The oddest thing about the preseason game the Yomiuri Giants and Tokyo Yakult Swallows played at Tokyo Dome on Saturday night — and really the same could be said about all the other games over the weekend too — was the lack of fans.
The usual NPB atmosphere in the stands was wholly nonexistent, a fact punctuated each time a home run or foul ball banged off an empty seat. The only signs of life off the playing field were the screams of the players in the dugout and the presence of media members in the press box and around the venue.
Stadiums across NPB were devoid of fans over the weekend due to the COVID-19 outbreak and government appeals to limit large gatherings. The stands will remain empty for the remainder of the preseason as a result.