Chunichi won the Central League pennant by a comfortable 12 games to advance to the championship.
However, the representative from the Pacific League was undecided up until 3 days before Game 1 of the Japan Series.
On the last day of the season (October 19), Kintetsu had to win both games of an away double-header against the last-place Lotte Orions to claim the PL pennant.
Kintetsu won the first game by one run (by scoring one run in the top of the ninth inning), but Lotte forced a comeback tie in the second game, capping a dramatic finish to the season (known to Japanese baseball fans as 10.19) and giving Seibu the PL spot in the Japan Series for the fourth year in a row.
Seibu shortstop Hiromichi Ishige was named Most Valuable Player of the series.