On Thursday, the Nippon Ham Fighters achieved their first Japan Series title in 44 years with a 4-1 victory in their home stadium, Sapporo Dome, over the Chunichi Dragons. The score was tied at 1-1 in the sixth inning when Fernando Seguignol hit a two-run homer to give the Fighters the lead, which widened to 4-1 in the eighth inning when Atsunori Inaba hit a solo home run.

The Dragons won the first game of the best-of-seven series, but the Fighters came back and won four straight games, closing the series in five. Inaba was named series MVP with a .353 average (6-for-17) and 7 RBI.