Yomiuri Giants infielder Kazuhiro Kiyohara and Seibu Lions catcher Tsutomu Ito are among 64 players who have qualified for free agency this season, according to a list released Sunday by the commissioner's office.
The players will have seven working days from the end of the Japan Series to notify their teams that they plan to exercise their rights to become a free agent.
The players will then be free to negotiate for a contract with any club in Japan or overseas after the commissioner's office releases its list of "declared free agents."
Although the list released Sunday includes 64 names, a number of players, including Kiyohara and Yomiuri teammate Masumi Kuwata, the Yakult Swallows' Atsuya Furuta and Shingo Takatsu, and the Daiei Hawks' Koji Akiyama plan to re-sign with their teams.