Nishitetsu Lions PL defeats Yomiuri Giants CL, 4 games 0, 1 tie. MVP: Hiroshi Oshita
• 1958: Nishitetsu Lions PL defeats Yomiuri Giants CL, 4 games to 3. MVP: Kazuhisa Inao
• 1959: Nankai Hawks PL defeats Yomiuri Giants CL, 4 games to 0. MVP: Tadashi Sugiura
• 1960: Taiyo Whales CL defeats Daimai Orions PL, 4 games to 0. MVP: Akihito Kondo
• 1961: Yomiuri Giants CL defeats Nankai Hawks PL, 4 games to 2. MVP: Toshio Miyamoto
• 1962: Toei Flyers PL defeats Hanshin Tigers CL, 4 games to 2, one tie. MVP: Masayuki Dobashi, Masayuki Tanemo
• 1963: Yomiuri Giants CL defeats Nishitetsu Lions PL, 4 games to 3. MVP: Shigeo Nagashima
• 1964: Nankai Hawks PL defeats Hanshin Tigers CL, 4 games to 3. MVP: Joe Stanka
• 1965: Yomiuri Giants CL defeats Nankai Hawks PL, 4 games to 1. MVP: Shigeo Nagashima
• 1966: Yomiuri Giants CL defeats Nankai Hawks PL, 4 games to 2. MVP: Isao Shibata
• 1967: Yomiuri Giants CL defeats Hankyu Braves PL, 4 games to 2. MVP: Masaaki Mori (Masahiko Mori)
• 1968: Yomiuri Giants CL defeats Hankyu Braves PL, 4 games to 2. MVP: Shigeru Takada
• 1969: Yomiuri Giants CL defeats Hankyu Braves PL, 4 games to 2. MVP: Shigeo Nagashima
• 1970: Yomiuri Giants CL defeats Lotte Orions PL, 4 games to 1. MVP: Shigeo Nagashima
• 1971: Yomiuri Giants CL defeats Hankyu Braves PL, 4 games to 1. MVP: Toshimitsu Suetsugu (Tamio Suetsugu)
• 1972: Yomiuri Giants CL defeats Hankyu Braves PL, 4 games to 1. MVP: Tsuneo Horiuchi
• 1973: Yomiuri Giants CL defeats Nakai Hawks PL, 4 games to 1. MVP: Tsuneo Horiuchi
• 1974: Lotte Orions PL defeats Chunichi Dragons CL, 4 games to 2. MVP: Sumio Hirota
• 1975: Hankyu Braves PL defeats Hiroshima Toyo Carp CL, 4 games to 0, 1 tie. MVP: Takashi Yamaguchi
• 1976: Hankyu Braves PL defeats Yomiuri Giants CL, 4 games to 3. MVP: Yutaka Fukumoto
• 1977: Hankyu Braves PL defeats Yomiuri Giants CL, 4 games to 1. MVP: Hisashi Yamada
• 1978: Yakult Swallows CL defeats Hankyu Braves PL, 4 games to 3. MVP: Katsuo Osugi
• 1979: Hiroshima Toyo Carp CL defeats Kintetsu Buffaloes PL, 4 games to 3. MVP: Yoshihiko Takahashi
• 1980: Hiroshima Toyo Carp CL defeats Kintetsu Buffaloes PL, 4 games to 3. MVP: Jim Lyttle
• 1981: Yomiuri Giants CL defeats Nippon Ham Fighters PL, 4 games to 2. MVP: Takashi Nishimoto
• 1982: Seibu Lions PL defeats Chunichi Dragons CL, 4 games to 3. MVP: Osamu Higashio
• 1983: Seibu Lions PL defeats Yomiuri Giants CL, 4 games to 3. MVP: Takuji Ota
• 1984: Hiroshima Toyo Carp CL defeats Hankyu Braves PL, 4 games to 3. MVP: Kiyoyuki Nagashima
• 1985: Hanshin Tigers CL defeats Seibu Lions PL, 4 games to 2. MVP:Randy Bass
• 1986: Seibu Lions PL defeats Hiroshima Toyo Carp CL, 4 games to 3, 1 tie. MVP: Kimiyasu Kudo
• 1987: Seibu Lions PL defeats Yomiuri Giants CL, 4 games to 2. MVP: Kimiyasu Kudo
• 1988: Seibu Lions PL defeats Seibu Lions PL, 4 games to 1. MVP: Hiromichi Ishige
• 1989: Yomiuri Giants CL defeats Kintetsu Buffaloes PL, 4 games to 3. MVP: Norihiro Komada
• 1990: Seibu Lions PL defeats Yomiuri Giants CL, 4 games to 0. MVP: Orestes Destrade
• 1991: Seibu Lions PL defeats Hiroshima Toyo Carp CL, 4 games to 3. MVP: Kouji Akiyama
• 1992: Seibu Lions PL defeats Yakult Swallows CL, 4 games to 3. MVP: Takehiro Ishii
• 1993: Yakult Swallows CL defeats Seibu Lions PL, 4 games 3. MVP: Kenjiro Kawasaki
• 1994: Yomiuri Giants CL defeats Seibu Lions PL, 4 games to 1. MVP: Hiromi Makihara
• 1995: Yakult Swallows CL defeats Orix Blue Wave PL, 4 games to 1. MVP: Thomas O'malley
• 1996: Orix Blue Wave PL defeats Yomiuri Giants CL, 4 games to 1. MVP: Troy Neel
• 1997: Yakult Swallows CL defeats Seibu Lions PL, 4 games to 1. MVP: Atsuya Furuta
• 1998: Yokohama BayStars CL defeats Seibu Lions PL, 4 games to 2. MVP: Takanori Suzuki
• 1999: Fukuoka Daiei Hawks PL defeats Chunichi Dragons CL, 4 games to 1. MVP: Kouji Akiyama
• 2000: Yomiuri Giants CL defeats Fukuoka Daiei Hawks PL, 4 games to 2. MVP: Hideki Matsui
• 2001: Yakult Swallows CL defeats Osaka Kintetsu Buffaloes PL, 4 games to 1. MVP: Atsuya Furuta
• 2002: Yomiuri Giants CL defeats Seibu Lions PL, 4 games to 0. MVP: Tomohiro Nioka
• 2003: Fukuoka Daiei Hawks PL defeats Hanshin Tigers CL, 4 games to 3. MVP: Toshiya Sugiuchi
• 2004: Seibu Lions PL defeats Chunichi Dragons CL, 4 games to 3. MVP: Takashi Ishii