[1] The league began with seven teams: four holdovers from the previous iteration, the Japanese Baseball League—the Hankyu Braves, the Nankai Hawks, the Daiei Stars, and the Tokyu Flyers—and three new teams—the Kintetsu Pearls, the Mainichi Orions, and the Nishitetsu Clippers.

Fujio Nakazawa, a former player and television commentator, became the PL's first full-time president in 1959, serving through 1965.

During interleague play (adopted in 2005), the DH is used in Pacific League teams' home games.

The teams with the second- and third-best records play in the three-game first stage, with the winner advancing to a best-of-six final against the top team (the Pacific League pennant winner is granted a 1 game advantage in the Final Stage).

Player statistics and drafting order based on team records are not affected by these postseason games.