Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB), Japan's premier baseball league, traces its roots to 1934 and was formally established in 1950 when the Japanese Baseball League reorganized into its current two-league format. The league consists of 12 teams split into the Central League and Pacific League, uniquely named after their corporate owners (like Yomiuri and SoftBank), and oversees minor leagues in the Eastern and Western divisions. In the Japan Series, the Yomiuri Giants dominate with 22 championships, but the Fukuoka SoftBank Hawks are the reigning 2025 champions after beating the Hanshin Tigers, with the series historically tied between the leagues at 38 wins apiece. As a global powerhouse, NPB is the wealthiest sports league in Asia and the second-wealthiest baseball league behind MLB, holding the second-highest total attendance, and was Japan's only pro sports league until the J.League formed in 1993. Structurally, the two leagues operate as separate entities, and while the Pacific League has used the designated hitter since 1975, the Central League is set to adopt the rule starting in the 2027 season.