200 wins and the Meikyukai standard
The Meikyukai was founded in 1978 at the initiative of Masaichi Kaneda. Its pitching standard is 200 career wins, with 250 career saves added in 2003 to recognize relief pitchers.
Only NPB official-game career totals count; MLB stats are not added. Reaching 200 wins proves a pitcher stayed at the front of a rotation and kept winning for well over a decade.
Only 24 pitchers have made it (as of 2026)
As of 2026, 24 pitchers have reached 200 wins in NPB. The career record is Masaichi Kaneda's 400 wins, and most members starred in the 1950s-70s, such as Kazuhisa Inao (276), Tetsuya Yoneda (350), Masaaki Koyama (320) and Keishi Suzuki (317).
The most recent to reach the mark was Masa Yamamoto in 2008; no pitcher has joined since.
Why 200 wins is so hard in the modern game
In the 2020s NPB, rotations run on six days' rest, starters make only 25-28 starts a year and typically leave around 100 pitches. Complete games have collapsed, and even a 15-win season has become hard to achieve.
Even at 13 wins every year, 200 would take 16 seasons - which is why the mark is becoming effectively unreachable, especially with careers interrupted by moves to MLB.
How to read this tracker
The reference table below lists active pitchers closing in on the 200-win milestone. Figures are as of the data date; always check npb.jp for the definitive latest records.
Reference data
The table below is reference data compiled by this site, not an official announcement.
Data as of Aug 16, 2026
Legend: Reached Within 5% More than 5% to go Milestone line
- 石川 雅規 (Yakult) 188 / 200 12 to go
- 岸 孝之 (Rakuten) 173 / 200 27 to go
- 涌井 秀章 (Chunichi) 169 / 200 31 to go
All 200-Win Pitchers in NPB History
These are finalized official records, sourced from the npb.jp career milestone lists. Career totals cover NPB only and do not include combined NPB/MLB figures.
| Order | Player | Team | Year | Career total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | スタルヒン | Pacific | 1946 | 303 |
| 2 | 若林 忠志 | Hanshin | 1947 | 237 |
| 3 | 野口 二郎 | Hankyu | 1948 | 237 |
| 4 | 別所 毅彦 | Yomiuri | 1954 | 310 |
| 5 | 中尾 碩志 | Yomiuri | 1955 | 209 |
| 6 | 藤本 英雄 | Yomiuri | 1955 | 200 |
| 7 | 杉下 茂 | Chunichi | 1957 | 215 |
| 8 | 金田 正一 | Kokutetsu | 1958 | 400 |
| 9 | 稲尾 和久 | Nishitetsu | 1962 | 276 |
| 10 | 小山 正明 | Tokyo Orions | 1964 | 320 |
| 11 | 米田 哲也 | Hankyu | 1966 | 350 |
| 12 | 梶本 隆夫 | Hankyu | 1967 | 254 |
| 13 | 皆川 睦男 | Nankai | 1968 | 221 |
| 14 | 村山 実 | Hanshin | 1970 | 222 |
| 15 | 鈴木 啓示 | Kintetsu | 1977 | 317 |
| 16 | 堀内 恒夫 | Yomiuri | 1980 | 203 |
| 17 | 山田 久志 | Hankyu | 1982 | 284 |
| 18 | 江夏 豊 | Nippon-Ham | 1982 | 206 |
| 19 | 平松 政次 | Taiyo | 1983 | 201 |
| 20 | 東尾 修 | Seibu | 1984 | 251 |
| 21 | 村田 兆治 | Lotte | 1989 | 215 |
| 22 | 北別府 学 | Hiroshima | 1992 | 213 |
| 23 | 工藤 公康 | Yomiuri | 2004 | 224 |
| 24 | 山本昌 | Chunichi | 2008 | 219 |
Frequently asked questions
Is 200 wins the Meikyukai membership standard?
Yes. The pitching standard is 200 career wins or 250 career saves (added in 2003), counting NPB official games only.
Who was the last pitcher to reach 200 wins?
Masa Yamamoto, in 2008. No pitcher has reached the mark since.
What is the NPB career wins record?
Masaichi Kaneda's 400 wins - a record considered effectively unbreakable.