The Central League will kick off its regular season for 2002 on March 30, holding its season opener on the same day as the Pacific League for the first time in eight years, the league said Tuesday.
The CL calendar pits the Yomiuri Giants against the Hanshin Tigers at the Tokyo Dome, the Chunichi Dragons against the Yakult Swallows at the Nagoya Dome, and the Hiroshima Carp against the Yokohama BayStars at Hiroshima Stadium on opening day.