Ninety years of professional baseball in Japan

On this day, February 5th, in 1936 the All-Japan Professional Baseball League was formed in Japan. It later evolved into the modern Nippon Professional Baseball organization, the central body that oversees the sport in Japan. In celebration of this milestone in baseball history, February 5th annually is Professional Baseball Day プロ野球の日 in Japan.

At the time of its founding, the league consisted of seven teams, including early versions of well‑known clubs such as the Yomiuri Giants, Hanshin Tigers, Chunichi Dragons, and the team that would eventually become the Orix Buffaloes.

Japan’s first professional league didn’t appear in a vacuum. It was influenced by American baseball, particularly the concept of a paid, structured organization. But the Japanese baseball league quickly developed its own identity: disciplined training, strategic play, and a strong sense of team spirit. Japan had already been popular before the league started and has remained popular ever since.