J.League and NPB to gradually welcome fans back starting 10th July

Speaking after the latest meeting of NPB and J.League joint panel to assess the virus outbreak on Monday,  the heads of both leagues said they are preparing to welcome fans back to stadiums gradually from 10th July. NPB Commissioner Atsushi Saito said the league will allow fans into their stadiums "unless something unexpected happens" during an online press conference.

After a three-month delay caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the world's second-most famous baseball league opened a season Friday, but all matches are taking place behind closed doors at the moment. Following a roughly four-month stoppage,  J.League will resume its first division on 4th July without fans in the stadiums

Japan has recorded almost 1,000 deaths attributed to COVID-19. That compares to almost 120,000 in the United States, which has 2.6 times the population of Japan but about 120 times more deaths.