NPB and J. League to explore raising current attendance limits
Nippon Professional Baseball and the J. League will explore the possibility of raising the current caps on attendance, a process that will include consultations with an epidemiologist, among others, the two leagues announced following the latest meeting of their joint COVID-19 task force on ...
J. League and NPB reaffirm commitment to safety as limits on attendees eased
The two leagues said they’d remain vigilant in order to safely complete the remainder of their respective 2020 campaigns.
League bosses urge against COVID-related discrimination
The heads of NPB and the J. League took a strong stance on the issue following reports of discrimination against staff and families at teams with infections.
J. League, NPB to maintain restrictions on crowd size in order to help limit spread of virus
The task force met one day after several positive tests for COVID-19 forced the postponement of a J. League first-division game.
Pro athletes with underlying conditions remain extra cautious of COVID-19 threat
Professional athletes may seem invincible, but like anyone else they can suffer from serious conditions that make them vulnerable to the coronavirus.
Japan's baseball, soccer leagues give up on April restarts as COVID-19 cases increase
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic and with athletes in both leagues having been infected, Nippon Professional Baseball and the J. League will start and resume their seasons, respectively, even later than currently scheduled. The joint task force formed by the two biggest professional ...
Upon further review, NPB's replay system winning over doubters
Those who doubted the value of Nippon Professional Baseball's video review system a year ago have officially left the building. On Tuesday, NPB announced a few tweaks to a system that got some negative press last year, but was — on the whole — considered ...
In Shohei Ohtani, Japan finally has its world-beater
It must take a considerable amount of willpower for Hokkaido Nippon Ham Fighters manager Hideki Kuriyama not to respond to questions about his former player Shohei Ohtani with a simple, "I told you so." Although the sly smile he lets slip on occasion more ...
Japanese baseball community reacts to Shohei Ohtani's first MLB homer
The Japanese baseball community was celebrating on Wednesday after former Pacific League MVP Shohei Ohtani followed up his first pitching win in the majors with a stellar batting effort in his home debut with the Los Angeles Angels. His first pro skipper, Hideki Kuriyama, who ...
NPB names former Tokyo Stock Exchange boss Atsushi Saito next commissioner
Former securities exchange executive Atsushi Saito was approved as the next commissioner of Nippon Professional Baseball on Monday. Saito, formerly the CEO of the Japan Exchange Group Inc. that oversees the operations of the Tokyo Stock Exchange and the Osaka Exchange, will take over from ...
Starting next season, managers in Japan will be able to request video reviews of calls on the field of play following a decision on Monday by Nippon Professional Baseball. Until now, video reviews were restricted to three plays, balls caught against an outfield wall or ...
Time has come for NPB to address system for makeup games
On Sunday, the MLB season ended with all 30 teams in action, wrapping up the year in a nice and tidy 15-game bow as focus shifts to the playoffs. Sunday in Japan marked the final day all 12 NPB teams took the field on the ...
