In an unprecedented move, the professional basketball bj-league has issued a ban on media access by The Japan Times for the entire 2013-14 season. The directive has been relayed to teams around the country by the league office, the newspaper has learned.

The Japan Times was informed of the move in a letter signed by commissioner Toshimitsu Kawachi and league president Hidemitsu Nakano on Oct. 11. The letter stated that The Japan Times will not be granted season credentials — as it had for the first eight league campaigns — or single-game passes due to a dispute over an article by staff writer Ed Odeven on July 12 regarding the Kyoto Hannaryz.

In the story in question, Odeven cited an informed source as saying that at the time the Hannaryz were planning to play one more season in the bj-league before jumping to the newly formed National Basketball League. Both the Hannaryz and bj-league officials were given the opportunity to comment on the report before it was published.