The Central League was headlined by four-time-winning catcher Shinnosuke Abe of the Yomiuri Giants and two-time-winning pitcher Kenta Maeda of the Hiroshima Carp.

Nakajima, who hit safely in 20 of 21 games, led the league in batting average (.405), runs scored (20) and on-base percentage (.478) as the Lions posted the PL's best record in June, 13-7-1.

He became the second Seibu player to win his maiden monthly award in his 12th season, the other was pitcher Denny Tomori, who won his first in July 1998.

Tanaka posted a 1.54 ERA and went 3-0 to tie for the league-lead in wins. The 23-year-old led both leagues in complete games (3) and strikeouts (31). Tanaka's seventh pitcher of the month award equals the seven won by current Giants lefty Toshiya Sugiuchi as the most won by a PL pitcher.

Maeda allowed just four runs while pitching a Japan-high 38 innings for a Japan-best 0.95 ERA and a 4-0 record. The 24-year-old failed to get a decision in just one start, when he allowed a run over eight innings in a 1-1 tie. He beat out fellow Carp right-hander Kan Otake, who went 4-0 in four starts with a 1.78 ERA in 25-1/3 innings.

Abe played in 20 games and batted .338 with six homers and 17 runs batted in, while leading the league with a .434 on-base percentage to beat out a tough challenge from Hiroshima first baseman Takahiro Iwamoto, who led the CL with a .397 average and Yakult Swallows outfielder Wladimir Balentien, who topped the CL with eight homers and 22 RBIs in just 15 games.

Abe became just the second catcher to win four monthly honors. Former Swallows superstar Atsuya Furuta also had four.