The Pacific League said Monday its 2007 regular season will begin one week earlier than the Central League, with the first- to third-placed teams of the 2005 season hosting the Opening Day games on March 24.
The Chiba Lotte Marines will take on the 2006 Japan Series champion Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters at Chiba Marine Stadium, the Fukuoka Softbank Hawks will face the Orix Buffaloes at Yahoo JAPAN Dome and the Seibu Lions host the Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles at Invoice Seibu Dome.
Each PL team will play 144 games. In the postseason, both leagues will have three-team, two-stage playoffs for Japan Series berths.
(Kyodo News)